rom star trek actor

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

The Intriguing World Of Entertainment

Whatever Happened To Max Grodenchik, ‘Rom’ From Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

By Nick Lee | December 9, 2022

Max Grodénchik in an American actor that is best known for his role as ‘Rom’ on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.

He was born in New York City, New York on November 12, 1952. He was also referred to as “Michael” Grodénchik during his time working in theater throughout the 1980s. Overall, Grodénchik is a well-known American film, stage, and television actor. 

Before his rise to fame, Grodénchik was raised within a Jewish family in New York public housing. He has one brother, Barry Grodénchik , who eventually grew up to become a State Assemblyman. Both boys attended public schools in New York City. Max played baseball his entire life and was actually planning to become a full-time professional player before he focused on his acting career. 

Early Career

He got his start on the stage, appearing in shows ranging from regional theaters in Yale Rep to the Guthrie Theater, all the way to the Mark Taper Forum. Eventually, his appearances in theater productions led him to start his career on screen. 

In 1981, he played the role of “Frankie” in the comedy “Chu Chu and the Philly Flash” with Carol Burnett and Alan Arkin. This then led him to other roles such as “Out”, and a few smaller roles in television shows.

It wasn’t until 1990 when he landed his very small role in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” – appearing in only two episodes, playing a new Ferengi character for each one. He played the role of ‘Sovak’ in the episode ‘Captain’s Holiday’ and ‘Par Lenor’ in the episode ‘The Perfect Mate’.

Entering the world of Star Trek was the best possible opportunity he could come across, and his career was just now beginning. 

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

In 1993, Grodénchik was cast as the character Rom in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”. This particular TV series was on the air from 1993 – 1999, and although he didn’t make an appearance in every episode, he quickly became a fan favorite.

Fans have said that his portrayal of Rom was incredible. From his ability to control his voice and mannerisms to even his body movements– it is noted that Grodénchik played the part perfectly.

This is particularly difficult to achieve because of the amount of special effects makeup Grodénchik was required to wear. Despite the adversities he faced, he did an amazing job. 

In one of the episodes, his character Rom played baseball but it was supposed to come across as if he was a horrible player. Well, Grodénchik and his previous career in baseball made this a bit difficult– so to make himself look inexperienced, he played with his left hand! 

Once the Deep Space Nine series ended, Grodénchik still didn’t leave the Star Trek scene. He has appeared in podcasts and even still makes appearances at conventions all over the country. He has also done video game voice acting work for Star Trek: Bridge Commander, Star Trek Online, and Star Trek: Starfleet Command III. 

His Other Roles

Max Grodénchik is known for more than just Star Trek. His face may be familiar to you because of the numerous side roles he played throughout his career. He has made an appearance on CSI, Hustle, and ER, to just name a few television shows. 

In 1991, before he was involved with Star Trek, he had a small role playing as the character “Wilmer” in the popular movie “The Rocketeer”. Then in 1992, he played yet another small role in the movie “Sister Act”.

It wasn’t until 1995 when he landed his big lead part playing Rumplestilskin in the movie “Rumplestilskin”. 

This gave Grodénchik another opportunity to showcase his acting skills while wearing special effects makeup. Critics have said that although the movie is unsettling and bizarre, Grodénchik puts on an incredible performance as the creepy little goblin. 

Where is Max Grodénchik today?

(photo: NerdNewsToday )

There is no doubt that Grodénchik has had quite a successful acting career, all thanks to Star Trek. His other roles are certainly of importance, but it is Star Trek that helped him build and maintain a huge following. Still to this day, there are people who are just now discovering the world of Star Trek, so his fan base grows little by little daily. 

From Star Trek conventions, to even Star Trek cruises– you can still find Grodénchik very much so involved with that world and fandom. And yes, Star Trek cruises .

In 2022 Max attended the 56-Year Mission Las Vegas convention, the FedCon 30 convention and the Star Trek Cruise.

During his appearances at these conventions and cruises, you might be lucky enough to find Max serenade you as part of the Star Trek Rat Pack.

The Star Trek Rat Pack is a group that consists of the six best singers and musicians from the Star Trek universe. The members include Jeffrey Combs, Armin Shimerman , Max Grodenchik, Vaughn Armstrong and Casey Biggs.

Aside from Star Trek– Grodénchik , his wife, and his daughter all live in Upper Austria relatively close to the provincial capital. He has stated that because his wife’s family all live in the area, it is best for his daughter to be surrounded by that type of environment. This doesn’t stop him from his acting, though. He is still working on a few small roles in Austria and definitely plans on attending all Star Trek events for the remainder of his career. 

Related Posts:

About Nick Lee

Nick is a Senior Staff Writer for Ned Hardy. Some of his favorite subjects include sci-fi, history, and obscure facts about 90's television. When he's not writing, he's probably wondering how Frank Dux got 52 consecutive knockouts in a single tournament. More from Nick

• Bajoran Militia personnel
• Deep Space 9 personnel
• Ferengi government officials
• Mirror Universe
• View history

Rom was a male Ferengi engineer of the 24th century Ferengi Alliance and became its Grand Nagus . A failure as a businessman but a mechanical and engineering genius, he worked as a waiter for several years at Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade on Deep Space 9 before becoming an engineer in the Bajoran Militia . He was known for being a kinder, gentler Ferengi and kept that reputation as Nagus. He was the son of Keldar and Ishka , younger brother of Quark , and father of Nog . He was married twice, to Prinadora and then Leeta .

• 1 Early history
• 2 Deep Space 9
• 3 A new career
• 4 Dominion War
• 5 Becoming Nagus
• 6 Life as Grand Nagus
• 7.1 Prinadora
• 8.1 Appearances
• 8.2 Background information
• 8.3 Apocrypha
• 8.4 External links

Early history [ ]

Rom grew up on Ferenginar with his family. As a child, Rom was always teased for having smaller-than-average lobes than the rest of the boys. Quark was the worst, telling everyone that Rom was adopted. On Rom's Naming Day , Quark substituted his brother's presents with old vegetables , and sold the presents for more than their father had paid for them, which actually earned him the praise of his parents. ( DS9 : " Rivals ") When Rom was a child, he had a latinum tooth sharpener . Quark resented this, as his tooth sharpener was a wooden chew stick.

Deep Space 9 [ ]

Rom in 2369, shortly after Starfleet arrived to administrate

Rom was employed at Quark's aboard Deep Space 9, holding several positions such as server, pit boss , and assistant to Quark, before being " promoted " to Assistant Manager of Policy and Clientele . He and his brother Quark had an odd relationship. Quark at times treated him like a servant , many times swindling him out of latinum . Other times Quark took care of Rom and provided him with whatever he needed. Rom was very loyal to Quark and would do anything Quark asked – although it wasn't below him as a Ferengi to swindle, steal from or even sell his brother out at times. ( DS9 : " Emissary ", " Babel ", " The Nagus ", " Prophet Motive ")

When the Grand Nagus Zek visited the station, he admonished Rom for sending Nog to school and told him to stop it. Zek made Quark the new nagus so he could retire. Shortly after this, he died. Rom wanted Quark's Bar, but instead Quark appointed Rom as his bodyguard . Rom still wanted the bar, but Quark refused, and Rom along with Krax , Zek's son, decided to kill Quark. Rom escorted him to an airlock but instead of a ship waiting, there was empty space. Just before Quark would have been ejected into space, Zek appeared and stated that he faked his death to test his son's worthiness to be nagus – which he failed. Quark congratulated Rom on his treachery, since this made him a true Ferengi. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

After Quark was appointed to open trade negotiation with the Gamma Quadrant , Rom became jealous of a Ferengi named Pel who became Quark's right-hand man in the negotiations. Rom exposed her as a female which got Quark in trouble. ( DS9 : " Rules of Acquisition ")

After the attempted murder of his brother, Rom briefly became a suspect. When the murderer tried to kill Quark again in the hospital, Rom was able to save him. ( DS9 : " Necessary Evil ")

He opposed his brother during the crisis their mother caused when she earned profit. Quark wanted Ishka to return all the profits, or he would have to and be ruined. When they stopped talking to each other, Rom arranged a meeting, and they resolved the issue. Ishka signed a confession and returned the profits. But she hid two-thirds of the profits with Rom's help. ( DS9 : " Family Business ")

Rom was made senior administrator of the Ferengi Benevolent Association , a short-lived organization established by Grand Nagus Zek during a period in which the Prophets had replaced the Nagus' greedy philosophical perspective with a more charitable one. Rom's greed was unaffected, however, and he embezzled money from the association until it was shut down, after Quark convinced the Prophets to restore the Nagus. ( DS9 : " Prophet Motive ")

In 2372 , a mishap on their ship sent Rom, Nog and Quark back to Earth in 1947 . This became known as the Roswell Incident . They were mistaken for invaders and were almost dissected by the military. They escaped with the help of Earth scientists and returned to their own time. On the journey to Earth, Rom's engineering expertise saved them when their ship was in danger of breaking up; and his skills helped them return to the correct time in the future, too. ( DS9 : " Little Green Men ")

A new career [ ]

Diagnostic and Repair Technician Rom

Rom became sick due to being overworked. He became angry at the working conditions in Quark's and formed the Guild of Restaurant and Casino Employees . Brunt arrived at the station and threatened Rom, when this failed, he had Quark beaten and threatened to kill him. Rom ended the strike when Quark secretly agreed to his demands. He followed this up with an application to join the station's Bajoran engineering crew and joined Chief O'Brien 's maintenance team, initially working in waste extraction as a Diagnostic and Repair Technician, Junior Grade . Furthermore, while Rom promises to be at Quark's business all the time off duty, it will be as a paying customer who will expect to be treated with more respect as one. ( DS9 : " Bar Association ")

Rom being interrogated by Odo

Rom re-calibrated the deflector beam at O'Brien's request. O'Brien was ordered to do this by a Pah-wraith who had taken over Keiko O'Brien 's body and had threatened to kill her. Rom informed O'Brien that the recalibration would send the deflector beam into the wormhole and kill the aliens inside it. O'Brien was able to rig the beam to hit the alien and save Keiko. As Rom kept O'Brien's secret safe until Keiko was no longer in danger, this endeared Rom to O'Brien, who promoted him to the day shift . ( DS9 : " The Assignment ")

He was further promoted to Maintenance Engineer, First Class in mid- 2375 . ( DS9 : " It's Only a Paper Moon ")

Rom was invited to join Captain Sisko's baseball team that was going to play against a Vulcan team coached by Captain Solok , a rival of Sisko's since their Academy days. Rom couldn't hit a ball, and wasn't good at catching, either. Sisko cut him from the team. Later, Sisko felt bad and in the last inning with Nog on third, the team losing 10 to 0, Sisko sent Rom to bat. Rom missed the first two pitches. On the third pitch, as Rom leaned forward to try to see what the coach wanted him to do, he accidentally hit the ball. It rolled down the first base line and Nog slid into home, scoring his team's only run. The team rushed the field and lifted Rom up as the hero of the game. ( DS9 : " Take Me Out to the Holosuite ")

Dominion War [ ]

Rom activates the security alarm while trying to sabotage the station's deflector array

Rom played an important role in the war against the Dominion, coming up with the idea of self-replicating mines to block the Bajoran wormhole , stopping the Dominion from being reinforced from the Gamma Quadrant. When the Dominion captured Deep Space 9, he remained on board as a " spy " for the Federation and resumed his title of Assistant Manager of Policy and Clientele. ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ")

During the Cardassian takeover of DS9, he was part of Kira 's resistance cell against the Dominion. He helped cause dissension between the Dominion and Cardassians. After learning that Gul Dukat was going to use the deflector array to disable the mines, he tried to disable the deflector array, but was caught. He was sentenced to death by Dukat for his actions, but was rescued by Quark and Tora Ziyal . He failed to disable the deflector array in time, but disabled the station's weapons systems instead. The loss of the weapons systems left the Dominion-held station vulnerable after the loss of their reinforcements, allowing the Federation/ Klingon task force to recapture the station easily. ( DS9 : " Behind the Lines ", " Favor the Bold ", " Sacrifice of Angels ")

Several weeks later, when his mother was captured by the Dominion, Rom was part of the Ferengi group that traveled to Empok Nor to exchange her for Keevan . ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ")

Becoming Nagus [ ]

"Wow..." - Rom becomes Grand Nagus in 2375

A series of events through the years all contributed to Rom's elevation to nagus. In 2375 , Rom eventually became Grand Nagus of the Ferengi Alliance .

At first, Grand Nagus Zek ignored Rom, believing him to be of poor business sense and not very intelligent. Zek disagreed strongly with many of Rom's choices concerning his son Nog. Zek did not like the idea of Nog attending a Human school and was opposed to Nog entering Starfleet. But events and Ishka would influence the improvement of Zek's attitude toward Rom. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

Rom helped restore the Nagus to the Ferengi ways after the Nagus had been influenced by the Prophets . He helped restore Zek as the Grand Nagus after Brunt had deposed him. ( DS9 : " Prophet Motive ", " Profit and Lace ")

He and Quark entered into the mirror universe and saved Zek from the Alliance . They helped the ISS Defiant in capturing the Regent , after disabling his weapon systems. They also killed mirror Garak who was going to kill them, although Rom was shocked at Leeta's counterpart offering to "debrief" Ezri's counterpart following her defection. Rom's counterpart in the mirror universe had been killed by the Alliance. This saddened Rom as he would have liked the opportunity to have met himself. ( DS9 : " The Emperor's New Cloak ")

When Ishka became Zek's companion, she influenced him in trying to turn Ferengi society into a more tolerant one that allowed free commerce and women's rights. Her influence over Zek led to social reform and a Ferenginar that instituted democratic changes. Rom became the perfect choice for Nagus because he himself had never been a traditional Ferengi. Zek believed that he would be an excellent successor for the newly reformed Ferenginar. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

Life as Grand Nagus [ ]

At some point prior to 2381 , his Nagus' staff was stolen and exhibited at a museum on Tulgana IV and a substantial reward was offered for its recovery. In 2381, it was recovered from the museum by Petra Aberdeen , an archaeologist . ( LD : " Reflections ")

By 2381, Rom had named Leeta as his First clerk , and banned the sale of weapons, stating that equality and hospitality were more profitable in the long run. While there were Ferengi that supported Rom and his general decisions, there were also others that were unhappy that they couldn't make a faster profit from more unethical deals. ( LD : " Parth Ferengi's Heart Place ")

After an unidentified ship started attacking Ferengi ships and trade routes in 2381, Rom and Leeta met with Admiral Vassery and Captain Carol Freeman on the USS Toronto . While on board, the Grand Nagus offered to sign a formal application for the Ferengi Alliance to start the process of joining the Federation; however, Rom wanted to make changes to the application contract before signing it. After testing Admiral Vassery and Captain Freeman to make sure that he wasn't signing a deal with "a bunch of suckers and rubes" and to see if the Federation respected Ferengi culture, Rom signed the original contract with the Federation; providing the first step for the Ferengi Alliance to join the Federation. This was accomplished thanks to Freeman swindling Rom during the negotiations. ( LD : " Parth Ferengi's Heart Place ")

After Quark left Ferenginar in 2351 , upon reaching his Age of Ascension , Rom lived at home for a further decade. During this time, he realized that Keldar was a poor businessman, going from one bad deal to the next. Rom finally left Ferenginar in 2361 . ( DS9 : " Family Business ")

Prinadora [ ]

In the early 2350s , Rom met his first wife, Prinadora . He signed a standard five-year marriage contract with her father in order to have a child. In 2353 , they had their son, Nog . Rom, however, then fell in love with Prinadora and wanted to extend the contract. Unfortunately, he was so in love that he never bothered to read the extension before signing it. In the end, her father swindled Rom out of all of his money, and Prinadora left Rom (and Nog) for a richer man . ( DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

Brothers Rom and Quark in Quark's Bar

Quark was annoyed and irritated by his brother's stupidity and idiocy all of his life. Growing up, Quark often belittled Rom about his smaller lobes and about supposedly being adopted. He worked in Quark's Bar for low wages and was cheated out of his share of the profits.

When Grand Nagus Zek visited Deep Space 9, Quark made Rom give up his quarters for the Nagus. When Zek appointed Quark to be the new Grand Nagus, Rom conspired to kill Quark, and might have succeeded if Zek and Odo hadn't arrived at the last minute. Quark later praised Rom for his treachery. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

At first, Rom did whatever Quark demanded. But as time went on, Rom began to resist his brother's demands. Rom became less afraid of Quark and confronted him over many issues. When Quark dropped Rom's share of the profits from 14.3% to 12.5% (from one-seventh to one-eighth share of profit), Rom left and joined Martus Mazur in opening a rival bar. When Martus began treating Rom even worse, he returned to Quark's where he could at least "be cheated by family." ( DS9 : " Rivals ")

He opposed Quark over his treatment of their mother, who—against Ferengi law—earned profit. When Quark tried to forbid Nog's admission to Starfleet Academy in late 2371 , Rom reminded him that he was Nog's father and Quark had no say in the matter. Later that year, Rom discovered that Quark sabotaged Nog's spatial orientation test to disqualify him from entering the Academy, under the belief that he was perfectly justified in doing so in Nog's "best interests". The infuriated father confronted Quark and in no uncertain terms warned him against interfering with Nog's happiness ever again, even threatening to burn down Quark's bar if he does. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ", " Facets ")

The following year, he single-handedly organized a union of Quark's employees after Quark had cut their wages. He defied both his brother and Liquidator Brunt , whom the Ferengi Commerce Authority had sent to resolve the situation. After the wages had been restored, Rom made the final break with his brother. Rom joined the maintenance crew on Deep Space 9. ( DS9 : " Bar Association ")

But, throughout all the conflicts with his brother, he and Quark loved each other very much. This was evident when he became jealous of Quark's relationship with Pel . Rom exposed Pel as a female during a visit by Grand Nagus Zek in 2370 . ( DS9 : " Rules of Acquisition ")

For his part, Quark always took care of Rom if he was in need. Quark had always remained neutral in conflicts from the Cardassian occupation of Bajor to the retaking of Deep Space 9 by the Cardassians. When Rom was arrested for sabotage and sentenced to death, Quark risked his life and saved Rom. They had many adventures together, and many opportunities for profit.

After Quark had sold his bar to Rom for 5,000 bars of latinum under the miscommunicated belief that he was about to become Grand Nagus, Grand Nagus Rom gave him back the bar and let him keep the money as they were family. Quark called him an idiot, but then affectionately added that he loved him. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

Rom's mother, Ishka, loved Rom very much and protected him. She saw that he was a good man, unsuccessful in commercial ventures, but with a good heart. Ironically, she saw Rom as being more similar to his father Keldar , whom Quark mistakenly idolized, although he too was a terrible businessman. Quark, conversely, was more like her.

Rom and Ishka were very close when he was a child, and they remained close when Rom moved away from Ferenginar. Rom never quarreled with her over her lifestyle, nor resented her for earning more profit than him. Ishka was his "Moogie." He supported her against both Quark and the Ferengi Commerce Authority. After she got him to admit to being somewhat uncomfortable with being in Ishka's newly clothed presence in a private discussion between them, she disrobed, but "only for him". He would apparently get used to the idea and never brought up her clothes as being an issue from then on. ( DS9 : " Family Business ")

Rom was part of the team that rescued Ishka from the Dominion . The Dominion agreed to a prisoner exchange, Ishka for the Vorta Keevan . Empok Nor was the site for the prisoner exchange. After a battle with the Jem'Hadar , Ishka was rescued. ( DS9 : " The Magnificent Ferengi ")

Ishka probably influenced Zek in naming Rom his successor as the new Nagus. ( DS9 : " The Dogs of War ")

Rom with his son Nog

Rom had a good relationship with his son Nog , although there were times that they did not see eye-to-eye.

Nog wanted to pursue career opportunities of a nontraditional Ferengi nature. Rom strongly disapproved and even attempted to prevent Nog from learning to read or attend Keiko O'Brien 's school on the station. But he changed his mind and allowed (forcefully) Nog to attend the school. ( DS9 : " The Nagus ")

Over the years, Rom's attitudes softened, and he encouraged his son in his goals. His ambition for his son grew to the point where he felt directly invested. When Nog wished to apply to Starfleet , Rom encouraged him, saying that he would be proud to have a son in Starfleet. ( DS9 : " Heart of Stone ") Quark, however, remained opposed to the idea. When Rom discovered that Quark had altered the settings of the holosuite to sabotage the results of the spatial orientation test so that Nog would fail, he confronted his brother about it. Having already reported the incident to Commander Sisko, who allowed Nog to retake the test, Rom warned Quark that if he tried to interfere again, he would burn his brother's bar to the ground. Nothing was important to Rom than his son's happiness, not even latinum. ( DS9 : " Facets ")

When his son became a cadet , Rom was extremely proud, although he always worried about Nog and the dangers he faced. Nog joined Rom in rescuing Ishka from the Dominion. He later had to deal with Nog's depression after his son was wounded in a battle with the Dominion and lost a leg. Rom opposed the idea that Nog would recuperate in the Vic Fontaine holoprogram . ( DS9 : " It's Only a Paper Moon ")

Leeta and Rom's wedding, 2373

In 2373 , Rom fell in love with Leeta , a Bajoran woman who worked as one of the dabo girls at Quark's. Leeta admitted to having a crush on him to her ex-boyfriend, Julian Bashir . ( DS9 : " Let He Who Is Without Sin... ")

Despite constantly planning to do so, Rom could never work up the courage to ask Leeta out. When Doctor Lewis Zimmerman visited the station to work with Doctor Bashir, he fell in love with Leeta. She was going to leave with him, and they planned to live together, Zimmerman offering to let her open a restaurant on Jupiter Station . Just as she was boarding a ship, Rom stopped her and confessed his love for her. Leeta admitted that she was in love with Rom and remained. ( DS9 : " Doctor Bashir, I Presume ")

Rom learned about Bajoran customs to please Leeta but demanded that Leeta sign the Ferengi equivalent of a pre-nuptial agreement, called the Waiver of Property and Profit . Rom and Leeta broke up over the demand and that made Rom miserable. He decided to give his latinum to the Bajoran War Orphans Fund so that the pre-nuptial agreement was no longer necessary, and he and Leeta made up. ( DS9 : " Ferengi Love Songs ")

The two were married in late-2373 in a ceremony officiated by Benjamin Sisko. ( DS9 : " Call to Arms ")

Appendices [ ]

Appearances [ ].

• " Emissary " (Season One)
• " A Man Alone "
• " The Nagus "
• " The Homecoming " (Season Two)
• " The Siege "
• " Rules of Acquisition "
• " Necessary Evil "
• " The House of Quark " (Season Three)
• " Heart of Stone "
• " Prophet Motive "
• " Family Business "
• " Little Green Men " (Season Four)
• " Our Man Bashir "
• " Bar Association "
• " Body Parts "
• " The Assignment " (Season Five)
• " The Ascent "
• " Doctor Bashir, I Presume "
• " Ferengi Love Songs "
• " Call to Arms "
• " Behind the Lines " (Season Six)
• " Favor the Bold "
• " Sacrifice of Angels "
• " You Are Cordially Invited "
• " The Magnificent Ferengi "
• " Profit and Lace "
• " Take Me Out to the Holosuite " (Season Seven)
• " Treachery, Faith and the Great River "
• " The Siege of AR-558 "
• " It's Only a Paper Moon "
• " The Emperor's New Cloak "
• " The Dogs of War "
• " What You Leave Behind " (archive footage)
• " Parth Ferengi's Heart Place "

Background information [ ]

Rom was portrayed by Max Grodénchik .

Grodénchik commented: " When this series started, Rom had no prospects. He was under his brother's thumb, he had no real sense of self, and he felt that he was a failure as a Ferengi. He was frightened, a scared little guy. But with the influence of all the different races that have come through the station – the Bajorans, the Humans, the Klingons , and so on – he began to think about other ways of life and to reshape his own. He began to stick up for his son and then for himself, and to separate what was important to him in life, and what wasn't. And he developed to a point where he wanted to share his life with someone else. He fell in love and married Leeta and felt worthwhile. I think it began back in season one, when Rom returned a purse and Quark asked, 'Why did you do that? The First Rule of Acquisition says once you have their money, you never give it back.' He was trying to do a good thing, the right thing. And somehow that led him to the point where the guy who felt less like a Ferengi than any other Ferengi was suddenly head of the Ferengi Alliance! It's just like an American kid wanting to grow up to be President . I'm sure every Ferengi boy wants to grow up to be the Grand Nagus. If you're an American kid and somewhere along the line you start getting bad grades, you tell yourself, 'Well, maybe I'll just settle for being a fireman '. Your dreams get whittled down over the years. So I'm sure for Rom it's the last thing he ever expected. It's just been an amazing journey! Over the years, I've tried to outguess the writers. I've tried to imagine what's next for Rom and think of what's best for Rom. But they always come up with something better than I could ever imagine. I certainly can't complain and I've learned that maybe it's not my job to think about it. I should just leave it to the Blessed Exchequer ! " ( Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion , p. 233)

Max Grodénchik sees " Necessary Evil " as an important episode in the development of Rom as a character. Grodénchik commented: " I do think that these characters are continuing to grow. In "Necessary Evil", Odo says to me, 'You are a hero, Rom. You saved your brother's life'. That feels good. I think Rom is torn between both sides of that – being a good brother and wanting the bar. He is very conflicted, and I think that is a good thing. We are all conflicted about something. It is more sophisticated and true to life than just saying Rom just wants the bar, because I think Rom also wants his brother's approval. He even says in ["Necessary Evil"], 'I tried so hard to win my brother's trust, but now he is dead I can never earn it'. He wants the bar to prove to his brother that he can make great profit. When Quark went away to the Gamma Quadrant with Pel (in " Rules of Acquisition "), he did great business ". ( Captains' Logs Supplemental - The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages , p 66)

According to Ronald D. Moore , Rom (as of Season 6, and unlike his son ) probably was not a Federation citizen. ( AOL chat , 1997 )

Apocrypha [ ]

In the Deep Space Nine relaunch novels , Rom and Leeta went on to have a daughter, whom they named Bena, both for the Bajoran word for "joy", and after Benjamin Sisko for all he had done for them. Ironically, as Quark pointed out, the word "bena", in Ferengi, meant "underflooring", although Rom defended it by saying that it symbolized how children were always getting underfoot. At the time of Bena's birth, Rom was being challenged for his role of Grand Nagus on the grounds that he had broken his original marriage contract with Prinadora, but Ro Laren was able to clear him by pointing out that, according to the Rules of Acquisition , " A contract is a contract is a contract, but only between Ferengi ", arguing that, since Rom's second marriage was to a Bajoran woman in a Bajoran ceremony overseen by the Bajoran Emissary, he technically didn't violate his original contract as the new one didn't "count" under Ferengi law.

Rom also opened diplomatic relations between Ferenginar and Bajor when Bajor joined the Federation. At the same time, he arranged to have Quark's Bar named as the official Ferengi Embassy to Bajor, resulting in Quark becoming the Ferengi Ambassador to Bajor. With his bar now as the Ferengi Embassy, Quark could still continue to charge latinum for his services – as the Embassy, the bar became Ferengi "soil" and therefore subject to Ferengi law, whereas under Federation law (and the Federation's post-scarcity, money-free economy), Quark would have been unable to charge.

In the novel A Singular Destiny , Rom accepted an invitation for the Ferengi Alliance, and the Cardassian Union , to join the Federation and Klingon Empire in an expansion of the Khitomer Accords , in response to the Typhon Pact: an alliance of the Romulan Star Empire , the Tholian Assembly , the Breen Confederacy , the Gorn Hegemony , the Tzenkethi Coalition, and the Holy Order of the Kinshaya.

In the video game Star Trek: Deep Space Nine - The Fallen , Rom made several non-speaking appearances on the Promenade between missions. He was also mentioned by name in the PC game Star Trek: Bridge Commander in his capacity as Grand Nagus.

In the video game Star Trek Online , Rom, as Grand Nagus, negotiated an agreement with the Cardassian Detapa Council to finance the rebuilding of Cardassia's cities and industry in 2391 . Rom makes his official appearance in the game in the "Victory is Life" expansion, voiced once more by Max Grodénchik. He attends a conference called by Odo at DS9 to answer the threat of the Hur'q , remarking that Ferenginar was one of the planets attacked by the creatures, and enthusiastically supports joining the forces assembled to fight them. Both he and Quark also work to convince the Klingons to commit to the conflict by reclaiming the Sword of Kahless from the Iconians .

In the Star Trek: Terok Nor novel Dawn of the Eagles , Rom moved to Terok Nor with Nog and began working at Quark's in 2363 after being swindled by Prinadora's father Dav.

External links [ ]

• Rom at Wikipedia
• Rom at Memory Beta , the wiki for licensed Star Trek works
• Rom at the Star Trek Online Wiki
• 1 Daniels (Crewman)
• 3 Jamaharon

• Discovery ’s “Lagrange Point” in Review

Warp Factor Trek

The star trek fan website, interview with max grodénchik, part 1: remembering rom.

Few Star Trek actors have had a role that transforms so much during a series as Max Grodénchik’s Rom in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine . Rom begins as Quark’s scared, oppressed, maligned brother, and over DS9’s seven-season run, transforms into Ferengi royalty. Thirty years after DS9, Grodénchik — best known for his portrayal of Rom but with experience in other Star Trek properties too — shares how his confidence, much like Rom’s, grew during the series. Our two-part interview features behind-the-scenes reflections about his memorable work and the writers and cast members that inspired his personal growth as a performer, especially his Ferengi-playing co-stars.

WarpFactorTrek: Prior to your work on Star Trek , how would you describe your exposure to it? Were you a casual Star Trek fan, indifferent to it, or a devoted Trekker?

Max Grodénchik : I was in high school back then, and I do remember kids coming into school talking excitedly about what Spock or Captain Kirk were up to. I remember feeling just slightly jealous when I heard their eagerness to talk about it.

I couldn’t say I was a casual fan, because I had zero idea what the show was about; and I couldn’t say I was indifferent, because there was certainly a “buzz” about the series in my home room class. I guess the most accurate thing I could say was that, over time, I grew “curiouser and curiouser” about it.

Having worked on The Next Generation and the Star Trek films, how was DS9 different from other Star Trek properties?

I did one scene in Star Trek: Insurrection which, unfortunately for me, was cut — I played a Trill who shoots spit balls in the library , as the crew approaches the “fountain of youth” planet. I just wasn’t on screen long enough to get a feeling for the differences between that Insurrection film and the other properties.

The Next Generation was the very first Trek I worked on, and there’s that feeling that your first one is extra-special. I would maybe say that there was a certain “jolliness” on TNG, and the fact that they had already been making episodes for three or four seasons (this was in January 1993) helped with the camaraderie between them. By contrast, I stepped on the DS9 sound stage on the very first day of production, and I think it was more serious. There was — especially at the beginning — more a sense of getting the scenes done… Both teams got their work done, but maybe on TNG — because it had already done three or four seasons — they were more relaxed about it.

Rom had many opportunities for comedic moments, obviously a strength of yours. Did you prepare differently for more dramatic moments? When working on comedic beats, who in the DS9 cast was most likely to “break”? Were you able to stay in character or did others get you to “break”?

Well, I was trained to play the scene — as honestly as I could — and let the audience decide what to laugh at or not laugh at. So, unless there’s something unusual that the scene requires, I prepare the same way for comedy or drama.

In our comedies, I would say Aron was the actor who got me to laugh. He was just a really funny guy, and if it happened to be a bit too long to set up the camera and lighting, it would give him “permission” to ease the tension by being a little goofy.

But remember that the Ferengi, as well as other Trek species, are under a huge amount of makeup, and, in general, many of us didn’t want to be in the makeup longer than we had to be, rather wanting to get home and rest up for the next day’s shooting. So, we were pretty disciplined about our work and getting it done right, as fast as possible.

When did you realize that you would be a significant recurring character?

I often felt each season was my last — that’s how little confidence I had in myself. I remember small conversations with Armin [Shimerman] at the end of each of the first few seasons where I’d go, “ I wonder if they’ll have me back again, ” and Armin would say, “ They’ll have you back. ” It went on like that until maybe Season 5 or 6 came along and I must’ve had a pretty good day ‘cause somehow, for some reason, I blurted out, “ You know, Armin, I think they’ll have me back next season! ”

So, long story short: I never dared to believe I was significant until the very end, so as not to jinx it.

Did you ever suggest or ask writers or producers for changes in an episode or story arc?

No, the writers were terrific. One thing you should know is that I always felt welcome in the writers’ building, that I could go up there and talk to them about something I didn’t understand. And shouldn’t that be the case, that the writer wants the actor to understand — so that the actor can play the scene better? Whenever I didn’t understand a line, I knew I could call the writer, and he would explain it to me, and that was a unique and wonderful thing!

You had lots of screen time with the actors in the Ferengi Family — Quark, Nog, Leeta, Brunt and other Ferengi. Is it true this group of actors would gather on your own time to rehearse these scripts?

Yes, very much so. Armin would open his house to us and we’d come over on the weekends so we could all read through our scenes together, and work on the episodes. It gave us the luxury of time to work things out. When you’re actually shooting on the sound stage, time becomes precious. Rehearsing at Armin’s gave us some extra time to go over stuff. Wonderful to have that extra time!

Who outside this group of Ferengi actors do you wish you had more dialogue or scene time with?

Off the top of my head: Andy Robinson and Marc Alaimo . I had minimal screen time with Andy, zero with Marc Alaimo — two extraordinary talents that I wish I had had more screen time with.

Is it true that you were the most skilled baseball player in the cast, yet — for the episode “Take Me Out to the Holosuite” — had to portray a clumsy player?

I think I was a decent ball player, but I should’ve worked harder on my hitting skills. By no means do I think I was “the most skilled” — I thought Aron and Avery and Cirroc played really well. And you should understand that Sid and Colm grew up playing soccer, so baseball was indeed foreign to them.

If I remember correctly, I don’t think there was time to teach anybody too much about baseball. On Earth, I was an infielder, playing 2 nd and 3 rd base, and I thought I was a decent fielder, but, like I said, my hitting needed work.

I grew up about a mile from Shea Stadium , so I grew up a Mets fan, and still am. I stopped playing when I went out for my college team; they all seemed so much bigger than me, and by that time I was getting interested in the theatre department.

What DS9 episode did you enjoy the most and why?

“The Magnificent Ferengi” , because the suffering in the make-up was pretty equally shared with the other six or seven Ferengi actors — there were just so many Ferengi actors. And isn’t there an old saying about “sharing the suffering”? That helped make that experience a real hoot.

During the course of the show, how did Rom change?

Rom changed from being a weak, wimpy, frightened, timid nebbish under his brother Quark’s thumb to the wise and powerful Grand Nagus of the Ferengi empire!

In the second part of our interview, Max will reflect more on his friendship with his TV and convention scene partner — recently deceased Aron Eisenberg — and other cast members. Max will update us on his life as a parent and staying connected to his mentor and friends in the cast.

Frank Kennedy writes and performs original material for thoughtful audiences including a once, sold out off-Broadway stage in the pre-pandemic days. He blends his skills as a storyteller and sleight-of-hand magician, telling poignant stories of fatherhood with sons living on the Autism Spectrum. Watching Star Trek almost daily with his Mom as a teen – during the post-cancelation syndicated-rerun days of The Original Series – he is proud that he was part of the fan enthusiasm that turned Trek into a continuum of shows and films, rather than a forgotten canceled show with poor ratings. Along with devouring new Trek content, he has filled his life with adventures to over sixty countries, boldly going and learning about cultures on the planet Earth.

Leave comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked with *.

Recent Posts

• Discovery ’s “Labyrinths” in Review
• Discovery ’s “Erigah” in Review
• Sons of Star Trek, Issue #2 in Review
• Star Trek: Discovery – Saru in Review

Recent Comments

• Elleston spence on How to Pitch Stories for Star Trek
• Mike H. Edward on How to Pitch Stories for Star Trek
• STEPHEN MIRKIN on Discovery ’s “Red Directive” in Review
• T. Darklighter on Life is a Dream – The Final Frontier 33 Years On
• Laurie Jodice on Star Trek: Picard – Firewall in Review
• February 2024
• January 2024
• December 2023
• November 2023
• October 2023
• September 2023
• August 2023
• February 2023
• January 2023
• December 2022
• November 2022
• October 2022
• September 2022
• August 2022
• February 2022
• January 2022
• December 2021
• November 2021
• October 2021
• September 2021

Email Updates

• Accounts by cast & crew
• Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
• Star Trek: Discovery
• Star Trek: Enterprise
• Star Trek: Lower Decks
• Star Trek: Picard
• Star Trek: Prodigy
• Star Trek: Short Treks
• Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
• Star Trek: The Animated Series
• Star Trek: The Next Generation
• Star Trek: The Original Series
• Star Trek: very Short Treks
• Star Trek: Voyager
• Supplemental
• Unproduced projects
• Entries feed
• Comments feed
• WordPress.org
• Cookie Policy
• Privacy Policy

Read More or Customize

Privacy Overview

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories .

• Backchannel
• Newsletters
• WIRED Insider
• WIRED Consulting

Graeme McMillan

10 Reasons to Love Rom, the Greatest Star Trek Character Ever

Jennifer M. Wood

Kate Knibbs

Louryn Strampe

Joel Khalili

Jason Parham

Angela Watercutter

• June 10, 2024 | ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Season 5 And Complete Series Box Sets Coming To Blu-ray And DVD In August
• June 10, 2024 | Star Trek Luminaries Including Patrick Stewart And Scott Bakula Assemble For Franchise Peabody Award
• June 6, 2024 | Paramount/Skydance Deal Runs Into New Snag, And Now Another Bidder Has Emerged
• June 6, 2024 | Interview: Doug Jones On ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ Finale, Saru’s Happy Ending, And If He Was Ready For More
• June 5, 2024 | Connor Trinneer And Dominic Keating Launch ‘D-Con Chamber’ Podcast; Season 3 Of ‘InvestiGates’ On The Way

Interview: Max Grodénchik On Growing As A Ferengi And Bringing Rom To ‘Star Trek Online: Victory Is Life’

| May 24, 2018 | By: Anthony Pascale 5 comments so far

Max Grodénchik is one of a dozen  Star Trek: Deep Space Nine  actors lending their voices to the Star Trek Online: Victory is Life expansion. Today, it was announced this third major expansion to the free-to-play MMORPG will be released on PC June 5th. TrekMove had a chance to talk to Max shortly after he recorded his voice work, and we discussed life on DS9, returning to Rom, and more.

Deep Space Nine has been refurbished for the Victory is Life expansion to Star Trek Online

An older and wiser Rom for Star Trek Online: Victory is Life

What was it like returning to Rom, and how did you prep to get back into character?

Well, we did two characters today. We did Rom and we did a bit of Sovak, who is my first Ferengi, in “Captain’s Holiday,” from The Next Generation . Sovak was difficult because that goes back to 1990 and it was hard to find that voice again. We played that episode a bit to find what he sounds like. For Rom, it was a lot easier. It was exciting to be Rom again.

I saw a tweet from Aron Eisenberg showing that he brought his old teeth with him to do his Star Trek Online voice work. Do you need those to get the voice to sound right?

That is a good question. My teeth were tossed out by the cleaning woman in a hotel in Germany when I did a convention there. That’s my theory, it’s still under investigation. I think wearing the bottom of those teeth might have helped, the original teeth. Now I have new teeth that someone redid, and they are not the same. They are close, but not exact, and with those I don’t think it matters. I think I did just as well.

There is also a question of clarity. With the Ferengi, we would have to come in and loop ADR to clear up a lot of what our teeth screwed up. It may have been more accurate with the original teeth, but I would say I was clearer without.

Do you play Grand Nagus Rom for Star Trek Online differently than the Rom on the show?

They wanted something a bit different, older and wiser and more confident. I do not know if that came through. I hope some of Rom’s silliness was diminished and I think just the nature of the story makes him more serious. But, I’m not sure that I felt all that much like I was doing something that different than I was 25 years ago.

Nog and Rom in Star Trek Online – Victory is Life

Welcomed the challenge of Rom’s evolution over DS9 series

For a recurring character, Rom went through a lot of changes over the seven seasons. You got different jobs, different relationships, you got married. Did you welcome them constantly throwing new things at you or was it hard to come back in after a break and have these new elements to deal with?

I can say it was an honor, a real honor. They take this guy who was originally under his brother’s thumb and they develop him, and you see his growth every season. And once he starts growing and stands up for Nog to go to Starfleet Academy, that is really when he takes off. It was a wonderful thing. I welcomed it with open arms.

So, there was never one of these new things that you questioned?

I think we questioned Rom becoming the Grand Nagus. I remember we walked down to the writers building to talk to René Echevarria, that was his episode [“The Dogs of War”]. And the writers were very good at giving you their time. They want you to know what you are talking about and be comfortable with the material. Rene sat with us for a half hour and explained why this needed to be this way. So, if I ever had an issue, I could always talk to somebody.

I was happy playing the hapless schmuck under Quark’s thumb. In reality, you are happy to just work and sit there and watch Rene Auberjonois work and watch Armin Shimerman act, for free. They are paying me and it is a tutorial. It was nice to just play the hapless schmuck so everything else was icing on the cake. I mean, dating Leta the dabo girl and we get married and Nog is going to Starfleet Academy and I get to work on the Bajoran maintenance crew so I can move away from him but love him more. Then Grand Nagus, it’s incredible.

Max Grodénchik as Rom, made Grand Nagus in “The Dogs of War”

Finding the right dynamic with Armin Shimerman’s Quark

What you describe of Rom being under his brother’s thumb is something that they didn’t really come up with until half-way through the first season. Last year Ira [Steven Behr] told me that he didn’t really like the Ferengi until he created that dynamic, and you had already been in two episodes before he really hit on it. Do you remember talking about that change?

I talked to Ira about that for the documentary he is making [ What We Left Behind ]. It came up that they wanted one Ferengi that was serious and one that was comic. They thought Quark would be the lighter Ferengi and his brother would be the heavier Ferengi. But, when they saw the scenes on film, they went “Aha! We got it backwards.” So, Quark needs to be the serious one, and Rom needs to be the lighter one. And in my interview for the documentary Ira asked if I sensed that, and I said “No.”

I always saw and played him on the light side. So, I always saw him under Quark’s thumb, even though the writers had something else. Armin is this incredibly gifted Shakespearean dramatic actor. He can play all these dramatic things very well and I am uncomfortable with that. That is why I try to be funny. And that is what they saw.

Armin was in the first ever episode that introduced the Ferengi, in The Next Generation , which was deemed a failure. He  recently said he made it his goal to rehabilitate the Ferengi in DS9. Did you ever talk to him about that and as someone who played a Ferengi in TNG, did you try to do the same in DS9?

I did talk to him and he said the same thing. That was not my thing. I just wanted to be in another episode. There is something about being an actor in L.A. and just wanting to work. I did not think in terms of making the character one way or the other. Armin wanted the Ferengi to be taken seriously and I didn’t see that as my mission. I think he did and he did a great job at making it happen.

  So, you welcomed the more comic elements of some of those Ferengi episodes?

I don’t like being thought of as comic relief. Probably there was no time for us to do other things. They have a certain amount of Ferengi episodes a year, so it would have been nice to try our hand at being more serious, but the realities of doing a show with eight or nine series regulars made it difficult. So, when it came to us, I guess they felt they needed it to be funny.

I would have liked to have tried something deeper. It got a little deeper when Quark got beat up by the Nausicaans [in “Bar Association”], I remember that and I wouldn’t have minded more of that. But, I don’t know how good I would have been with that [laughs].

Things got serious for Rom and Quark in “Bar Association”

Hitting his mark and still getting cut from Insurrection

Let’s talk about your almost feature film role in Star Trek: Insurrection . Can you talk about that experience and how did you feel about being cut?

I was flattered that they asked me. I’m told they cut me very late, and I think I am still in the credits, and I still get a residual. It did feel bad being cut, but early in my acting career I would do things and constantly get cut, so I was used to it.

I had to get that spitball exactly in the right place. It was the first day of shooting and the first thing on the schedule for Insurrection and I had to shoot a spitball at Marina [Sirtis] or Jonathan [Frakes] and every time – we must have done twelve takes – every time I get it right on the mark. And then [director Jonathan] Frakes does a take and he says, “That’s a great take, but Max you missed with the spitball.” And I said, “well, I got it right every other time, why can’t you use one of those?” That’s what I remember. He was mad at me. He has been nice since, but he was very mad at me that day. The one take he liked, I didn’t hit the spot he liked.

Max Grodénchik in deleted scene from Star Trek: Insurrection

Victory is Life coming in June

The “Victory is Life” expansion will launch on June 5th on PC and be added for console players at a later date. To download and play Star Trek Online today for free, visit  www.playstartrekonline.com .

Related Articles

Analysis , DS9 , History , TNG

Sanctuary Districts And Irish Unification: Star Trek’s Vision Of 2024 Comes Strikingly Close

DS9 , Star Trek Online , VOY

Nicole de Boer Returning As Captain Ezri Dax For ‘Star Trek Online: Both Worlds’

Star Trek Online , Star Trek: Resurgence , TNG

‘Star Trek: Resurgence’ Disc Release Gets Star Trek Online And Comic Book Pre-Order Bonus

Star Trek Online

‘Star Trek Online: Unraveled’ Launches Next Week With New Multiverse Story

I thought DS9 was very dark and really looked forward to the comic relief provided by the Ferengis. Episodes featuring them were my favorites. I found Rom a very touching character. He really loved his son and even admired his dominating brother. All actors who portrayed Ferengi did a cracking job.

Indeed. Rom, Quark, and Garak were my three favorite characters. Magnificent actors, fully-realized characters, and none of them human. Go figure.

Actually, I think all of them were very human, as opposed to the idealized fantasy “hu-mons”.

That picture of Max’s face looks like a skinny version of Shatner.

Very nice interview. While I know the real-world reasons for bringing Grand Nagus Rom into the game, given all the reforms he made, I wonder why he didn’t introduce term limits and pull a George Washington where he voluntarily retires.

'Star Trek: Lower Decks' Creator Talks Bringing Back 'Deep Space Nine's Rom and Leeta

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

We Finally Know When 'Suicide Squad Isekai' Is Coming to Max

Will 'doctor who' bring back jonathan groff's rogue, what's next for your favorite 'general hospital' villain.

This article contains spoilers for Episode 6 of Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4.

The Big Picture

• Star Trek: Lower Decks Season 4, Episode 6 brings Ferenginar's application to join the Federation, featuring Rom and Leeta from Deep Space Nine .
• Series creator Mike McMahan expresses excitement about exploring Ferenginar's path toward joining the Federation and nods to Nog's experience.
• McMahan brings actor Chase Masterson, who treated him with kindness years ago, onto the show as a way to repay that kindness and honor her Deep Space Nine character.

The latest episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks titled "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place" sees the money-driven planet Ferenginar officially applying to join the federation under the careful guidance of Captain Carol Freeman ( Dawnn Lewis ). With such a momentous occasion, naturally Lower Decks brought in some beloved characters from Deep Space Nine for a special role in this episode. Grand Nagus Rom ( Max Grodénchick ) and his wife Leeta ( Chase Masterson ) go head to head with the captain in classic Ferengi fashion (though Leeta is Bajoran) making for a hilarious episode filled with all sorts of hijinks — and plenty of baseball references.

Ahead of the new episode, I sat down with series creator Mike McMahan to chat about the new season including this delightful guest appearance. When asked about what he's most impressed with getting to do in Season 4, McMahan teased a big swing for the finale, but more immediately he was thrilled to be able to bring back Rom and Leeta and explore this path with Ferenginar. He said:

"I love that we got to go to Ferenginar and say that this was the beginning—this is what happens this week, now that you’ve seen it obviously—that we see the first steps into the Federation of Ferenginar applying to join the Federation. It feels like a nod to Nog’s experience, that Rom’s seeing what Nog experienced, and having had his time on Deep Space Nine that he would have as he went in to be the Grand Nagus—god, I’m hearing how nerdy I am as I’m saying this, but anyway—that he's seen the value to other Ferengi being a part of the Federation. I think it's really cool that we got to do that, even though it's kind of a small piece of it."

McMahan Repays a Personal Kindness on 'Star Trek: Lower Decks'

On a more personal note, McMahan shared a story from over a decade ago in which actors Chase Masterson and Wil Wheaton treated him as an equal before he'd really made a name for himself in the world of Star Trek . Bringing Masterson on for this episode was one small way that McMahan felt he could return that kindness from years ago. He said:

"I've also wanted to work with Chase Masterson forever. I met her when I was an assistant in, like, 2011 when I was writing the TNG Season 8 Twitter feed. I snuck into a party at Comic-Con, and security came to kick me out, and Wil Wheaton and Chase vouched for me and said that I was there with them even though they had literally met me like five minutes beforehand. But Will was a fan of the Twitter feed, and Chase, you know, I'm a huge fan of hers, and she treated me like an equal, and I was just an assistant that snuck in. Years later, I re-met her at Star Trek Day after Lower Decks had already started, and I went running up to her, and I was like, 'Chase, I'm the showrunner of Lower Decks, and I need to have you in an episode. Please, will you be on the show?' And she was so flattered, and I literally wrote this Ferenginar episode to have her be in the show. So I kind of can't believe that, like, over a decade later, I finally got to repay that kindness in a way that honored the character that she made that I loved her for."

You can catch Masterson in Episode 6 of Lower Decks Season 4 right now on Paramount+. Stay tuned at Collider for our full conversation with McMahan.

• Star Trek: Lower Decks

Star Trek Actors

1. Kate Mulgrew

2. Robert Beltran

3. Roxann Dawson

4. Robert Duncan McNeill

5. Ethan Phillips

6. Robert Picardo

7. Tim Russ

8. Garrett Wang

9. Jeri Ryan

10. Jennifer Lien

• Script and Continuity Department

11. Scarlett Pomers

12. Martha Hackett

• Additional Crew

13. Manu Intiraymi

14. Nancy Hower

15. Richard Herd

16. Brad Dourif

17. Leonard Nimoy

18. William Shatner

19. DeForest Kelley

20. Nichelle Nichols

21. James Doohan

22. George Takei

23. Walter Koenig

24. Majel Barrett

25. John Winston

More to explore, recently viewed.

Screen Rant

Star trek: ds9's leeta was named for rom actor's real life girlfriend.

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

10 Weirdest Star Trek: DS9 Love Stories

I’m glad star trek: ds9 abandoned the original controversial plan for chief o’brien, sisko’s defiant had a revolutionary feature star trek: ds9 only used once.

• Leeta from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was named after Max Grodénchik's real-life girlfriend, Lolita Fatjo, who worked on the show as a writing assistant and convention booker.
• Rom and Leeta's romantic relationship on the show may have been inspired by Grodénchik and Fatjo's real-life relationship.
• Leeta and Rom's relationship progressed quickly, with their marriage happening after a brief courtship. They remained together even after Rom became Grand Nagus.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 's Leeta (Chase Masterson) was named after the real-life girlfriend of Max Grodénchik, who played the hapless Ferengi Rom. Quark's (Armin Shimerman) brother, Rom, and Bajoran Dabo girl Leeta made an unlikely couple among the characters on Deep Space Nine , who still found themselves perfectly matched. Leeta wasn't necessarily always destined to be Rom's romantic partner since Rom and Leeta connected as friends and co-workers at Quark's Bar before becoming romantically involved with one another, but the off-screen connection between Grodénchik and Leeta's namesake may have been an inspiration to pair Rom and Leeta.

Prior to discussing Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 1, episode 8, "The Passenger", on The Delta Flyers podcast, co-host Armin Shimerman eagerly recognized the upcoming birthday of Lolita Fatjo, a Star Trek writing assistant and Grodénchik's girlfriend during production. Read his quote below, and listen to The Delta Flyers starting at the 3:30 timestamp.

Lolita Fatjo was a writing assistant for Deep Space Nine, and I'm assuming for Voyager as well, and she had a secondary career as our booker for conventions. She dated [Rom actor] Max [Grodénchik] for a couple of years as well ... while we were making the show. It's not a coincidence that the girl Rom marries is called Leeta.

Some love stories in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine were so weird that they worked brilliantly, while other weird DS9 romances are best left forgotten.

So Were Rom and Leeta Always Endgame On Star Trek: DS9?

It depends on which came first: leeta's name or lolita's relationship..

If Leeta was named for Lolita Fatjo because of the connection to Max Grodénchik and his Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character, Rom, it makes sense that Leeta and Rom would become a romantic couple, but Rom wasn't Leeta's only love interest. Prior to Rom and Leeta's romantic pairing, Leeta dated Dr. Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig) in a relationship that lasted from DS9 season 3, episode 22 "Explorers", until DS9 season 5, episode 7, "Let He Who Is Without Sin...". Leeta was already interested in Rom before breaking up with Julian, so Rom and Leeta's relationship moved quickly, with their marriage taking place after a very brief courtship.

Leeta and Rom were still together after Rom became Grand Nagus, as a visit to Ferenginar shows in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 4, episode 6, "Parth Ferengi's Heart Place".

It's possible that Leeta was named for Lolita Fatjo without any consideration of romantic connections. The names of production staff members have served as inspiration for proper names in the universe of Star Trek before , such as the Bolian race taking its name from frequent director Cliff Bole, and Dr. Lewis Zimmerman (Robert Picardo), named for production designer Herman Zimmerman. If DS9 's Leeta is simply another one of these cases, then Leeta and Rom's relationship on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine may have been inspired by Fatjo and Grodénchik becoming a couple, instead of the other way around.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is streaming on Paramount+.

Source: The Delta Flyers , season 9, episode 8 "The Passenger"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

15 Famous Actors You Probably Forgot Were in Old Star Trek Movies

Your changes have been saved

Email Is sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Throughout the years, Star Trek has taken various forms. And, be it a television series or film, there have been famous faces that were not a part of the consistent ensemble. This started with Star Trek: The Original Series , which featured recognizable guest stars such as Fred Williamson, Sid Haig, Charles Napier, and Joan Collins.

Then, over a decade after that show wrapped up its brief three-season run, a film franchise kicked off. And, like the original series and The Next Generation (which began between the releases of the fourth and fifth films), there were some big names attached. They may not have always held the spotlight for long in the films, but they were there. So, who's in what? Let's find out, but note that the films subject to inclusion were only the ones that featured either The Original Series cast members or The Next Generation cast members. In other words, no Chris Pine, Benedict Cumberbatch, Idris Elba, or Zoe Saldaña here.

7 Stephen Collins in Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979)

Like some of the show's most deeply philosophical episodes , Star Trek: The Motion Picture tries to bite off a lot. But, in the case of the movie, it's more than it can chew. Yet, it does feature a former celebrity in a big role: 7th Heaven 's Stephen Collins as Willard Decker. Collins' Decker is always butting heads with Captain Kirk, who has suddenly replaced Decker as the captain of the Enterprise .

The Most Controversial Performer on this List

TV fans will recognize Collins not only from the long-running 7th Heaven , but also No Ordinary Family and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia . As for that latter show, he portrayed the biological father to Dennis and Dee Reynolds. Collins' career ended when he confessed to multiple instances of sexual misconduct against a minor, including once a few years before he nabbed the Star Trek role. Stream Star Trek: The Motion Picture on Max .

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

*Availability in US

Not available

6 Kirstie Alley, Paul Winfield, and James Horner in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

With tight pacing, the franchise's best villain , Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is the best Star Trek movie to date. It also features a few familiar faces in The Terminator 's Paul Winfield and Cheers ' Kirstie Alley . The former plays Clark Terrell, the captain of the Reliant who is subjected to Khan's eel torture, while the latter plays Saavik, a protege to Spock. Not to mention, the late James Horner provided the film's music, but had a cameo role as an Enterprise crew member.

You've Certainly Heard Horner's Work

Widely regarded as one of the cinema industry's great composers, Horner tragically died in a plane crash in 2015. But he left a massive body of very impressive work, and The Wrath of Khan was one of his earliest projects. Throughout his career, Horner was nominated for Academy Awards for Aliens , An American Tail ("Somewhere Out There"), Field of Dreams , Braveheart , Apollo 13 , A Beautiful Mind , House of Sand and Fog , and Avatar . He also won both an Oscar and a Grammy for Titanic , the former for the score and the latter for "My Heart Will Go On." Stream Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan on Max.

Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan

Star trek’s j.j. abrams advised chris pine to be ‘less shatner’ while portraying james t. kirk.

Chris Pine reflects on playing James T. Kirk in the latest Star Trek movies, and the actor acknowledges those wonderful "Shatnerisms."

5 Christopher Lloyd and Miguel Ferrer in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984)

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock may not be a fan-favorite when it comes to the original run of Star Trek movies, but it's generally viewed in a better light than the fifth film. And, unlike the fifth film, it features several big names on the cast list. These include Back to the Future 's Christopher Lloyd and RoboCop 's Miguel Ferrer .

Actors Not Unfamiliar with Sci-Fi

Lloyd portrays the main antagonist in the late Leonard Nimoy -directed film, and he impressively sheds most of the likability he possessed in Taxi and would again show two years later in Robert Zemeckis' classic sci-fi film, Back to the Future . His Kruge is a Klingon officer with his sights set on using a terraforming device called Genesis for evil. As for Ferrer, his role was far briefer, as he played a First Officer aboard a fellow Federation ship, the Excelsior . Stream Star Trek III: The Search for Spock on Max.

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock

4 christopher plummer, christian slater, and kim cattrall in star trek vi: the undiscovered country (1991).

The even-numbered Star Trek films, at least of the original six, are the best. So, until Star Trek: Generations rolled, the intergalactic film franchise left off on a high note with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country . And a big part of that is the inclusion of The Sound of Music and Knives Out legend Christopher Plummer .

Plummer Steals the Show

It's essentially all a Cold War allegory with the Klingons standing in for the Russians. And, while many of the Klingons are ready to strive for peace, there's always someone who sews discontent. That'd be Plummer's general, eye-patch-adorned Chang. But, he's not the only familiar face with considerable runtime, as there's also Sex and the City 's Kim Cattrall as the Vulcan Valeris, the ambitious new helmsman of the Enterprise . Not to mention, there's a blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo from Christian Slater, a fan of the franchise and son of the film's casting director, Mary Jo Slater. Stream Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country on Max .

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

3 whoopi goldberg, malcolm mcdowell, and alan ruck in star trek: generations (1994).

At one point, Star Trek writers wanted to bring William Shatner's Captain Kirk back , but with a villainous twist. That idea was nixed, but Shatner did find a way back into the universe after the initial film franchise had wrapped up. That said, his reprisal of the role in Star Trek: Generations was more or less to kill him off so the IP could change. But, it had a major similarity to the previous film: a big name in the antagonist role.

McDowell in His Element

In the case of Generations , that would be A Clockwork Orange 's Malcolm McDowell as Tolian Soran, who holds the distinction of actually killing William Shatner's Captain Kirk. Ghost 's Whoopi Goldberg also appeared as Guinan, a role she inhabited from 1988 to 1993 on Star Trek: The Next Generation . Succession 's Alan Ruck also has a substantial role as Enterprise -B captain John Harriman who, like his character on HBO's hit series, comes from a wealthy family. Stream Star Trek: Generations on Max .

Star Trek: Generations

Star trek: deanna troi’s 16 best quotes from the franchise.

The beloved half-Betazoid character is empathic, willful, playful, sarcastic, and wears her heart on her sleeve. Here are Deanna Troi's best quotes.

2 F. Murray Abraham and Gregg Henry in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998)

The third film to focus on The Next Generation 's cast after Generations and Star Trek: First Contact , Star Trek: Insurrection , often feels like a feature-length episode of the series that inspired it. And, while Nemesis sealed the deal, Insurrection showed that the IP was swiftly dropping out of favor with general audiences. And, yet, Amadeus ' F. Murray Abraham is excellent in the main antagonist role.

An Unrecognizable Abraham

Covered in a great deal of makeup, one would be forgiven for not recognizing the Scarface star as Ru'afo, commander of the Son'a. The same could be said of Gregg Henry as his second-in-command, Gallatin. Though, if they can discern that it's him, they'll recognize him as Peter Quill's grandfather from another little sci-fi IP called Guardians of the Galaxy . Stream Star Trek: Insurrection on Max .

Star Trek: Insurrection

1 tom hardy in star trek: nemesis (2002).

Star Trek: Nemesis ' box office tallies showed the franchise's financial viability had run its course. And, if that wasn't enough, the reaction from critics and fans solidified that. But, it features one of Tom Hardy 's earliest performances, only his second big movie after Black Hawk Down and six years before he started gaining clout thanks to his title role in Bronson .

An Early Showcase for Hardy

Explaining where audiences know Hardy from seems pointless, as he's now one of the biggest performers in Hollywood thanks to Inception , Mad Max: Fury Road , and the Venom films. And, while his role as the villainous Captain Picard clone, Shinzon, isn't as much a showcase as his work in those films, it's still an early sign of his considerable talent. Not to mention, for someone who isn't one of the top-billed cast members, he gets quite a bit of screentime. Stream Star Trek: Nemesis on Max .

Star Trek: Nemesis

• Movie Lists

Remembering Alan Scarfe: Star Trek Actor Passes Away at 77

Famed for his involvement in the Star Trek franchise, actor and director Alan Scarfe has passed away at the age of 77.

A solemn notice on an online memorial page indicates that Scarfe “passed away peacefully on April 28” at his Longueuil, Quebec home after a struggle with colon cancer.

Born in Britain and then a transplant to Canada during his youth, Scarfe eventually went to London’s London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art to advance his passion for theater. 

He later settled in Los Angeles after marrying his wife, actress Barbara March , and celebrating the birth of their daughter Antonia “Tosia” Scarfe . It was there that he took on numerous screen roles such as the TV series Seven Days and Mysterious Island , where he played Captain Cyrus Harding, and other shows like Columbo , DEA , Kingdom Hospital , Andromeda , amongst many others.

His film roles were just as impressive, including appearances in Lethal Weapon 3 starring alongside Mel Gibson and Danny Glover , and in Double Impact alongside Jean-Claude Van Damme .

Scarfe also made his mark in Star Trek: The Next Generation portraying the Romulan characters “Mendak” and “Tokath”. His wife Barbara March shared the screen with him, playing the notorious Duras sister, “Lursa”.

Barbara March passed away before Scarfe in 2019, also due to cancer, when she was 65 years old.

Survived by his “beloved daughter Tosia, and son-in-law Austin , who looked after Alan up until his death, and without whom Alan ‘would have been lost,’” reads his obituary. Aside from them, he leaves behind his brother Colin , son Jonathan Scarfe , and grandchildren, Kai and Hunter Scarfe .

Next: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ Returns for Season 3: What We Know So Far

FAQ About Alan Scarfe

What was alan scarfe known for.

Alan Scarfe was known for his work as an actor and director, particularly recognized for his appearances in Star Trek: The Next Generation , as well as his roles in films like Lethal Weapon 3 and Double Impact .

How old was Alan Scarfe when he passed away?

Alan Scarfe was 77 years old at the time of his passing.

What was the cause of Alan Scarfe’s death?

Alan Scarfe passed away after a battle with colon cancer.

Did Alan Scarfe have any family?

Yes, he is survived by his daughter Tosia, son-in-law Austin, brother Colin, son Jonathan, and grandchildren Kai and Hunter.

Did Alan Scarfe’s wife also appear in Star Trek?

Yes, Scarfe’s wife, actress Barbara March, played the role of Lursa, one of the Duras sisters, in the Star Trek franchise.

From The Good Place to Star Wars, I didn't know Manny Jacinto. But neither do you

Canadian actor who cut his teeth on the good place will now star in star wars: the acolyte.

Manny Jacinto talks Star Wars, leaving Canada — and weird parallels with CBC's Jackson Weaver

Social sharing.

You never want to head into an interview unprepared. But walking up to my conversation with Manny Jacinto, for the first time, I think I had the opposite problem. 

Because while the actor has already more than made the rounds — first turning heads as a loveable doofus in the NBC sitcom The Good Place  before moving on to trade lines with Nicole Kidman in Nine Perfect Strangers and now landing a pivotal role in Star Wars: The Acolyte — I knew him from something else. 

In this moment, he's leaning back under studio lights, prepping for what was then the still days-away June 4 premiere of The Acolyte — the franchise's gamble to draw in a younger audience, shifting the setting to roughly 100 years before the main prequels — and with a cast, crew and characters comprised of women, people of colour and 2SLGBTQ+ people. 

Actually sitting across from him — his almost independently famous good looks and nonchalant, disarming Keanu Reeves charm on full display — I decided to let the penny drop on what I knew.

"Is that you?" he asks, laughing at the picture on my phone. "Oh my gosh, man."

I'd just shown him a rather embarrassing-for-us-both screenshot of The Unauthorized Saved By The Bell Story, a  biopic about actor Dustin Diamond .

Somehow, both Jacinto and I ended up there — me as a background actor with an unfortunate haircut and general aimlessness, and Jacinto an actual actor who was merely playing an extra named Eric, Diamond's stereotypical rough-around-the edges on-set friend who virtually strong arms him into alcoholism.

But that was far from the end of our intersections. We both attended the University of British Columbia at the same time — he gained a civil engineering diploma and ring he still fears ever being forced to use: "It's in the cupboard right now," he said, only half joking. "I'll bring it out when I need to, when I need to build a bridge."

Because we were both dancers in a relatively stratified community, we must have competed against each other numerous times. We confirmed one head to head in 2012 where I remember his crew, though I never actually met him. They were the impossibly professional, self-choreographed trio in ties; we were the oversized group flailing to Grease in matching letterman's jackets. 

I hung around as an extra on  Once Upon a Time, the show where he got his first break as Quon, a sort of middle-man from China who introduces a character to a mystical healer named The Dragon. 

Before all that, during the 2010 Olympics, all the aspiring performers were making the most of the influx of tourists. While I was performing dancing at Spirit Square, Jacinto was just a few kilometres down the road making a case for his talent (and, it turns out, nearly breaking his nose during a flubbed backflip, before taking public transit back home in a blood-stained shirt as fellow riders tried not to stare.)

What strikes me isn't that until this moment, we'd shared so many rooms without ever turning to meet. It was the fact that, despite crawling though the same muddy ratlines aimed somewhere South near Hollywood, I had only just discovered he was Canadian.   

"I thought that I would be in Vancouver acting for a lot longer than I would have," he explained, having moved to British Columbia from Manila shortly after he was born. "But you know, I made the trek down to L.A., and then, luckily, my first trip down to L.A., like something hit and then it just kind of snowballed from there.

"I mean, I try and rep Canada whenever I can, but yeah, it's kind of maybe a little secret sometimes."

That "sometimes" was of course The Good Place , the Mike Schur series where Jacinto starred as Jason Mendoza, an ostensibly silent monk who somewhat quickly reveals himself as a jock in possession of both an  obsession with NFL quarterback Blake Bortles  and an IQ roughly equivalent to that of your average fence post. 

For him, the shift was out of this world — not least for the fact that he'd never before tried to make people laugh. 

"I love it man, but it was honestly incredibly unexpected," he said. " The Good Place was my first comedic thing and I remember my reps being like, 'Are you sure they got the right guy?' "

• Listen From Serendipity to The Big Sick, Manny Jacinto picks his favourite rom-coms
• 'You never see a dumb Asian on network TV': Actor Manny Jacinto on playing against type

The comedic success he partially attributes to his equally rhythm-dependent dance training. His tendency to now include at least a touch of comedy in every project is because of his surprising love for it. "It's so special to be able to make a room laugh," he said, smiling.

But what surprises him is where he's landed, and when; through what he calls luck, he's already sitting right on the precipice of something real and potentially lasting only a decade after setting out.

It was also surprising how he'd gotten there. 

The Acolyte's Manny Jacinto on trying to open doors for Asian actors

Looking for roles.

Jacinto is of both Chinese and Filipino heritage, and part of the reason he made the trek south was a lack of diverse opportunity in Canada.

While there were roles, even the occasional interesting one (he cites an early job on CBC's The Romeo Section as getting him the cred to actually land The Good Place ), what he saw more were one-dimensional, sometimes stereotypical opportunities for Asian men.

So with a degree he didn't want, often too broke to afford groceries and handing flyers to strangers for his own dance shows, Jacinto moved on to what he hoped were greener pastures.  

• New Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa on 'the tragedy and the depth' of his version of The Doctor
• This Ontario YouTuber filtered — and drank — his own sweat using a replica Dune stillsuit

It was an act of trusting his gut, something he says guides him in every role he chooses.

Landing on The Acolyte , to him, seems like a point proven: The parents he once hid his art from ("I told them, just give me five more years. Give me five more years to figure out what I want to do.") are beaming as they attend the red carpet. 

And instead of promoting roles he doesn't respect, trusting his gut got him where he wanted to be — as he strongly hints that taking  The Acolyte  was a Sophie's choice between a few different offers.

But being part of such a huge shift in the franchise ( The Acolyte 's  rumbling diveristy backlash  is part of an argument so old, just over a week ago  Star Wars ' creator George Lucas was forced to defend the original films' largely white cast with the claim "Most of the people are aliens!" ) validates his pickiness about his roles and what they say. 

"I'm so proud to be able to inspire younger kids that look like me to take up a lightsaber … or to make stories that'll further the legacy of Star Wars, " he said. "I'm really, really proud of it."

But even with all that to look forward to, I'm still curious if he's looking back — to all the competitions, frantic performances and hopefully improving opportunities at home. 

"Man, just like washing my hair with the water, it gives it so much volume — it looks so good!" Once again, he's laughing. 

"But beside the point. I get a sense of calm when I get back home. So I wouldn't put it past me to — if I can come back home and tell a good story, that'd be the dream."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jackson Weaver is a senior writer for CBC Entertainment News. You can reach him at [email protected], or follow him on Twitter at @jacksonwweaver

Related Stories

• Foreign streamers must pay into fund to boost Canadian content, CRTC says
• REVIEW I Saw the TV Glow's director might be a genius. That doesn't mean the movie is

‘Hit Man’ Stars Glen Powell and Adria Arjona Used a Pinterest Board to Plan Their Steamy Sex Scenes: ‘Everyone Finds Different Things Sensual’

By Angelique Jackson

Angelique Jackson

• Ava DuVernay and Kenya Barris Join Issa Rae for Inaugural ‘Creator Conversations’ Talk at American Black Film Festival (EXCLUSIVE) 13 hours ago
• ‘Hit Man’ Stars Glen Powell and Adria Arjona Used a Pinterest Board to Plan Their Steamy Sex Scenes: ‘Everyone Finds Different Things Sensual’ 14 hours ago
• A ‘Kissing Booth’ Reunion: Joey King and Taylor Zakhar Perez on Choosing Family Over Work and Why ‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Is ‘So Steamy’ and Game-Changing 17 hours ago

It’s a “Hot Glen Summer” at the movies.

Just like the immortal words of Megan Thee Stallion, who’s billed every summer since 2019 the perfect time to do “hot girl shit,” Glen Powell is heating up movie screens. Summer 2024 firmly establishes him as a power player with Netflix’s “ Hit Man ,” the Prime Video documentary “The Blue Angels” and Universal “Twisters” dropping in rapid succession.

Related Stories

Scarlett johansson vs. sam altman is the ‘black widow’ sequel we didn’t know we needed, elizabeth debicki recalls sitting between jude law and matt damon at met gala: ‘oh, my god i’m in a ripley sandwich’, popular on variety.

Like Retta, Linklater has had a front row seat to the actor’s glow-up, going from casting a teenage Powell in 2006’s “Fast Food Nation,” then reuniting for 2016’s “Everybody Wants Some” to co-writing “Hit Man” together.

“The industry doesn’t really have a place for that the way they used to; they don’t make adult films that require that they’re making such juvenile material, that his kind of performance doesn’t always have a place in,” he notes. “It’s fun to see it align. It’s overdue, but it’s good that it’s happening.”

Powell chuckles at the hashtag-ready phrase, but he’s quick to put his recent hot streak in perspective.

“What I would say to anybody that really, wants to do this job is that anything that’s worth it sometimes takes time, and in hindsight, all the failure on the way to this moment has been so important,” Powell says. “Getting to watch how people develop movies and learn from my heroes and learn from people that are doing it right and learn from people that are doing it wrong, on and off screen, I’ve really had the benefit of a lot of education. And that comes from failure.”

“HIt Man” asks Powell to use all those abilities Linklater and Retta call out – hard work, humor and a good, old-fashioned bit of charm — to play Gary Johnson, a strait-laced college professor who works part time with the New Orleans police department as a fake hit man. But the hottest thing about “Hit Man” is Powell’s chemistry with Adria Arjona . She plays Madison, a woman who’s looking to have her abusive husband killed but instead steals Gary’s heart (though he’s in character as as a suave, devil-may-care hunk named Ron).

The movie is inspired by the unbelievable true story of the late Gary Johnson, a Texas man who worked for the Houston police department posing as a contract killer; Johnson’s story was captured in a 2001 Texas Monthly article. As adapted for the screen by Linklater and Powell, “Hit Man” is a noir romantic comedy that plays up the slapstick humor when Powell transforms into a slew of hit men customized for each client — among the internet’s favorites include killer who’s a dead ringer for “American Psycho’s” Patrick Bateman, as well as Powell’s best red-wigged Tilda Swinton impression and a Russian killer who is basically Javier Bardem’s Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men” with a splash of “The Room’s” Tommy Wiseau.

Arjona — who is sitting beside Powell with his dog Brisket on her lap — says she liked “Tanner,” a skeet-shooting redneck who’s missing a few front teeth, best. “There’s just something about him; you want to get to know him,” she jokes.

But all the disguises and the sexy role play that becomes a big part of Gary and Madison’s relationship are part of a deeper theme Powell and Linklater aimed to explore about the concept of identity and how one can become one’s best self.

“When Rick and I were breaking this movie, we talked about the tropes of thrillers and noir movies, and how some will have these nihilistic bummers of an ending. [We thought,] ‘Okay, what if this was actually the beginning of a family? What if this was the beginning of a beautiful love story?’” Powell says. “This concept of identity and self is so interesting, because as you move through life, so often people describe us as an identity that we almost feel stuck in. We almost become derivatives of those labels. This movie is really saying, “Hey, become the label you want you to put out there. Own your identity. Seize that identity.”

Take Gary and Madison’s “meet cute,” for instance. They meet at a diner to discuss arrangements to kill her husband, but quickly fall into familiar and flirty banter.

But for all these weighty ideas to work, there had to be crackling chemistry between the two leads — and thankfully Arjona had a great idea for developing that. The actor pitched Powell and Linklater on a Pinterest board where they could share images from their favorite movies and art to get a sense of each other’s tastes while writing the script.

“Everyone finds different things sensual,” Arjona explains. “It was interesting to see both of our perspectives, hone in and start molding it from that sense. It sparked conversations that you wouldn’t normally have, because we were in the process of creating it.”

Powell agrees, saying the unique form of collaboration helped the intimate moments feel more integrated into the story, almost as if storyboarding the emotional journey the characters would take.

“So often, sex scenes feel almost divorced from the movie, like a marketing play or it feels icky,” he says. “In this movie, those scenes are crucial in the changing and seizing of identity. You have to see a guy who sees the world in such a binary, stale place checking logic at the door and becoming a whole new person. This romantic relationship is really expediting it. It’s the catalyst for everything.”

The only thing Arjona didn’t really factor in was having to play out those fantasies. “It was three brains working, and then it was like, ‘Oh, wait, I’m the one that has to put the flight attendant outfit on now.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, God, I did this to myself,’” she laughs. “It was beautiful and intentional. It didn’t feel like we were just doing sex scenes just to do sex scenes; it came from a creative place.”

For as artistic and well-conceived as they were, filming the movie’s sex scenes did prove complicated. Arjona and Powell ended up “with a crazy rash” after filming in a bathtub, because someone added Dawn dish soap to the water and it stripped their skin of its natural oils. Then there’s the scene where Madison pours wine down her naked body and “Ron” kisses it off. That one came from an image Arjona posted on the board and pushed to have in the film.

“There was something about the silhouette and the wine on her neck and him drinking it that felt so sensual and beautiful,” Arjona says recalling the image of a woman in a strapless dress in an intimate embrace with her lover. “We were like, ‘How can we bring that to life?’”

So, at three in the morning on a hot New Orleans night, Powell and Arjona embarked on that task as their final setup of the day.

More from Variety

Teamsters leader lindsay dougherty on ai trucks, wages, and the chance of a strike: ‘it’s unlikely’, what media & entertainment execs are saying about using gen ai: the vip+/harrisx spring 2024 survey, iatse leader is ‘hopeful’ as contract talks continue, iatse to extend talks on basic agreement into june as union vows to ‘negotiate the deal our members deserve’, survey data: do consumers want gen ai in entertainment content, iatse aims to wrap up bargaining by june 27, more from our brands, hinds preview new album with ‘boom boom back’ featuring beck, meghan trainor’s spare l.a. home hits the market for $12 million, messi’s mls jersey sales soar as his business empire expands, the best loofahs and body scrubbers, according to dermatologists, david e. kelley: presumed innocent series has ‘twists and turns,’ yes — but maybe not the ones you expect, verify it's you, please log in.

• Sign Up / Log In

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive show news, updates, and more!

All About Tom Hardy's Wife Charlotte Riley & Their 3 Kids

From Peaky Blinders to the Edge of Tomorrow , get to know Charlotte Riley — Tom Hardy’s other Hollywood half.

As the rugged ringleader of a 1960s motorcycle gang, Tom Hardy’s newest movie role in The Bikeriders (in theaters beginning June 21) is sure to find him hitting the screen at full throttle. But what fans of the Hollywood A-lister might not realize is that Hardy’s just one-half of a Hollywood couple whose relationship roots run deep through his own acting past.

Hardy and British actor Charlotte Riley have been married for almost a decade, having first tied the knot on the 4th of July all the way back in 2014. It’s a union that sparked after the future couple first met in 2009, on the set of a lavish period drama that teamed the two stars as a pair of romantic literary heavyweights.

RELATED:  The Cast of The Bikeriders Explained: Everything to Know About Tom Hardy & Austin Butler Thriller

From box office smashes like  The Dark Knight Rises  and  Venom to his earlier turns in critical film hits like Layer Cake (2004), Marie Antoinette (2006), and Inception (2010), Hardy has hardly been difficult to spot whenever a project he’s attached to percolates upward and into the spotlight. But through the birth of two children and a whole decade’s worth of celebrity-couple tabloid attention, Riley has also watched her own film career grow — and the odds are good that you’ve spotted her in way more than one high-profile project.

Who is Tom Hardy’s wife Charlotte Riley?

Born in 1981 in the northern English village of Grindon, County Durham, Riley attended local schools and participated in local theater before eventually taking her talents to London, where she attended the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. Landing her earliest TV roles round that same time, Riley nabbed her first big screen gig (opposite Jessica Biel and Colin Firth) in the 2008 British rom-com Easy Virtue .

The very next year, Riley landed a part that would forever change her personal fortunes, taking on the role of Catherine Earnshaw in the 2009 British event series adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights . The leading man playing her star-crossed love interest? Yep, it was none other than Tom Hardy, cast in the iconic antihero’s role of Heathcliff.

RELATED: What is The Bikeriders Rated? What to Know About Motorcycle Drama Starring Austin Butler

Hardy’s screen career already had begun to take off at the time, thanks to his early-2000s appearances in films like Star Trek: Nemesis , Layer Cake , and Sucker Punch (and only three short years before his deliciously villainous role as Bane in Christopher Nolan’s crowning Batman trilogy flick The Dark Knight Rises ). But as fate would have it, his casting alongside Riley would prove especially providential — and not just for either actor’s screen career.

Where have you seen Charlotte Riley onscreen?

As it turned out, Wuthering Heights wasn’t the only occasion when Riley and Hardy would star together — not even in 2009. The same year as their onscreen lovers’ meeting in Wuthering Heights , the acting duo also appeared in British TV crime drama The Take . With their offscreen chemistry quickly cementing even when the cameras weren’t rolling, Hardy proposed to Riley in 2010, launching a four-year courtship that formally ended when the pair married July 4, 2014.

Throughout that time and continuing all the way into the present day, Riley has maintained a busy but selective acting career even as her Hollywood husband has tackled a vast range of box office blockbusters including Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Dunkirk (2017), Venom (2018) and its sequels, and the upcoming action thriller Havoc (2025).

RELATED: Austin Butler's Episode of SNL Was Packed With Holiday Hilarity

Riley starred opposite Tom Cruise in the 2014 sci-fi action movie Edge of Tomorrow;  joined the cast of the enormously popular British crime series Peaky Blinders;  played the Ghost of Christmas Present in BBC’s 2019 adaptation of A Christmas Carol (which Hardy himself co-produced); and, most recently, portrayed enigmatic time traveler Aelita West (opposite Chloë Grace Moretz) in the trippy sci-fi series The Periphera l. All the while, she’s kept the pace steady through consistent television appearances, primarily in historical period dramas and lighthearted comedies including Close to the Enemy (2016), King Charles III (2017), and the oil-magnate miniseries saga Trust (2018).

Do Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley have children?

Since tying the knot in 2014, Charlotte Riley and Tom Hardy have welcomed two children of their own into their growing family — though they’ve successfully kept their kids’ private lives well separated from the media spotlight.

Although the couple has sustained a firm silence regarding details about their two children (including any public confirmation of their names), Riley reportedly (via People ) gave birth to their first child — a daughter — late in 2015, followed in late 2018 (or perhaps early 2019) by the birth of their second child , a son. Riley, meanwhile, is also stepmother to Hardy’s older child, Louis Thomas, whom Hardy fathered from a previous relationship with film industry insider Rachel Speed.

Despite the couple’s understandable reluctance to subject their children to scrutinizing tabloid eyes, both Riley and Hardy have shared insight into how family life has help shape their relationship. “There was no longer very much time for me to think about myself anymore,” Hardy confided to the Daily Mail not long after the birth of their son, “…because there is somebody now on the planet who really needs me to get my act together and focus on something that is more important than me.”

Riley, meanwhile, has obliquely acknowledged the importance of children and family through her advocacy of the Keeping Families In Film campaign, a movement to improve on-set child care availability for working parents in the entertainment industry. “I've seen so many talented people leaving the industry when they became parents and just not being able to make their job, their film life, work in the industry with their family life,” she explained to Sky News  in 2021 of her passion for the family-focused initiative.

Catch Tom Hardy alongside costars Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Norman Reedus in Focus Features’ upcoming motorcycle epic, The Bikeriders, in theaters beginning June 21. Grab your tickets here !

• The Bikeriders
• Kids And Families

Related Stories

How Simon Cowell Says His Son Got Him Through the "Hardest" Loss of His Life

A Huge SVU Reunion Happened at Mariska Hargitay & Chris Meloni's Joint Family Party

How to Watch The Bikeriders Movie Starring Austin Butler

Heidi Klum Shares Sweet Video of 18-Year-Old Son Henry Graduating High School

All About Andy Samberg's Wife Joanna Newsom and Their Kids

All About Rainn Wilson's Family with His Wife Holiday Reinhorn

All About Norman Reedus' Partner Diane Kruger & Their 2 Kids

All about austin butler’s famous girlfriend kaia gerber.

All About The Voice Coach Chance the Rapper's Kids

Reba McEntire & Son Shelby Blackstock Have the Same Smile

Craig Melvin Reads to Dylan Dreyer's 3 Sons

Ice T and His Family Ride Electric Suitcases in the Airport

Recommended for you.

2-Year-Old Mariska Hargitay Appears on the Merv Griffin Show

Ryan Gosling and Jimmy Fallon Deserve Oscars for Playing Identical-Looking Tough Cops

Scarlett Johansson Matches Katie Britt's SOTU Energy in SNL Parody: Watch

• More to Explore
• Series & Movies

Published Feb 25, 2019

9 Things You Should Know About Chase Masterson

Here are nine facts about the DS9 actress

StarTrek.com

Chase Masterson, everyone's favorite Bajoran Dabo girl Leeta, is celebrating her birthday today. To mark the occasion, StarTrek.com is happy to share 9 Things You Should Know About Chase Masterson.

A Love For Art As Communication

She was was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She seemed destined to become an actress. As she told StarTrek.com in a 2011 interview, "My mom was a theater director and actress while I was growing up. I did my first play when I was five, and continued working throughout high school; instead of going to standard activities after school, or just hanging out with friends, I always went with her to the theater or worked in other, larger theaters in programs at universities, etc... My being an actress is based in my love for art as communication. Beyond simply being entertainment, I feel that theater, television and film are the most effective ways to bring messages to an audience, to inspire change, to bring healing. Great storytelling, especially in the beautifully allegorical ways that this genre does it, is a powerful way to awaken the world, one person at a time. Including ourselves."

Before Deep Space Nine

Masterson's pre - DS9 acting credits included General Hospital and Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

Becoming Leeta

The actress ultimately played Leeta in 17 episodes of DS9 from 1995-1999.

Hours of Make-Up

It took three hours in the makeup chair each day to transform Masterson into Leeta.

Kissing Rom

Speaking of makeup, things got tricky when Leeta and Rom got together romantically. Asked by a StarTrek.com reader in 2011 how hard it was to kiss Max Grodenchik (who played Rom) with all that prosthetic makeup on his face and those teeth in his mouth, Masterson replied, "Well, after the laughing subsided, it was fine. Make no mistake, actors often suddenly revert to being nine years old during kissing scenes – and Max and I were no exception. The only rough thing was that he got his orange make-up on me, which I guess was fair play, since girls are always getting their lipstick on guys. I guess that’s part of Rom’s feminine side."

After Deep Space Nine

Masterson's post-DS9 film and TV credits have included The Specials, Presidio Heat, Manticore, Yesterday Was a Lie (which she co-produced) and The Flash . She's also done voiceover work for two Doctor Who audio dramas, The Shadow Heart and Night of the Stormcrow .

Admiral Leeta

She has voiced Leeta in the past for Star Trek Online . And now, for Star Trek Online's Agents of Yesterday expansion, Artifacts , Masterson will be reprising her role as Admiral Leeta from the Mirror Universe.

Beyond Acting

Beyond acting, Masterson is a singer. She's performed in concert at many conventions around the world and has released two albums, Yesterday Was a Lie and Burned with Desire .

The Pop Culture Hero Coalition

In 2013, Masterson founded -- with Carrie Goldman and Matt Langdon -- the Pop Culture Hero Coalition, the first-ever 501c3 organization to use the themes of Star Trek and other socially conscious TV shows and films to lead children and adults in acts of real-life heroism, paralleling the onscreen stories fans love. “I founded this Coalition in order to be a true embodiment of Kirk’s words, 'Let me help,’” Masterson told StarTrek.com in 2015. "In the spirit of Star Trek , the Pop Culture Hero Coalition... uses the universal appeal of TV and film to create anti-bullying programs in schools, communities and pop culture cons. The Coalition also works against racism, misogyny, cyber-bullying and other forms of hate, using the powerful themes of Trek and other genre stories to bring justice and healing, and to encourage everyday heroism."

Get Updates By Email

site categories

Tribeca festival 2024: read all of deadline’s movie reviews, breaking news.

Sandra Bullock & Nicole Kidman In Talks To Return For ‘Practical Magic’ Sequel

By Matt Grobar

Matt Grobar

Senior Film Reporter

More Stories By Matt

• Erin Kellyman Joins Sony’s ‘28 Years Later’
• CAA Promotes 15 To Agent Or Executive
• Lionsgate & Grindstone Acquire Nadine Crocker Drama ‘Continue’

Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman are in negotiations to return for Practical Magic 2 , a sequel to Warner Bros ‘ 1998 romantic fantasy, the studio announced via its social media channels on Monday.

Akiva Goldsman, who penned the original film alongside Robin Swicord and Adam Brooks, will return to write the screenplay. Bullock and Kidman are expected to produce alongside the original’s Denise Di Novi. Details as to the sequel’s plot are under wraps for now.

Related Stories

Mikaela Hoover & Christopher MacDonald Join 'Superman'

Breaking Baz: 'Expats' Star Ji-Young Yoo On Her Career And Being "Happy" To Be Thrown In "Deep End" Shooting With Lulu Wang & Nicole Kidman

Subsequently, Sally and Gillian struggle with their powers and the consequences of the family curse. Sally attempts to lead a normal life, distancing herself from magic, but tragedy strikes when her husband dies. Gillian, on the other hand, lives a wild life, embracing her magical abilities. The sisters are reunited when Gillian finds herself in a dangerous relationship with Jimmy Angelov (Goran Visnjic), a violent man. In an effort to protect Gillian, the sisters accidentally kill Jimmy, leading to a series of supernatural events as they attempt to hide his death and ultimately break the family curse.

Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest and Aidan Quinn also starred in the first Practical Magic , which grossed over $68M worldwide.

Currently, Kidman can be seen starring in Expats , Prime Video’s awards-contending miniseries from The Farewell ‘s Lulu Wang. Next to be seen starring opposite Zac Efron and Joey King in Netflix’s rom-com A Family Affair , out June 28, her upcoming slate also includes Netflix’s murder mystery series The Perfect Couple , the Amazon series Kay Scarpetta and feature thriller Holland, Michigan , the second seasons of Paramount+’s Lioness and Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers , and Halina Reijn’s A24 pic Babygirl , among other projects.

A producer on Mattel Film’ forthcoming Major Matt Mason starring Tom Hanks, Goldsman was most recently announced as a producer on the company’s upcoming live-action theatrical Monsters High film. In television, the most recent credits for the writer-producer include Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and The Crowded Room .

Kidman is repped by CAA, Shanahan Management in Australia, Media Talent Group, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Bullock by CAA and Ziffren Brittenham; and Goldsman by CAA, TFC Management, and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller.

Must Read Stories

Channel 4 investigating after producer commits suicide.

Shawn Ryan Inks Big Netflix Deal; ‘Night Agent’ Expansion?

Edgar bronfman jr. eyeing paramount deal, skydance talks continue, teamsters’ lindsay dougherty on why studios need to pay up.

Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.

Read More About:

Deadline is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2024 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. All Rights Reserved.