Kate Mulgrew created history as the first female lead captain of the Star Trek franchise with Voyager. The actress stressed that Captain Janeway’s performance and leadership abilities were enough for viewers to tune in every week, but the makers had to bring in Jeri Ryan in season 4 to boost viewership from a particular demographic, much to Mulgrew’s displeasure.
However, Jeri Ryan’s addition was not the only change in casting in season 4. Actress Jennifer Lien, who played Kes in Voyager, was written off the show despite getting along with the rest of the cast and crew, and her character being accepted by fans. The actual truth behind her exit is actually pretty tragic.
Kate Mulgrew was not happy with Jennifer Lien leaving Star Trek: Voyager
While it is tough to maintain the same closeness while filming a movie, cast members become more like family while working on TV shows. The cast and crew mostly remain the same throughout the run of the series, and very rarely does a regular cast member exit before the show ends. And, naturally it is extremely difficult when that does happen.
Much like the crew of the ship, the cast of Star Trek: Voyager became a family and developed a repertoire for four seasons before they lost their first regular. Actress Jennifer Lien, who played Kes in the show, had to exit the series due to unknown reasons at the time. Her character, an Ocampa, was written off the show in season 4.
The show’s Captain Kathryn Janeway, i.e., actress Kate Mulgrew, mentioned how disappointed she was that Lien had to leave the series and how it broke the fabric of the cast in a way that could never be repaired. She said to Star Trek Monthly,
[It] was a great sorrow to me on many levels, foremost among them being the fracturing of an ensemble cast that was extremely special to me. It is never a good thing, although it may be good in the long run. I trust my producers on this level because they are good people, and they’re looking at the welfare of the show, but at the moment, it’s hurtful and difficult to adjust to.
She mentioned that though it sounded cliche, the cast was like a family and that it was sad to see Lien leave after four seasons of togetherness. She also said that her loss shook her up. The entry of Jeri Ryan in the same season was probably not too pleasing for Mulgrew either.
Star Trek: Voyager’s Jennifer Lien had to leave the series for a tragic reason
Jennifer Lien’s Kes was an Ocampa, an alien species that only had a short, nine-year lifespan and psychic abilities. Kes was an interesting character who, again, could not get a lot of screen time due to constraints from the series producers. However, she had to be let go during her fourth season as she reportedly had some personal issues.
Initially rumored to be about several things, such as a possible dr*g problem, a necessity to cut corners due to Jeri Ryan’s entry, and some other issues, it was ultimately revealed that Lien had to deal with her personal mental health issues, which routinely affected her performance.
Producer Jeri Taylor said in the book Star Trek Voyager: A Celebration (via Entertainment Now),
We knew that there was something going on. But she wouldn’t talk or let us offer to help.
Lien was also arrested multiple times between 2015 to 2018, with her once being detained for indecent exposure in the presence of children (via Variety). The actress only reprised her role once in Voyager’s sixth season but reduced her acting appearances overall.
Star Trek: Voyager is available to stream on Paramount+.
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