Gene Roddenberry had a simple dream: to write an iconic story about space characters with a strong moral and ethical code. His ideas led to the creation of an iconic 1966 show called Star Trek: The Original Series.
The series, which aired in 1966, went on to span a larger-than-life cinematic universe that includes sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. With a plethora of projects in the universe, there are bound to be a plethora of iconic actors and characters in the franchise as well.
Star Trek and the space race
Before there was a galaxy far, far away, there was Star Trek: The Original Series. Debuting in 1966, the iconic show saw actors like William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and Nichelle Nichols portray some iconic characters.
Upon its debut, Star Trek: The Original Series found worldwide fame and critical acclaim and quickly went on to dominate the television charts across the U.S. in a very short period of time.
The series created by Gene Roddenberry quickly grew to become a franchise, having a plethora of things in it and a number of projects taking place simultaneously and in different timelines. So what was it about Star Trek: The Original Series that people fell in love with so deeply?
Well, the surprising answer is that the popularity of the show might have to do with the space race in the 1960s. Audiences were invested in what the USA and Russia were doing with their rockets and satellites.
Star Trek managed to tap into that potential and made exploring space fun. The series also carried the vision of Gene Roddenberry, whose episodes often featured social commentary on the world at that time. The series went on to create the iconic Star Trek franchise as we know it and naturally introduced some iconic actors as well.
The Star Trek-Marvel connection
After the show turned into a world-famous franchise, a film was released in the year 1996 called Star Trek: First Contact. The movie saw Patrick Stewart taking center stage alongside Jonathan Frakes in leading roles.
In the 1996 film, actress Alice Krige portrayed the role of the Borg Queen alongside Patrick Stewart’s Jean-Luc Picard. The film was a success, and soon, people forgot about the Borgs and their queen.
However, what many people might not know is that the actress also portrayed another role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well! According to keen-eyed spotters, Alice Krige portrayed the role of Eir in the 2013 film Thor: The Dark World.
Although not so much as of a significant role, it’s nice to know that despite the years and the aging factor, celebrities from the Star Trek franchise have fans who can recognize them even years later.
With Alice Krige in the role of the Borg Queen, Star Trek: First Contact, which was released in 1996, currently stands at a rating of 7.6/10 on IMDb and a whopping 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. The iconic movie is available to stream on Paramount+.
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