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Jonathan Frakes says he was fortunate to play a human on Star Trek: The Next Generation

BBG News

As a lifelong Star Trek enthusiast who has spent countless hours immersed in the rich tapestry of alien species that populate the franchise, I must say that I hold the utmost respect for the actors who don the rubber heads and prosthetics to bring these unique beings to life.

In Star Trek, various extraterrestrial species have graced both the series and films, with some actors needing extensive makeup preparations more than others. Jonathan Frakes, who portrayed Commander Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation, admitted during a ComicBook fundraiser that he was lucky to play a human character on the show, as it spared him hours of makeup application. [As reported by Looper]

At the end of the shooting day, Frakes and Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard) were free to go for a drink, while Michael Dorn (Worf) and Brent Spiner (Data) remained in the makeup chairs, having their prosthetics removed and gold paint washed off. Notably, the actresses had to take off their wigs as well. Frakes noted that those portraying aliens needed to be at work at least four hours ahead of schedule and stay an extra hour and a half after everyone else had finished their on-set duties.

I have nothing but respect and no envy for the people who wear the rubber heads in our company.

Jonathan Frakes

In John Billingsley’s perspective, while there were challenging aspects such as extended hours due to makeup and prosthetics, a positive aspect was that these additional hours were compensated. Moreover, being seventh in line for call times on Star Trek: Enterprise meant he didn’t have to show up every day.

I will say, I was the rubber head, but I was number seven on the call sheet. I sang a little song called, [to the tune of ‘Day-O’ by Harry Belafonte], ‘Day off, day off, day off, day off, and the checks still come. I used to sing it to the human beings because that made up for the fact that I wore the rubber head. I didn’t have to come in every day.

John Billingsley

Although the process of applying makeup might seem challenging, it’s essential for creating that authentic Star Trek feel, complete with alien characters. It’s reassuring to know that there have been and continue to be dedicated actors who are willing to invest the additional time in their preparations to bring their Star Trek roles to life.

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2024-09-25 03:22

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