Rick Berman had someone else in mind to play Seven of Nine on Star Trek: Voyager

As a devoted Star Trek fan with a penchant for delving into the rich tapestry of behind-the-scenes stories, I can’t help but ponder the “what if” scenarios that often accompany such changes in casting. If Jeri Ryan hadn’t been cast as Seven of Nine in Voyager, we might have seen Susan Gibney grace our screens instead.

In the fourth season of Star Trek: Voyager, significant shifts were introduced. For instance, fans bid farewell to Kes, the nine-year lifespan Ocampan portrayed by Jennifer Lien, and welcomed Jeri Ryan, who assumed the role of Seven of Nine, the Borg drone rescued from the Collective by Voyager’s crew. It was clear that Ryan joined the team not just to enrich the storylines, but also to inject a touch of allure to boost viewership ratings. This strategy proved effective, despite the fact that producer Rick Berman had another actor in mind for Seven of Nine, as he visualized a very different character altogether.

As per the account in the book “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams,” written by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, it was Berman’s intention to cast Susan Gibney for the role because he desired a character with intellectual depth, similar to her portrayal of Dr. Leah Brahms on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

In a candid statement, Berman acknowledged that Gibney, not Ryan, was his preferred pick for Seven of Nine. However, the decisions of Jeri Taylor and Michael Piller, who strongly favored Ryan, ultimately overruled him. Despite this, Berman remained firm in his belief that Gibney would have excelled in the role. Viewers might have easily identified her as Dr. Brahms, which could potentially create complications for both the actress and the character. It’s suggested that separating the image of Geordi La Forge’s beloved holographic creation based on Dr. Brahms from Ryan’s portrayal of the Borg drone who yearned to return to her childhood home, might have proven challenging.

Previously, Gibney portrayed a distinct character on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine named Erika Benteen following The Next Generation’s conclusion. More recently, she lent her voice to Dr. Brahms in Star Trek: Lower Decks. Interestingly, she was also in the running for the part of Captain Kathryn Janeway [Kate Mulgrew], but she missed out on it due to her youthful appearance.

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2024-09-02 17:23