The Star Trek movie franchise has utilized a huge roster of actors over the years, but many of these supporting stars have been forgotten. Starting with the release of The Motion Picture in 1979, the movie franchise brought back the beloved crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise and sent them on epic adventures that saw them grow as characters. The original movies were different from the utopian sci-fi of the classic ’60s series, and were typically much larger in scope and scale. This trend continued into the 1990s with the release of movies based on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Like the TV episodes, the Star Trek movies didn’t just focus on the various starship crews, and usually introduced new characters in supporting roles. Whether they were memorable Star Trek villains or new cadets on the Enterprise, the movies often invested more time in the supporting characters than the TV shows ever did. Unfortunately, many actors aren’t best remembered for their time trekking among the stars, and their contributions are overshadowed by the main crew who took center stage.

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David Warner – Star Trek V: The Final Frontier & Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

David Warner Is A Star Trek Veteran

The franchise is no stranger to reusing actors again and again, and David Warner has appeared in multiple roles in the Star Trek films and TV shows. Perhaps best remembered for playing the villainous Cardᴀssian torturer, Gul Madred, in the Next Generation episode “Chain of Command”, Warner actually appeared in two different Star Trek movies. In Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Warner plays the Federation ambᴀssador trapped on Nimbus III, but he stole the show as the philosophical Klingon chancellor, Gorkon, in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

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Malcolm McDowell – Star Trek Generations

McDowell Plays One Of Trek’s Most Infamous Villains

Malcolm McDowell is no stranger to playing villain roles, and he has made a name for himself playing dastardly characters in films like A Clockwork Orange. His appearance in the Star Trek franchise is in one of its weaker installments, but McDowell’s performance is a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable movie. Star Trek Generations tapped McDowell to play Soran, a scientist who wants to reenter the Nexus in order to escape from his own tragic past.

Soran is a unique Star Trek movie villain because he has a clear motivation that’s understandable. Even though Generations is a bit convoluted and bogged down, Soran’s arc is the one thing in the film that makes sense. This is due in large part to McDowell’s performance, but he has largely been forgotten because the film itself isn’t worth remembering.

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Christopher Plummer – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The Sound Of Music Star Played A Klingon

Christopher Plummer isn’t really known for playing heels, but when he showed up in the Star Trek movie franchise, he was cast against type. Plummer appears in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as Klingon general, Chang, the chief of staff to the late Chancellor Gorkon. The antagonistic general ʙuттs heads with Kirk from their first meeting, and it’s clear that he distrusts the Federation as much as they distrust him. Plummer’s performance is one of the highlights of the movie, and only an actor of his gravity could bring so much humanity to Chang.

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John Larroquette – Star Trek III: The Search For Spock

The TV Legend Only Appeared In A Star Trek Movie

Ironically, TV icon John Larroquette made his only Star Trek appearance in a movie and not in one of the many series. The Night Court and Boston Legal star appeared in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock as Maltz, one of the crew members on the Klingon cruiser commanded by the evil, Kruge (Christopher Lloyd). Unlike his more violent contemporaries, Maltz is often the voice of reason and tries on numerous occasions to advise Kruge, who is determined to make foolhardy decisions.

Larroquette’s time in the 23rd century was rather brief, but it has become an iconic part of his career. During the run of the Night Court revival series, Larroquette’s character, Dan, appeared in court dressed as a Klingon for one episode. This is an obvious nod to Maltz, and a fitting tribute to a Star Trek movie that often goes overlooked.

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Kurtwood Smith – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The Red Forman Actor Played The Federation President

One thing that makes the Star Trek movies special is that they often cast excellent actors in the smallest supporting roles. Never was this more true than in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, when Kurtwood Smith appeared as the Federation President. Smith’s character doesn’t have a name, but is a member of the Efrosian species, an alien race known for their long white hair and cranial ridges. Smith brings his usual stoic charm to the part, and is a far cry from the stern and humorous Red Forman from That ’70s Show.

Kurtwood Smith’s Star Trek roles include:

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Chris Hemsworth – Star Trek (2009)

Before He Was Thor, Chris Hemsworth Was Captain Kirk’s Dad

Just a few years before he became a household name as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Hemsworth had a small but very important role in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek. The 2009 reboot tapped Hemsworth to play the role of George Kirk, Captain Kirk’s late father, who dies in the opening scene aboard the U.S.S. Kelvin. Hemsworth wasn’t given a lot to do in his short appearance in the film, but he imbued George Kirk with a lot of the classic mannerisms that his fictional son would soon inherit.

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Christian Slater – Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

The ’90s Megastar Had A Small Cameo Role In Star Trek

Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country was the last hurrah for the original Enterprise crew, and it also featured a host of famous supporting stars. Christian Slater was at the height of his fame in 1991, and the Heathers and True Romance star has a small cameo role in Star Trek VI. Slater appears as an unnamed communications officer, and has a small walk-on part with only a few lines. It’s a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but Slater is very much his usual self onscreen.

Apparently, Slater is a huge fan of the franchise, and actually lobbied to appear in Star Trek. Though he would likely have wanted a larger role, it’s interesting that he was able to earn a spot on the crew of the Enterprise. Despite his love of the franchise, Slater has made no further appearances in any Star Trek media.

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Sofia Boutella – Star Trek Beyond

Boutella’s Performance Was Buried Under A Lot Of Makeup

Before she was the star of her own ill-fated sci-fi franchise, Rebel Moon, Sofia Boutella appeared in the Star Trek movie franchise in a memorable supporting role. The action star played the role of Jaylah in Star Trek Beyond, an alien of unknown species who was trapped on the planet Altamid for years following an attack by Krall. Like many of Boutella’s roles, Jaylah often lets her fists do the talking, and she generally increased the amount of action in the third Kelvin timeline Star Trek film.

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Tom Hardy – Star Trek: Nemesis

An Early Tom Hardy Role Was In A Star Trek Movie

Unfortunately, Tom Hardy got the short end of the stick when he made his lone appearance in the Star Trek universe, but he gave his all nevertheless. Hardy plays the role of Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis, the final film to feature the crew of the Enterprise from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Shinzon is actually a clone of Captain Picard who wants revenge against his originator after he spent his life suffering at the hands of the Romulans.

The biggest problem with Shinzon isn’t Hardy’s performance, it’s actually the poor writing and convoluted plot. It’s never really clear why Shinzon hates Picard so much, besides the fact that he’s a clone of the legendary captain. Nemesis tries to ape the formula from The Wrath of Khan, but Shinzon’s motivation is flimsier than Khan’s, making the whole experience seem pointless.

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Idris Elba – Star Trek Beyond

Elba Played One Of The More Complex Villains From The Kelvin Universe

The villains of Star Trek‘s Kelvin Universe all have very similar motivations, and their quest for revenge is what drives them. Idris Elba played the role of Krall in Star Trek Beyond, and he turned in one of the most dynamic and layered performances found in the over-the-top alternate universe franchise. Krall was once a human soldier who was transformed into a monster thanks to some science fiction mumbo jumbo.

Elba’s performance is able to shine even though pounds of makeup, and Krall’s decisions make sense, even if they are evil. He used to be a soldier, and after being retired in favor of a more peaceful future, Krall came to resent the change in philosophy. A skilled performer like Idris Elba is able to make Krall feel more human, and he’s one of the more memorable Star Trek movie villains.