Garrett Wang, who played Ensign Harry Kim on Star Trek: Voyager, addresses the problematic on-set relationship between co-stars Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan. Wang’s Operations Officer, Harry Kim, was part of Star Trek: Voyager‘s cast led by Mulgrew’s Captain Kathryn Janeway since the series premiere. Following a ratings-related shakeup of the show’s dynamics, Ryan joined Voyager season 4 as Seven of Nine, coinciding with the departure of Kes (Jennifer Lien). Ryan’s ex-Borg drone embarks on a journey of self-discovery and reclaimed humanity.
Despite the enormous and enduring success of Jeri Ryan’s character, Kate Mulgrew believed that the inclusion of Seven of Nine – with a skin-tight costume and deliberate sex appeal – undermined Captain Janeway and Mulgrew’s view that Star Trek: Voyager should succeed on its own merits. Mulgrew has since apologized for her behavior and acknowledged Seven’s instrumental value to the show. Even so, co-star Garrett Wang recalls the awkwardness during filming for the Star Trek: Voyager cast. In the Star Trek oral history, The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, Wang comments on the Mulgrew-Ryan on-set disharmony. Read his quote below:
Between takes Jeri would take off these three- or four-inch heels and put on slippers, so wardrobe would come over and do that. Kate didn’t like that. She was actually standing behind Jeri Ryan, glaring at the wardrobe guy that was putting on her slippers and doing the “kill” signal with her hand. She pulled him aside and basically said, “You leave her in those heels all day long. Don’t change them. It’s wasting time.” Kate had suddenly become like the Caretaker character in the pilot episode who kept saying over and over again, “I don’t have time; you’re wasting time.” I don’t remember the comment, but Kate said something very snarky to Jeri and walked away. Jeri looked at me with a look of disbelief that said, “Can you believe that she said that?” I mouthed to her, “I know. I’m sorry.” She was so frustrated, she grabbed a phaser out of the holster of an extra standing near her and aimed it at Kate’s back as she walked away, pretending to fire. She was so mad. The whole situation was so high school.
Star Trek: Voyager Series Ending Explained – How The Crew Gets Home
The last episode of Star Trek: Voyager incorporated many of the show’s core themes, including time travel, love, and the importance of family.
Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan Have Reprieved Their Star Trek: Voyager Characters
Admiral Kathryn Janeway’s adventures continue in Star Trek: Prodigy and Seven of Nine becomes Captain of the USS Enterprise-G in Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: Voyager concluded in 2001, with the crew finally finding their way home to Earth. Despite their difficult start, Kate Mulgrew and Jeri Ryan have both gone on to reprise their roles, further exploring Star Trek’s multiverse timeline and developing their iconic characters. Kathryn Janeway, now an Admiral, returns to the Delta Quadrant five years on, busy with a new young crew and a quest to rescue Captain Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and the original crew of the USS Protostar in Star Trek: Prodigy. In Star Trek: Picard, Seven of Nine struggles with her Borg and Human identities, ultimately finding recognition and becoming Captain of the USS Enterprise-G.
With new Star Trek series and movies continuing to expand the franchise through a variety of different formats and settings, from J.J. Abrams’ Kelvin-verse films to the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks and the dimension-jumping Star Trek: Discovery, modern Star Trek is boldly going to places where no-one has gone before. Alongside upcoming Star Trek shows and movies, these shows have introduced diverse and exciting casts and characters and given new life to established favorites. With Janeway’s voyages continuing in Star Trek: Prodigy and Seven of Nine in prime position for further adventure through new or spin-off shows, both characters have undeniably established significant Star Trek legacies with (hopefully) much more to come.
Star Trek: Voyager
- Release Date
- May 23, 1995
- Cast
- Kate Mulgrew , Robert Beltran , Roxann Dawson , Jennifer Lien , Robert Duncan McNeill , Ethan Phillips , Robert Picardo , Tim Russ , Garrett Wang , Jeri Ryan
- Seasons
- 7
Star Trek: Prodigy
- Release Date
- October 28, 2021
- Cast
- Brett Gray , Kate Mulgrew , Ella Purnell
- Seasons
- 1
Star Trek: Picard
- Release Date
- January 23, 2020
- Cast
- Santiago Cabrera , Alison Pill , Orla Brady , Michelle Hurd , Jeri Ryan , Brent Spiner , Harry Treadaway , Rebecca Wisocky , Evan Evagora , Isa Briones , Patrick Stewart
- Seasons
- 3
