Star Trek: The Next Generation Casting Memo Unearthed

[Vic 17]

Had things gone differently, fans might have seen Tim Russ or Wesley Snipes as Geordi La Forge.

 

 

An old casting memo dated April 13, 1987 from Paramount shows the actors and actresses who might have been chosen to play the roles of Picard, Ryker and La Forge instead of Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes and LeVar Burton.

 

 

The memo, pictured here (click on thumbnail to see it full-sized), shows that while some characters had multiple actors vying for the role, two characters had only one actor or actress in contention, and in both cases, neither got the role.

 

 

Stewart was one of five in contention for Picard, and he and Patrick Bauchau (who ironically played a Roland Picard in 2009’s 2012) were the front-runners for the role of the Captain.

 

 

For Ryker, although Jonathan Frakes was one of the four on the list and the one who got the role, Michael O’Gorman was the favorite according to the memo.

 

 

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine’s Rosalind Chao (Keiko O’Brien) was the favorite for the part of Tasha Yar. Denise Crosby, who ultimately won the role, was not even on the list for the part, she was being considered for Troi.

 

 

An actor who went on to Star Trek: Voyager, Tim Russ (Tuvok), was vying with Reggie Jackson, Wesley Snipes and others for the role of Geordi La Forge.

 

 

The only one who was a favorite and actually got the role, other than Stewart, was Gates McFadden, who was listed under her real first name of Cheryl.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[trekz 7]

Very interesting. I don't think I knew that Gates' first name was Cheryl. Wesley Snipes as Geordi would have been different.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Mark David Chapman also auditioned to play John Lennon in an ABC special. He did very well but didn't get the gig since that was also the name of Lennon's killer.

[Jack_Bauer 1]

Definitely interesting.

 

One important thing to know is that Crosby and Sirtis were case as Troi and Yar respectively and then flipped at the last minute.

 

Quite a few names I was aware of not on there either. I know Stephen Macht was considered for Picard and that Edward James Olmos was offered the part (he has acknowledged it publicly).

 

Also no references to Billy Campbell , Vaughn Armstrong and Jeffrey Coombs, all of whom auditioned for Riker.

 

It is also interesting to note (as others have pointed out) that Worf is nowhere on this list.

[Bethlehem 7]

Worf could not have been played better by anyone else.

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

Quite a few names I was aware of not on there either. I know Stephen Macht was considered for Picard and that Edward James Olmos was offered the part (he has acknowledged it publicly).

 

I just couldn't picture the Enterprise crew shouting in unison "So Say We All!" I wonder who would have played Adama if Olmos played Picard.