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The “Star Trek” franchise has seen its fair share of renowned guest stars over the years. However, one distinguished guest star from “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” chose not to be credited for his role in three episodes of the second season. While it might seem odd not to want recognition for being part of the “Star Trek” universe, it appears he had some genuinely heartwarming reasons for stepping aboard the Deep Space Nine space station.
Frank Langella, the acclaimed stage and screen actor known for his portrayal of Dracula in the 1977 Broadway production and the 1979 film version of “Dracula”, as well as Skeletor in “Masters of the Universe,” also featured in the season 2 episodes “The Homecoming,” “The Circle,” and “The Siege”. He played the role of the nefarious Bajoran politician Jaro Essa, posing a significant threat to all of Bajor with a plan to seize control of the planet in a coup. Langella’s portrayal of the character was spot-on. He chose not to receive a credit for the role.
Langella faced some challenges later in his career when he was dismissed from “Fall of the House of Usher” due to allegations of misconduct. However, during his guest appearances on “Deep Space Nine” in 1993, he was at the height of his career.
Langella declined a credit for his children
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In the “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion” by Paula M Block and Terry J. Erdmann, director Winrich Kolbe, who worked with Langella on the episodes “The Homecoming” and “The Siege,” explained that Langella participated in the series for familial reasons:
“He wanted to do the show. He did it for his children, because they loved the show. It was not done for money or exposure.”
“Star Trek” has been a significant part of pop culture discourse for decades, so even a minor cameo role would have created a buzz, let alone a substantial recurring role over three episodes. If he didn’t want the attention and was only interested in pleasing his children, it makes sense that he would’ve avoided drawing attention to or emphasizing his appearance.
Langella was far from the only person to secure a cameo or role on “Star Trek” purely out of their love (or their children’s love) for the franchise. Actor Christian Slater, for example, famously got a minor role in “Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country” and even took his uniform. Meanwhile, Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello made two separate cameos simply because he was such a big fan!
But who was Langella’s character?
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Langella was perfectly sinister as Jaro Essa, a Bajoran politician who aimed to acquire enough weapons to arm Bajor and expel the Federation, setting himself up as the leader of the entire planet. He collaborated with the power-hungry Bajoran religious figure Vedek Winn (Louise Fletcher), who later becomes Kai, a religious leader of the Bajoran people. Together, they try to undo all the good done by the Federation and the Bajoran provisional government. They even kidnap Major Kira Nerys (Nana Visitor), the first officer on Deep Space Nine, when she gets too close to their scheme. Thankfully, Kira and Lieutenant Dax (Terry Farrell) manage to thwart the coup, but it requires significant effort.
Major Kira is one of the most intricate and intriguing characters on not only “Deep Space Nine,” but all of “Star Trek,” and these episodes serve to further develop her character and the complex Bajoran world. While many Trekkies have criticized the series for not “boldly going” much of anywhere and focusing heavily on Bajoran politics, I would argue that this is part of what makes “Deep Space Nine” the best “Star Trek” of them all.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
