Actors Who Hopped the 'Star' Fence, 'Wars' & 'Trek'
Fans of big, popular franchises tend to treat them like sports teams, and having actors go from one to the other can cause a lot of joy for some but also bring absolute chaos to others. And while some fans might feel betrayed over this, the truth is that everybody wins, especially the fans and the actors' wallets.
Star Wars and Star Trek aren't pitted against each other like back in the day, but the rivalry is pretty much still alive today all over the world. And many actors have dipped their toes in both worlds, some even more than once. So, here are actors who hopped the ‘Star’ fence to be in both Star Wars and Star Trek.
Greg Grunberg
The Heroes actor played a pilot in the latest Star Wars trilogy and also got a cameo in one of the latest Star Trek movies, all thanks to his buddy J.J. Abrams.
George Takei
The actor best known for playing the iconic Sulu in Star Trek also voiced Lok Durd in the animated show Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Ed Begley Jr.
Ed Begley Jr. was the antagonist in a two-part episode of Star Trek: Voyager starring Sarah Silverman, but also voiced none other than Boba Fett in the radio adaptation of The Return of the Jedi.
Deep Roy
Deep Roy is your go-to talent when you need a charismatic but small character, like Yoda or an Ewok. He was also part of the latest Star Trek movies as Keenser, thanks to J.J. Abrams.
Brent Spiner
The actor best known for playing Data in Star Trek: The Next Generation also voiced Gall Trayvis in Star Wars Rebels.
David Warner
Warner was a pure Trekkie, having participated in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and even the video game Star Trek: Klingon Academy. In the Star Wars universe, he voiced Grand General Malcor Brashin in the video game Star Wars: Force Commander. He's also one of the few actors to also have roles in Doctor Who, completing the ultimate sci-fi trident.
Clancy Brown
The last couple of years have been very busy for Clancy Brown in Star Wars, with roles in Ahsoka, Rebels, The Mandalorian, and the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi anthology. He was also part of the animated show The Clone Wars and the video game Star Wars: Bounty Hunter. In Star Trek, he only played Zobral in Star Trek: Enterprise, so you know which franchise he likes best.
Christopher Lloyd
The Back to the Future actor played Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, but also had a small part in an episode of The Mandalorian that was full of celebrity cameos.
Ron Perlman
Ron Perlman is always open to spending hours in a chair for hair and make-up, so he played Reman Viceroy in Star Trek: Nemesis. In Star Wars, however, he had a minor role voicing a scavenger in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
Olivia D'Abo
D'abo played Amanda Rogers in Star Trek: The Next Generation, and somehow everyone remembers that very specific moment. In Star Wars, she voiced Luminara Unduli in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and The Rise of Skywalker.
George Coe
Coe voiced Tee Watt Kaa in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and also Doctor Nasan Godera in the video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. On the other side of the fence, he played Avel Durken in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Simon Pegg
Being friends with J.J. Abrams proved great for Simon Pegg, who played characters in the latest movies of both Star Trek and Star Wars.
Sam Witwer
Witwer voiced Starkiller in the groundbreaking video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, but he wanted more. He also voiced Darth Maul in a bunch of video games, The Clone Wars, and Rebels, as well as Palpatine and other characters, because he's a huge fan of the franchise. In Star Trek, he played an Xindi-Arboreal in Enterprise, and Legnog and Malor in the animated show Lower Decks.
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell didn't enjoy his role as Tolian Soran in Star Trek Generations too much and said he'd like to stay away from the franchise. In the Star Wars universe, he voiced Minister Veris Hydan in Star Wars Rebels. In his most famous role from A Clockwork Orange, he acted opposite David Prowse, who played Darth Vader in the original trilogy.
Jason Isaacs
Jason Isaacs, of Harry Potter fame, kick-started Star Trek: Discovery, playing Captain Gabriel Lorca in the first season, opening a new era for the franchise. In Star Wars, he voiced the Grand Inquisitor in Star Wars Rebels, and fans hope to see him reprise the role in live-action someday.
