2026 marks 60 years since Star Trek first appeared on television screens. Created by Gene Roddenberry, the space exploration film and television franchise has seen everything from intergalactic wars and alien encounters to Emmy nominations and Academy Awards. Its most recent addition is the Starfleet Academy which premiered on Paramount+ in January this year.
But while this series has gone where no series has gone before (I’m hoping Trekkies will get the reference), so too have the series’ leading ladies, both on and off camera. From featuring one of the first black women on a major television series, to supporting women and children in prisons, here are Star Trek’s leading ladies then and now.
Majel Barrett - The 'first lady of Star Trek'
Majel Barrett is commonly known as the ‘First Lady of Star Trek’ given her significant role in the series as well as her marriage to Star Trek’s founder Gene Roddenberry. Majel was originally cast as Number One in Star Trek’s pilot, ‘The Cage’, though she was later recast as Nurse Christine Chapel, a character known for her love for Spock.
She later appeared as Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and worked to preserve Star Trek’s legacy after her husband’s death, working as a producer and actress on Earth: The Final Conflict and Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda. The actress died in 2008 from complications with leukemia.
Nichelle Nichols - 'A vital role model'
Nichelle Nichols’ role as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, a series regular, was formative both in and outside of the Star Trek universe. As one of the first black women featured on a major television series, Dr Martin Luther King once said Nichelle was “a vital role model.”
The actress appeared in all three of Star Trek: The Original Series, voiced Uhura in its animated series and appeared in all six of the Star Trek films. But Star Trek wasn’t the end of Nichelle’s acting success, in fact, she went on to receive a Daytime Emmy nomination for her role in The Young and the Restless.
In addition to her fictional role in outer space, Nichelle began working with NASA in 1975 to increase the diversity of astronaut recruitment including recruiting some of the first female and ethnic minority astronauts. After passing away in 2022, Nichelle’s ashes were later launched into deep space along with the remains of Gene Roddenberry, Majel Barrett and James Doohan.
Barbara Babcock - Two on-screen roles
Barbara appeared in several Star Trek episodes including as Philana in ‘Plato’s Stepchildren’ and as Mea 3 in ‘A Taste of Armageddon’, as well as occasionally voice acting throughout the series.
She continued her acting career in the crime drama series Hill Street Blues as Grace Gardner before earning an Emmy nomination for her role as Dr Quinn in Medicine Woman. Barbara’s last acting credit was as Molly Murchins in ‘Home Alone 4: Taking Back the House’ in 2004.
Diana Muldaur - A two-time Emmy nominee
Diana Muldaur appears across the Star Trek series in three different roles; Dr Ann Mulhall in ‘Return to Tomorrow’ and Dr Miranda Jones in ‘Is There No Truth in Beauty’ before joining as a regular cast member for Star Trek: The Next Generation as Dr Katherine Pulaski.
The actress went out to earn two Emmy nominations for her role as Rosalind Shays in LA Law, and most recently starred as Anat Bergman in Finding Hannah (2022).
France Nuyen - Former Woman of the Year
France Nuyen performs the role of female lead and Captain Kirk’s love interest, Elaan, in ‘Elaan of Troyius’ in 1968.
She continued to act, appearing in the 1980s American medical drama St Elsewhere and as Ying-Ying St Clair in The Joy Luck Club. France’s last acting appearance was in the 2008’s American Standards.
Alongside acting, France earned a degree in clinical psychology and worked as a counsellor supporting abused women and children in prisons. She was awarded the Woman of the Year Award in 1989 for her work in psychology.
Mariette Hartley - Primetime Emmy-winner
‘All Our Yesterdays’ was a key Star Trek episode that saw Mariette Hartley’s character, Zarabeth, develop a romantic connection with Spock.
Since appearing on the series in 1969, Mariette has received a Primetime Emmy for her role as Dr Carolyn Fields in The Incredible Hulk. Outside of acting, Mariette presented the educational series Wild About Animals for twenty years. Most recently she produced and starred opposite her husband Jerry Sroka in Our (Almost Completely True) Story, a romantic comedy inspired by their relationship that was released in 2022.
