Star Trek: Deep Space Nine‘s Nana Visitor disclosed her aspiration to portray Captain Kathryn Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager at the same time she was playing Major Kira Nerys. Visitor brought this iconic character to life for seven seasons on Deep Space Nine and made a nostalgic return to voice Kira in an episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3. In addition to her acting accomplishments, Visitor authored Star Trek: Open A Channel: A Woman’s Trek, a significant work that delves into the development of female characters in the Star Trek franchise and the talented actresses who portrayed them.

In a recent interview with TrekMovie at the Universal Studios Fan Fest, where Visitor joined numerous other Star Trek icons to celebrate the launch of the Star Trek: Red Alert attraction, she shared her unique perspective on her interest in portraying both Major Kira and Captain Janeway. Visitor expressed her enthusiasm for the idea and her attempts to persuade Rick Berman, the Star Trek executive producer, to consider it. However, she candidly admitted, “It made no sense.” Here’s what Nana had to say:

I didn’t care how it would work. I cared that I felt like I could do it! I wanted to play both roles. And I thought there, you know, it’s just across the street. It’s a quick makeup change. I can do it. Separate all the scenes that she’s got for the week, put them on these days. Major Kira on others. It would have been a nightmare for them. Of course, for so many reasons, it made no sense. But when you’re passionate about something, sometimes you don’t make a lot of sense.

The Motivations Behind Nana Visitor’s Desire to Play Both Major Kira and Captain Janeway

A Daring Ambition: Nana Visitor’s Bold Plan to Portray Both Roles

Even though Nana Visitor was already successfully embodying a groundbreaking Star Trek female character in Major Kira Nerys, it’s easy to understand why she harbored ambitions to advocate for the role of Captain Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager. Janeway stands out as a revolutionary character, being the first female Captain to lead a Star Trek series. The anticipation surrounding the casting of this role was palpable, especially since the esteemed French Canadian actress Genevieve Bujold was initially chosen to portray Captain Elizabeth Janeway but soon departed from the project.

Interestingly, Nana Visitor envisioned it as logistically feasible to transition between the sets of Star Trek: Voyager to portray Janeway while still fulfilling her role as Kira in Deep Space Nine. Nevertheless, even Nana understood that such a plan was impractical from a production perspective, making it an unworkable scheme. Ultimately, Kate Mulgrew took the helm, successfully transforming Captain Kathryn Janeway into a legendary character who has inspired countless generations of Star Trek enthusiasts.

Insights on the Possibility of Nana Visitor Playing Captain Janeway

Nana Acknowledged the Impossibility of Her Dual Role

Nana Visitor’s bold vision of playing both Major Kira and Captain Janeway was undoubtedly audacious; however, she was also acutely aware that it was impractical and could never materialize. Even if she had been cast in both roles, the physical demands of leading one Star Trek series while simultaneously co-leading another would have been exceedingly challenging. Despite this, Captain Janeway emerged as one of the most coveted roles in Hollywood during the early 1990s, and it’s easy to see why Visitor was eager to embody the pioneering female captain of a Star Trek series.

Nana Visitor takes immense pride in her contributions as Major Kira on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, a role alongside a TV show that has only grown in significance and impact over the years since its original airing in the 1990s. Kira represented a multifaceted and revolutionary character, particularly as she was not affiliated with Starfleet. While it was impossible for Nana Visitor to simultaneously portray Major Kira on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Captain Janeway on Star Trek: Voyager, it remains intriguing to contemplate the ‘What If?’ scenario of Nana commanding the USS Voyager.

Source: TrekMovie