What Star Trek's Quark Looks Like In Real Life

Throughout the past three decades, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" enthusiasts have shown an almost surprising amount of affection for the bristly, business-oriented Quark (Armin Shimerman). Like his Ferengi brethren, Quark has several notable features, including a bulbous forehead, a protruding brow, and impressive ears that can hear even the quiet footsteps of a Rafalian mouse outside his quarters. His smile has also definitely left an impression on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" viewers. 

While "Deep Space Nine" was still on the air, Shimerman showcased the striking physical differences between himself and Quark during an interview on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee." According to the actor, putting on the makeup of the owner of Quark's Bar, Grill, Gaming House and Holosuite Arcade was a three-hour process. He also dispelled the notion that he was wearing a singular mask while portraying the goofy capitalist. The top half of his face was covered with a helmet that included Quark's iconic ears. "The mask has to be joined to the ears on the helmet," shared the actor. 

Shimerman also revealed the secret behind Quark's pointy, jagged teeth. "They just pop on. ... Fixodent, Poligrip — they work. Those products work!" said the actor. He appreciated that his natural appearance was nothing like the Ferengi, saying he was not approached by fans when he attended conventions in his regular attire. "I walked around for 45 minutes. People didn't look twice. I had all the anonymity in the world," Shimerman said.

Armin Shimerman has taken on many other unique characters for popular shows, such as "The Rookie," "Nip/Tuck," and "Charmed." During a February 2023 interview on the podcast "The Shuttlepod Show," Shimerman noted that he played the "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" character Principal Snyder at the same time as his stint as Quark. While he was grateful that he managed to simultaneously get cast on two successful shows, he was overworked.

Shimerman also seemed thankful that his role as Buffy Summers' unkind principal did not require him to sit in the makeup chair. Instead, he gave tips to the "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" actors who had to be transformed into vampires. "I had a lovely time on Buffy, and I didn't have to wear makeup. I remember going around to all the vampires, going, 'Drink a lot of water. Drink a lot of water,'" said Shimerman.

He also stated that he is grateful for "Star Trek" viewers who are fond of Quark, explaining he consistently tried his best to ensure his portrayal was enjoyable to audiences. "We wanted to give you the best performances that we could possibly do. And it's nice to hear that after 25 years, people are still appreciating it," said the actor.