What Happened To The Cast Of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine After The Show Ended

Chronicling the adventures of a space station crew at the mouth of the galaxy's only stable wormhole, "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" distinguishes itself from the rest of the "Star Trek" franchise in many ways. With a group of sympathetic characters that includes a money-hungry criminal, a former terrorist, and an exiled spy, "Deep Space Nine" added a level of moral ambiguity and complexity not seen before or since in "Trek" films or shows. While it may not have been the most popular "Trek" series when it first aired, its more serialized storytelling makes it a perfect match for the era of streaming services.

"Deep Space Nine" was also different from other "Trek" shows because of its huge cast. Along with the principal actors, "Deep Space Nine" commanded a small army of recurring players, some of whom portrayed characters that remain fan favorites. We couldn't fit all those actors into a single story about what happened to the show's cast after it ended, but we've tracked down enough to fit in a shuttlecraft.

Few "Star Trek" captains shoulder the kind of responsibility borne by Benjamin Sisko, who Avery Brooks played for all seven seasons of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." Along with the usual duties of keeping his crew safe, Sisko is charged with nudging Bajor toward the Federation, unintentionally becoming a religious figure, and waging a war against the Dominion, all while raising his son alone.

When Brooks joined the faculty of Rutgers' Mason Gross School of the Arts, it was widely believed his departure from professional acting was a willing one. In a 2020 interview on Orville Nation, however, Brooks' co-star Cirroc Lofton suggested Brooks was blacklisted in Hollywood even before "Deep Space Nine." He said showrunner Ira Steven Behr was warned against hiring Brooks for "Deep Space Nine" by "other producers" — advice Behr thankfully ignored. Lofton didn't say why Brooks was reportedly blacklisted, but did say he thought his TV father was "being discriminated against" and suggested at least part of the motivation was racial. 

Regardless, Brooks hasn't left acting behind entirely. Among other things, he starred as a detective in the 2001 crime thriller "15 Minutes." He's also done voice work for audiobooks as well as narrating documentaries for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel.

Before "Deep Space Nine," René Auberjonois was best known as the snooty Clayton Endicott III on the popular sitcom "Benson," a character who couldn't be farther from Constable Odo. A solitary, uncompromising security chief, Odo often feels more like the hardboiled private eyes Captain Picard likes to dress up as on the holodeck. While many DS9 residents see him as aloof and hard-hearted, Odo bears a torch for Kira Nerys that eventually develops into a romance, and he occasionally betrays a soft spot for the station's most well-known crook, the Ferengi bartender Quark.

Unfortunately, in December 2019 news broke that Auberjonois had passed away from metastatic lung caner at the age of 79. After "DS9," Auberjonois never stopped working, and kept landing great roles in movies and TV shows. For example, he joined another "Trek" alum — William Shatner — on the dramedy "Boston Legal." He also built an impressive body of voice work before his death, including on animated series like "Archer," "Avengers Assemble," and "Young Justice."

One of the many things that distinguishes "Deep Space Nine" from other "Star Trek" series is the relationship between Ben Sisko and his son Jake, the latter played by Cirroc Lofton. While his father bears the weight of the galaxy on his shoulders, Jake forges a friendship with the Ferengi Nog, navigates the dating world, and discovers his passion — writing. 

Lofton continued to act, though his acting credits grew more sparse the more time that passed from the end of "Deep Space Nine." His first role after "Trek" was as Curtis Thorpe on the Showtime drama "The Hoop Life," but in more recent years he's taken smaller roles, including as a security guard on two episodes of "Days of Our Lives." 

Lofton's switched focus to other endeavors. For example, in 2010 he opened Cafe Cirroc in Culver City, California, though it's since closed. More recently, in 2019, Lofton helped launch the Star Trek podcast "The 7th Rule" with his late friend and co-star Aron Eisenberg.

The serialized storytelling of "Deep Space Nine" facilitates a lot more character growth than we see in other "Trek" series. A perfect example is Doctor Julian Bashir, played by Alexander Siddig. Early in the series, Bashir is often the last person any of the other characters want to talk to. Naive, long-winded, and cursed with an unfortunate tendency to hit on his patients, Bashir matures over the course of "Deep Space Nine" (though he still occasionally hits on his patients).

Few "Deep Space Nine" alum have landed as many varied and prominent roles as Siddig since the Trek series ended. In particular, Siddig's enjoyed a lot of great TV work including playing the sickly Prince Doran Martell in "Game of Thrones," the artist Ruben Oliver in Netflix's period crime drama "Peaky Blinders," and the immortal villain Ra's al Ghul in "Gotham." You also may have seen him in the films "Kingdom of Heaven," as the Greek god Hermes in 2010's "Clash of the Titans," or more recently in the crime thriller led by the late Chadwick Boseman, "21 Bridges."

Originally appearing in the recurring role of Miles O'Brien on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Colm Meaney graduated to series regular on "Deep Space Nine" as the station's tireless, overworked chief of operations. Among other things, O'Brien is known for enduring more creative narrative torture than just about any character on the show — including being subjected to the virtual memories of a decades-long prison sentence, having teeth ripped out by Cardassians, and even dying from radiation exposure and being replaced by a future version of himself.

While O'Brien may not have always been the luckiest of souls, Meaney found great fortune before and after "Deep Space Nine." Before playing DS9's chief of operations, he landed smaller roles in popular movies like "Dances with Wolves" and "Under Siege." He's kept busy since the end of the "Deep Space Nine" with a variety of projects that includes playing an Irish gangster in 2004's "Layer Cake" and Thomas "Doc" Durant in the AMC Western "Hell on Wheels." 

In March 2021, Meaney told Looper that while no one's talked to him about reprising the role Miles O'Brien for "Star Trek: Picard," that he'd be willing to do it with the proviso there would need to be "a good and valid reason for him to pop up." 

Major — and later Colonel — Kira Nerys isn't your average "Star Trek" first officer. A former self-proclaimed terrorist who fought to free Bajor from the Cardassian occupation, Kira doesn't trust the Federation at first. Early in the series she bumps heads with Sisko more often than not, though eventually they earn each other's respect and friendship. 

Nana Visitor and co-star Alexander Siddig began dating in 1995. They married two years later and, while they divorced in 2001, one important piece of their union is a part of "Trek" history. In Season 4's "Body Parts," Visitor's real life pregnancy was written into the series in order to explain the telltale "baby bump." Kira winds up carrying the baby of Miles and Keiko O'Brien after an accident injures the pregnant Keiko. 

Visitor continues screen acting today. Following "Deep Space Nine," she was the sadistic Madame X on the science fiction drama "Dark Angel" and later played Jean Ritter on ABC Family's "Wildfire." Along with other one-offs and recurring roles, she's dipped her toe into voice work, in particular voicing several characters on "Family Guy."

In many ways, the Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman) is at the very center of what sets "Deep Space Nine" apart from other "Trek" series. Quark doesn't share the Federation's high-minded ideals, and his criminal schemes tend to make bad situations worse on DS9. Still, Quark is no villain. Either out of pure self-preservation or emotional attachments to which he won't admit, Quark often finds himself on the good guys' side, including briefly taking up arms against the Dominion in Seasons 6 and 7.

Along with various live-action work, Shimerman's built a thriving voice acting career since closing his bar on DS9 for good. Fans of animation have heard him on "The Tick" and "Regular Show," among others. If you're a gamer there's a good chance you've heard his voice in "World of Warcraft" or as the villain Andrew Ryan in "BioShock." Shimerman's also a professional author. Most notably he's written a book series called "The Merchant Prince" in which Shimerman and various co-authors use science fiction to reimagine the real-life Elizabethan figure John Dee.

Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell) of "Deep Space Nine" boasts one of the series' most interesting origin stories. Jadzia is a Trill who shares her body with a slug-shaped symbiote — Dax — living within her. While Jadzia is a young woman, Dax has lived for centuries and all of those memories are shared with their host. Dax's previous host, the late Curzon, was Ben Sisko's friend and mentor, explaining why Sisko refers to Jadzia as "old man."

Farrell proved to be the only member of the original regular cast to not be around for the final season. When contract negotiations broke down between Farrell and producer Rick Berman, she left the series and her character was killed off in the Season 6 finale. 

After "Deep Space Nine," Farrell played Reggie on the Ted Danson-led sitcom "Becker," but she was written out of the show after the fourth season. Farrell retired from acting, though she returned in the late 2010's starting with the fan-made TV series "Star Trek: Renegades." She also married Adam Nimoy — son of the late Leonard Nimoy, best known as the iconic "Trek" character Spock. 

Beginning with the Season 4 premiere "The Way of the Warrior," Worf (Michael Dorn) from "The Next Generation" joins his fellow Starfleet officers on DS9. Used to a much more ordered and predictable environment, Worf at first has trouble adjusting to the station, but soon becomes an integral part of the crew.

Dorn continued to play Worf in "TNG" films, including in the final installment of the series, 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis." Starting with the second film, Dorn became a regular fixture in the "Santa Clause" movies and landed the recurring role of a psychiatrist in the crime dramedy series "Castle." 

In January 2021, Dorn told Horror Geek Life that he was campaigning for either a solo Worf TV series or film and in April 2021, he cryptically tweeted that he was "summoned back to action. Starfleet calls." It was later confirmed, however, that Dorn wouldn't be playing Worf for any upcoming Paramount+ TV show or a film, leaving fans dismayed when it turned out he was referring to a video game.  

No "Deep Space Nine" character evolves more during the series than the Ferengi Nog, played by the late Aron Eisenberg. In the beginning of the series he's a petty thief who talks about humans like they're garbage, and by the final season he's a courageous Starfleet officer. 

Eisenberg's acting credits grew sparse after "Deep Space Nine," though the late 2010s saw the actor making a return starting with the 2016 TV movie "Cozmo's." In 2019 he joined "DS9" co-star Cirroc Lofton on the podcast "The 7th Rule," but sadly Eisenberg was destined not to see 2020. Suffering chronic health problems for most of his life, Eisenberg died of heart failure at the age of 50 in September 2019. The day before his death, his final film appearance was released in theaters — the gambling comedy "7 Days to Vegas." 

In its third season, "Star Trek: Discovery" paid tribute to Eisenberg in a special way. In "Die Trying," the crew of the Discovery is reunited with the Federation after jumping over 900 years into the future, and one of Starfleet's new ships is named "USS Nog."

As demonstrated in the 2018 documentary "What We Left Behind," plenty of "Deep Space Nine" fans name the enigmatic Garak as their favorite character from the series. The Cardassian is a spy exiled from his homeworld for reasons he consistently lies about. While he often works alongside the crew of DS9, it's never a guarantee, and to the end of the series his past remains shrouded in mystery.

One of the first things Robinson did after the end of "Deep Space Nine" was to give fans Garak's life story. In 2000, his novel "A Stitch in Time" was released. Created from notes Robinson made while playing Garak, "A Stitch in Time" gives us Robinson's version of the Cardassian's history.  Much of his acting work after "DS9" came in one-offs and recurring roles on TV series, though he has had the opportunity to return to the role of Garak in interesting ways. In particular, Garak is much of the focus of the non-canonical remote series "Alone Together: A DS9 Companion" that Robinson made alongside other "DS9" alums.

The Ferengi of "Star Trek" are known for their trickery and avarice, but Rom of "Deep Space Nine" — played by Max Grodénchik — is a breed apart. Rom is deceptively complex. While most of DS9's population initially see him as good-hearted but stupid, Rom proves to be an engineering prodigy on par with Starfleet's best. Not only does his raw know-how singlehandedly keep his brother Quark's replicators and holosuites running, but it's Rom who conceives of the ingenious minefield in the Season 5 finale "Call to Arms" that holds the overpowering Dominion at bay. 

Grodénchik continued to make brief appearances in TV shows like "Six Feet Under" and "CSI" after "Deep Space Nine," as well as contributing his voice to video games like "Star Trek: Armada II" and "Star Trek Online." By the time StarTrek.com interviewed Grodénchik in 2014, he'd moved to Austria with his wife and daughter in order to be closer to his wife's family. He hasn't left his passion for acting behind, however, and continues to appear mostly in European-produced films and TV series.

"Deep Space Nine" has the honor of being the home of Star Trek's greatest villain – Gul Dukat, played by Marc Alaimo. Beginning as your average power-hungry Cardassian and eventually becoming a DS9 frenemy, a warlord, a madman, and eventually a vessel for the evil gods known as the Pah-wraiths, Dukat displays more growth and change over the course of "Deep Space Nine" than any antagonist in the franchise.

Some interesting and potentially revealing moments in the 2018 documentary "What We Left Behind" suggest that life may have imitated art when it came to Alaimo's relations with the rest of the crew. In the documentary, Nana Visitor recalls being mortified at the suggestion that the writers might create a romance between her character and Dukat while, like his character, Alaimo admits to being attracted to Visitor.  

While it's been some time since Alaimo has earned any acting credits, he did make a very interesting appearance in 2020. While the principal photography was completed in 1983, it took 37 years for the horror flick "Grizzly II: Revenge" to finally be released, in which Alaimo not only co-stars with Louise Fletcher — who would go on to play both Alaimo's enemy and lover in "Deep Space Nine" — but with a star-studded cast that includes Charlie Sheen, Laura Dern, and George Clooney.

There are quite a few actors who have played multiple roles in the "Star Trek" franchise, but the undisputed king of them is Jeffrey Combs, who first reached prominence as the star of the 1985 comedy horror classic "Re-Animator." Among other "Trek" roles, Combs played not one but two of the most memorable recurring "DS9" villains. He's the Ferengi Brunt who keeps showing up to make Quark's life miserable, but he's best remembered as Weyoun — the mischievous but charismatic Vorta representative of the Dominion who coordinates the war effort against the Federation and their allies.

Combs seemingly hasn't been interested in taking a break since the vengeful Garak murdered his final clone in the "Deep Space Nine" series finale. The following year he appeared as an alien gladiator recruiter in the Season 6 "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Tsunkatse" and, starting with its first season, portrayed the recurring blue-skinned frenemy Commander Shran on "Star Trek: Enterprise." Along with other brief appearances, he's the paranoid Kevin Burkhoff on "The 4400" and has a prosperous voice acting career.

Terry Farrell's departure from "Deep Space Nine" marked the tragic end of Jadzia's story, but not the end of her symbiote Dax. In the final moments of the Season 7 premiere, Nicole de Boer reveals herself to the Siskos as Ezri — the newest host of the Dax symbiote. Less confident than Jadzia and more socially awkward, Ezri Dax gives the series an interesting new chemistry in its twilight season.

De Boer is Canadian, and much of her post-"Trek" work has been in joint American-Canadian productions such as her first big TV role after leaving "Deep Space Nine" — as Sarah Bracknell Bannerman, the female lead of USA's "The Dead Zone." Starting in 2010, she landed a recurring role on another Stephen King adaptation. She plays the antique store owner Marion Caldwell in the supernatural series "Haven," based on King's 2005 novel "The Colorado Kid." More recently on the Canadian crime drama "Private Eyes," De Boer plays the ex-wife of Jason Priestly's investigator lead.

As soon as Leeta (Chase Masterson) shows up in Season 3's "Explorers," the attractive Bajoran Dabo girl is set up as a new romantic interest for Dr. Bashir. The pair enjoy a romance that ends with Season 5's "Let He Who Is Without Sin..." She goes on to fall in love with her boss' brother Rom and marry him in the Season 5 finale. While she's rarely a major player, "DS9" wouldn't be the same without her. 

Since shedding her Bajoran nose ridges, Masterson has taken command of her voice in more than one way. Like a number of "DS9" alum, she's become a hotly sought-after voice actor. Along with other series, she provides the voice of the computer for the CW's sci-fi series "Pandora." After appearing in "Doctor Who" audio plays as the bounty hunter Vienna, Masterson landed her own spinoff "Vienna" audio series. She's also a singer and has released a number of jazz records, including 2008's "Thrill of the Chase." 

If you want to make a "Deep Space Nine" fan growl, say the name "Kai Winn" within earshot. Best known for her Oscar-winning performance as Nurse Ratched in 1975's "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Louise Fletcher evokes similar reactions from "Trek" fans as Winn Adami. Winn is a power-hungry religious fanatic who reeks of passive aggression in almost every scene. 

Speaking to StarTrek.com in 2012, Fletcher said she wasn't much of a Trek fan before joining the cast of "Deep Space Nine," but she treasured the experience of playing Kai Winn. She said the show was blessed with "the most professional cast and crew imaginable," and that working with them "was like playing a symphony for the 99th time."

Fletcher continued to appear in TV and films regularly after "Deep Space Nine." Among other productions, she landed recurring roles on "ER" and "Heroes," as well as playing the main character's mother on Showtime's "Shameless." 

While subordinates like Dukat and Weyoun might have more screen time, on "Deep Space Nine" there was no higher-ranking villain in the Dominion than the unnamed Female Changeling, played by Salome Jens. While she would later take a larger hand in the military aspect of the war with the Federation, at first the Female Changeling is at her most devious in her attempts to seduce Odo away from his DS9 found family.

Few "Deep Space Nine" cast members had careers as prolific as Jens, who first started showing up on the screen in the mid-'50s. Jens appeared in classic TV series like "The Untouchables," "Gunsmoke," and the original '60s "The Outer Limits." A few years before showing up on "Deep Space Nine," she even played Martha Kent on the syndicated "Superboy" series. 

Since "Deep Space Nine," Jens appeared as one of the Guardians of Oa in 2011's "Green Lantern." She's also scored a number of voice roles in "Star Trek" video games, along with the 2001 comedy "Cats & Dogs."

Ben Sisko doesn't have a lot of romantic storylines in "Deep Space Nine," though that changes in Season 3's "Family Business" when his son Jake plays matchmaker and sets him up with the freighter captain Kassidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald). They seem like the perfect match right away, and their relationship miraculously survives the reveal toward the end of Season 4 that Yates is working with the rebellious Maquis. In the final season, Ben and Kassidy are married in spite of warnings from the Prophets, though their wedded bliss ends in the series finale when Sisko is called home to live among the godlike aliens. 

Jerald has enjoyed a rich and diverse acting career since the end of "Deep Space Nine." She's President Palmer's ex-wife Sherry in "24," precinct captain Victoria Gates in "Castle," and the Director of National Intelligence in "The 4400." She also got the chance to graduate from Captain Sisko's love interest to the ship's doctor as Claire Finn on Seth MacFarlane's love letter to "Star Trek," "The Orville."

When he spoke to TrekMovie in June 2020, Casey Biggs said he never expected to play Damar — Gul Dukat's second-in-command — for more than one episode, but his character would go on to become one of the most important recurring characters in the series. Little more than the Dominion's puppet, Damar is installed as the Cardassian head of state after Starfleet captures Dukat. Unable to confront his impotence as a leader, Damar first tries to drink his problems away. Eventually, however, his masters heap enough abuses on Cardassia that Damar is willing to lead a rebellion against the Dominion and dies fighting in the series finale.

Biggs returned to the world of "Star Trek" as an Illyrian captain in the final season of "Star Trek: Enterprise." Along with his "Trek"-related appearances at conventions and other events, Biggs continues his career as a character actor. Since the end of "Deep Space Nine," he's appeared mostly in minor roles on TV series like "The X-Files," "Shameless," and "The Mentalist." 

When Miles O'Brien accepts his new position on DS9, he's joined by his wife Keiko (Rosalind Chao), who never seems to find a place for herself. She eventually accepts a research job that keeps her away from the station for months at a time, but things change when she finds herself pregnant with a second child. 

For all seven seasons of "Deep Space Nine," Chao only appears in 19 episodes as Keiko O'Brien, though according to the actor, she could have had a lot more time onscreen if she'd wanted. In 1996, she told the Chicago Tribune she was originally offered a regular role on the series but preferred the option of a recurring role, which freed up her schedule to pursue outside opportunities.

Chao's work in film and TV has kept her very busy since "Deep Space Nine," including appearing in the 2001 drama "I Am Sam," as Dr. Kim on "The O.C.," and as Hua Li, the titular hero's mother in the live-action remake of Disney's "Mulan." 

While he plays a few other characters on the series — including an unnamed Vulcan captain in the premiere episode — J.G. Hertzler's best-remembered "Deep Space Nine" role is the Klingon General Martok, a one-eyed warrior who forges a strong friendship with Worf and eventually ascends to the Chancellorship of the Klingon Empire. Speaking to StarTrek.com in 2019, Hertzler said he secured his role as Martok in a surprising but effective way — by slamming a chair into a wall during the audition.

While "Deep Space Nine" may be over, Hertzler never fully put "Star Trek" in his rear view mirror. He was cast as one of the hunting-obsessed Hirogen on "Voyager," played two different Klingons on "Enterprise," provided voices for multiple "Trek" video games, and as recently as 2020 voiced a Drookmani captain for the goofball animated series "Star Trek: Lower Decks." He's also lent his vocalizations to non-"Trek" video games like "Dead Space" and the first two "BioShock" installments. 

In Season 4's "Homefront," we're introduced to a new Sisko — Ben's father Joseph, played by Brock Peters. A chef and New Orleans restaurant owner, Joseph is stubborn, charismatic, and fiercely protective of his grandson Jake. While he only appears in six episodes, Peters' time as Joseph Sisko is unforgettable. "Deep Space Nine" wasn't Peters' first time in the "Trek" franchise, either. In 1986's "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" and 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country," Peters plays Admiral Cartwright — a high-ranking Starfleet officer who eventually turns traitor. 

Peters enjoyed a long acting career before "Deep Space Nine." He plays the wrongly convicted Tom Robinson in 1962's "To Kill a Mockingbird" and Chief Hatcher in the classic 1973 dystopian thriller "Soylent Green." 

Unfortunately, Peters passed away from pancreatic cancer in August 2005 at the age of 78. Much of his acting between "Deep Space Nine" and his death was voice work, including voicing the police officer Jomo in the 2002 animated film "The Wild Thornberrys" and playing the Klingon General Mi'Qogh in a video game from the same year, "Star Trek: Starfleet Command III."