Michael Dorn Didn’t Want To Work With Patrick Stewart On Star Trek
It’s hard to believe that Star Trek: The Next Generation first graced television screens all the way back in 1987. Over the years the Star Trek franchise has gone on through many movies, several spin-offs, and an outright “re-imagining.”
But back in 1987, it took some fans a while to be convinced that a new Trek series was a good thing. After all, this was the first new Trek on TV since 1969. And who was that bald British guy with the French name?
This was their idea of a worthy successor to Kirk? Turns out fans weren’t the only ones who didn’t know what to think of Picard; Michael Dorn was skeptical of his casting at the time, too.
In an interview with Hero Complex, Michael Dorn admitted that he was, like many fans, first comparing Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard to William Shatner’s iconic performance as James Tiberius Kirk.
“I was skeptical when I met Patrick [Stewart] and saw him,” says Michael Dorn. “I thought, ‘Well, this isn’t Kirk. This isn’t even near Kirk.’ But once I started acting with Patrick I knew immediately it was the perfect decision.”
Sure, that’s easy to say now, though based on how long they worked together, one would have to think he was able to pivot quickly.
Michael Dorn also opened up about the fact that he didn’t exactly receive the warmest of welcomes when he joined the show. He says that he wasn’t even present for the original cast photo, because his character was something of an afterthought.
“It couldn’t have been more fun to do this, but when I was cast, nobody knew me on the stage — I wasn’t introduced to anybody, there was no ‘Hey, guys, this is going to be Worf.’ I just showed up one day, in makeup, and started working.”
As far as afterthoughts go, the role of Worf proved to be a good one. In addition to appearing in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Michael Dorn then joined the spin-off, Deep Space Nine (along with Chief Miles O’Brian, played by Colm Meaney).
Michael Dorn even returned to the Star Trek franchise and reunited with Patrick Stewart in Star Trek: Picard Season 3. At the time, it marked his first appearance as Worf in 20 years.
That’s a lot of television for anyone to ride out while encased in an elaborate head prosthesis, and Dorn says that the makeup process was a pain.
However, he said that whenever it would become uncomfortable or irritating, he would weigh that against how much fun he was having with the cast and playing the character, and that kept him going. The make-up also offered up interesting challenges and rewards for Michael Dorn as an actor:
As an acting experience, being in a mask is very exciting too for an actor. You can be anything without the constrictions of the way you look. Like anybody, I thought, ‘I would love to do a show with makeup.’ That’s a wonderful thing, but you just have to be careful what you wish for. I forgot to say, ‘Only for like a day or two. Not 11 years.'”
In all, Michael Worf was a wonderful addition to the Star Trek franchise, and it’s a good thing he got over his initial impression of Patrick Stewart. The two went on to make great television.
Source: Hero Complex
