It may be hard to believe, but it’s been 35 years since Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) first aired back in 1987.
At its prime, it was one of the biggest shows on television and kickstarted a renaissance within the Star Trek universe that led to other shows such as Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise.
It was essentially a reboot and continuation of The Original Series from 1966, which famously starred William Shatner as James T Kirk and Leonard Nimoy as Spock.
TNG introduced fans to a new cast of characters, all of which went on to become beloved in their own right and even rival the originals for many.
Kirk vs Picard is now one of the ultimate sci-fi questions alongside Alien vs Aliens or The Terminator vs T2: Judgement Day.
The legendary series came to an end in 1994 before four films hit the big screen.
The main cast returned for all the films, which were Generations (1994), First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998) and Nemesis (2002).
The cast have (mostly) moved on since then – here is what they’ve been doing over the years.
Patrick Stewart – Captain Jean-Luc Picard
Patrick Stewart sent fans into a frenzy when he confirmed he was returning to his role in Star Trek: Picard.
The show will be back in 2023 for its final season and likely the last time viewers will see him play the beloved Captain.
The actor has found consistent success on the big and small screen over the years, including his portrayal of Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise.
He recently returned to that role as well in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Since 2005 he has voiced multiple characters in both Family Guy and American Dad.
Almost all the cast have provided voice work for Family Guy, as its creator Seth MacFarlane is a massive fan of the Star Trek universe.
Jonathan Frakes – Commander William Riker
Star Trek: Picard didn’t just bring back the titular Captain, but a few other veterans as well.
Jonathan Frakes was one of them, returning to step into the shoes of William Riker once more.
He also voiced the role in Star Trek: Lower Decks and in the video game Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff.
The actor still works in other roles too, in shows such as The Astronauts, The Last 24 and Miles from Tomorrow.
Jonathan is also a director, having overseen various episodes in both Picard and Star Trek: Discovery.
Brent Spiner – Lieutenant Commander Data
Brent Spiner was always a standout in TNG for his iconic performance as Data, the android that regularly battled with sense of self.
He delighted fans in 2020 when he returned to the role in Star Trek Picard in 2020 and is set to star in the third season as well next year.
The actor has recently lent his voice to DC for Young Justice and Batman: The Audio Adventures podcast, playing The Joker in both.
Brent has made appearances in Penny Dreadful: City of Angels, Outcast and The Blacklist.
He also played the role of Doctor Arik Soong in the Star Trek universe, the creator of artificial intelligence.
The last time he played this role was in Star Trek: Enterprise back in 2005.
LeVar Burton - Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge
Another castmate coming back to their beloved role, LeVar Burton will play Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: Picard season three in 2023.
He recently starred in the shows Tom Swift, Weird City and NCIS: New Orleans back in 2019.
LeVar has played himself on numerous occasions as well, including Community, The Big Bang Theory and Family Guy.
He has also lent his voice to Adventure Time, Superman/Batman Public Enemies and Transformers: Rescue Bots.
Marina Sirtis - Counsellor Deanna Troi
Marina Sirtis recently made a return to her role as Deanna Troi in the Star Trek: Picard, making appearances in seasons one and two and will be back for the third season.
She also voiced the character in Star Trek: Lower Decks back in 2020.
She has primarily been working as a voice actor over the years since TNG ended, with another iconic role is her being that of Matriarch Benezia in Mass Effect.
She has also starred in NCIS, Grey’s Anatomy and cameoed as Troi in Family Guy.
Michael Dorn - Lieutenant Worf
Michael Dorn quickly became a fan favourite for his instant classic performance as the Klingon, Worf.
Since the show, he has worked primarily as a voice actor, lending his talents to projects such as Mass Effect 2, Bionicle, Ben 10 and Fallout: New Vegas.
He still works in live action too, starring in shows such as Castle and Arrow.
The actor never fully called it quits on Worf though, as he returned to voice the role in two separate Family Guy episodes.
Michael is also set to return to his live action portrayal in Star Trek: Picard in 2023.
Gates McFadden - Doctor Beverly Crusher
Grace McFadden’s run as Beverly Crusher was just as iconic as the rest of the cast’s work, so much so that she has never fully stepped away from the role.
She lent her voice to the role in a Family Guy video game from 2014, The Quest for Stuff, and in an episode of the animated series, Star Trek: Prodigy in 2022.
Now she is back as Crusher in live action.
In 2023, she will return to the character in the next season of Picard, joining the other returning cast mates making it a must see for die hard fans of the series.
Outside of Star Trek, immediately after TNG she starred in Mad About You, before getting singular roles in a variety of shows.
In 2011 she joined Franklin & Bash as Judge Mallory Jacobs and in 2017 made an appearance in NCIS.
