How Star Trek: DS9 Bosses Tried To Trip One Star Up During Their Audition

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" is unique in the "Star Trek" canon for many reasons, not least of which was the size of its ensemble. In 1966, only three of the original show's actors were credited as leads (William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, and DeForest Kelley). In 1987, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" had a pretty healthy seven-person troupe, all of them sharing top billing. While "Deep Space Nine" only had eight of its actors listed above the line, the show was so ambitious and expansive that it ended up with over two dozen lead characters. 

Case in point was Nog (the late Aron Eisenberg). Nog, a Ferengi, was introduced in the "Deep Space Nine" pilot as the irascible, trouble-making nephew of Quark (Armin Shimerman), a bar-owner and legit criminal. Nog would eventually become best friends with Jake (Cirroc Lofton), the son of the space station's commanding officer, Ben Sisko (Avery Brooks). Over the course of the series, Nog would grow up, become the first Ferengi to become a Starfleet officer, lose a limb in combat (!), and learn important lessons about trauma from a holographic 1960s lounge singer. 

In a 2018 oral history for Syfy, Eisenberg talked about the first time he auditioned to play Nog, and how he was unexpectedly jumped in by Ron Surma, the show's casting director. Eisenberg, you see, knew very little about "Star Trek" when he was made aware of the role, so he didn't yet know what a Ferengi was, how they behaved, or the role they played in the larger "Star Trek" universe. Eisenberg was given some homework before the audition by Surma, and the actor revealed that he was glad he did it. But Surma sprung a trick question on him by asking him what species he was playing.

To provide some context: Ferengi were first introduced in "Next Generation" as an antagonistic alien species, but eventually morphed into semi-comedic imps. The Ferengi still operated in an outmoded capitalist society, with their politics and religion all centered entirely on the acquisition of wealth. Some other context for the below story: Another character on "Deep Space Nine," Dax (Terry Farrell) was of a species called the Trill, a race of people that sometimes had long-lived, hyperintelligent wormlike beings surgically implanted in their abdomens. The personality of the Trill host would merge with its symbiote. 

When Eisenberg went in to audition for Nog, he knew it was going to be huge. "Star Trek," after all, was a major media franchise, and "Next Generation" was a gigantic hit for Paramount. Eisenberg was eager to be part of something so lucrative, especially once he learned he was auditioning for a recurring role; this was no one-episode wonder. But, as mentioned, Eisenberg knew nothing about "Star Trek" or its in-universe lore. 

He remembered it like this:

"I went in and met Ron Surma. I was blessed he was in my corner. I'm sure he probably gave the same to the other actors that auditioned because he's a decent human being, but he brought me in and asked me, 'Do you know what a Ferengi is?' I said, 'I have no idea.' And he gave me a VHS tape to go home and watch, and also gave me the script so I could prepare and read the pilot. I went home and read the script. To all the other actors out there: If they ever give you a script, read it!"

Wise words.

Eisenberg was specifically given the "Next Generation" episode "The Last Outpost," which featured the first appearance of the Ferengi. In that appearance, the Ferengi were far more troll-like, hunching over and hissing and lashing people with high-tech whips. The episode gave Eisenberg a good primer. More importantly, though, Eisenberg was given an entire script to read. Not just his scenes, but the entire script. Eisenberg read the entire thing, which he said was a smart decision. 

He sat down in the audition room across from producer David Luvingston, Surma, and several others, intimidated by the situation. But he was wise. As Eisenberg recalled: 

"It was a short scene, and here's why you should read the script: When I sat down, David Livingston, one of the producers and directors of the show, was sitting directly across from me. He goes, 'So you have a worm in your body?' I said, 'Nope, I'm not playing a Trill. I'm playing Nog, the Ferengi.' And he goes, 'Good job.' It was good that I read it, because I was able to not look like an idiot in the audition. It was a check in my box. Read the script, because you never know if they'll test you."

Eisenberg passed the test. One wonders if other actors failed the same test. Regardless, Eisenberg got the part and played Nog through the entire series, and it was because he knew the difference between a Ferengi and a Trill. Eisenberg passed away in 2019 at the age of 50. He is deeply mourned by Trekkies and friends everywhere.