Star Trek's Andrew Robinson Created And Played Up Garak's Attraction To DS9's Dr. Bashir

The character of Elim Garak (Andrew Robinson) first appeared on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" in the episode "Past Prologue" (January 9, 1993), only the second episode of the series. Garak, as Trekkies can tell you, was the only Cardassian left on Deep Space Nine after the Cardassian military occupation of Bajor had ended. Despite lingering prejudices against him, Garak remained on the station as a tailor, but his demeanor implied that he was up to something beyond mere sewing. Garak was always a suspicious character, grinning like he had just found out something intensely personal about you. He would often talk about how there was no such thing as objective truth, inspiring him to lie at every possible turn. 

Garak famously became friends with Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig), a camaraderie that began when Garak merely sat down and started talking to the good doctor in "Past Prologue." Bashir was wary of Garak's aggressive social demeanor and spent the rest of the episode trying to figure out his deal. Even audiences couldn't be sure what Garak's motivation was in talking to Dr. Bashir. Was Garak a spy? Was he pumping Bashir for information? Or was he telling the truth when he said he merely found Bashir interesting? 

In a 2020 interview with TrekMovie, Robinson stated what he felt was Garak's motivation for talking to Bashir: Garak was intensely sexually attracted to him. Robinson had been sharing this detail for years, admitting at conventions and other public appearances that that was the way he always played the character. Garak's behavior and attitudes make perfect sense when viewed through this lens. Garak's attraction to Bashir wasn't ever stated explicitly on "Deep Space Nine," but fans typically agree that it is 100% there. 

Indeed, the Garak/Bashir relationship became one of the more covered in the realm of slash fiction, with the two men (in the minds of fans) falling intensely in love. That relationship would eventually become canonical in a parallel universe episode of "Star Trek: Lower Decks," and /Film has covered the importance of the Garak/Bashir relationship in the past. 

Robinson recalled reading about Garak when he first auditioned for the role, remembering that the character was described as mysterious and ambiguous. The actor decided that the ambiguity in question was sexual in nature and ran with it. The makers of "Deep Space Nine" allowed Robinson to layer in that detail, and it grew over the years. As Robinson said: 

"[T]hen there was the ambiguity about Garak that they had written in. Who is this guy? He is a mystery, and so forth. What I added to that in that first episode was a sexual ambiguity about Garak. In that very first scene when he meets Dr. Bashir it's clear as a bell — and this was my choice — that he was sexually attracted to this good-looking young Starfleet doctor. And although they didn't follow that up with an explicitly gay character, that ambiguity about Garak remained. And it was appropriate for what they had written about his ambiguity, is he a tailor, a spy, what is he?" 

There were no additional clues about Garak's sexuality throughout "Deep Space Nine." He made no mention of affairs he had in the past; no husbands or boyfriends, or wives or girlfriends. His queerness was kind of hidden. But if any Trekkies keyed into Garak's sexuality, know that it was intentionally inserted by Robinson. 

The interviewer asked Robinson about how the showrunners or viewers responded to a queer character on "Star Trek." Robinson pointed out that many people may have missed that Garak was queer because, well, queerness was largely absent from 1990s network television. Robinson may have played Garak as gay, but if it was never explicitly stated in dialogue, and Garak never kissed or slept with another man, there was always going to be a frustrating element of plausible deniability. This, despite Robinson doing his best. As he put it: 

"I broadcast it as strongly as I could. But you know, they never really followed up on it, we never even had a discussion about it. 'Deep Space Nine' was already at right angles to the 'Star Trek' franchise. It was a different kind of 'Star Trek' show. And I think that suddenly to bring on an openly gay alien, who, who was having this relationship with Dr. Bashir. I think that was maybe a bridge too far. I'm guessing at this, but I, but I think that may be it." 

And, Robinson noted, showrunner Ira Steven Behr loved his portrayal. No one ever asked him to "tone it down" or drop fewer hints. Garak may not have been conceived of as a queer character who is attracted to Dr. Bashir, but Robinson made the character his own. Also, if Garak never explicitly invited Bashir on a date, then it added to his mysterious qualities. If he's obviously attracted to Bashir, why is he continuing to coyly flirt instead of being direct? Why is Garak so slippery? It was just another element of the character that made him appealing.