Movies - TV
Michelle Forbes Turning Down Star Trek: DS9 Completely Changed The Series
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
In the early stages of the TV series “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” the plan was to bring the Bajoran character Ro Laren from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” to join the cast.
However, Michelle Forbes, who played Ro Laren, was aiming for feature films. Her refusal to reprise the TV role led to the integration of the character Major Kira Nerys.
Kira Nerys was a logical addition due to the Bajoran connection, but Forbes' rejection compelled the creators to reconsider the character dynamics of the show.
Unlike Ro Laren, Kira Nerys wasn’t part of Starfleet. This difference allowed for more conflict and interpersonal drama with Commander Sisko.
The oral history book “The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years: From The Next Generation to J. J. Abrams,” by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, elaborated on this moment.
Co-creator Michael Piller explained how what started as an issue became an opportunity because “Kira Nerys could do things that are not appropriate Starfleet behavior.”