What Star Trek: The Next Generation's Cast Is Doing Now

Released two decades after the 1966 original series, "Star Trek: The Next Generation" served as a welcome introduction to new characters, new adventures, and a critical part of the "Star Trek" Universe that remains cherished to this day. From Brent Spiner's Data to Patrick Stewart's Jean-Luc Picard, this show created a host of memorable personalities that were more than fit to hang with the likes of James T. Kirk and Spock. It's surprisingly emotional, too, featuring a number of "Star Trek" moments that secretly made us cry.

"Star Trek: The Next Generation" ran for seven fantastic seasons and its cast members have returned to the universe every so often, but the question is: What have they been up to since the sci-fi series ended? The good news is, most of them stuck around in the entertainment industry as they continued to act and cement their legacies in further films and television shows. Others have gone on to become activists and to even write comic books, while still making time for Trekkies at fan conventions.

In this universe, space might be the final frontier, but that doesn't mean people called time on their adventures after "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Let's boldly go to find out what the cast of the show is doing now.

In "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Marina Sirtis plays the USS Enterprise-D's counselor Deanna Troi across seven seasons. Sirtis reprised her role for the films — "Star Trek Generations," "Star Trek: First Contact," "Star Trek: Insurrection," and Star Trek: Nemesis" – as well as other properties related to the franchise, such as "Star Trek: Picard" and "Star Trek: Lower Decks." 

Sirtis also ventured into a myriad of movies and television shows over the years, such as "Stargate SG-1," "Family Guy," and "The Orville." Arguably, Sirtis' most famous other role is in the animated series "Gargoyles," where she voices Demona and stars alongside her "Star Trek: The Next Generation" co-stars Jonathan Frakes, Michael Dorn, Colm Meaney, Brent Spiner, and LeVar Burton.

On a personal level, Sirtis' husband, Michael Lamper, died at the age of 61 in 2019. Sirtis' political affiliation is also no secret, with her once saying that "Star Trek" fans cannot be Republicans, and in 2021, she explained to Big Issue that she decided to move back to her birth country, England, because of the shift in the American political landscape. "America changed so much in the 35 years that I was there," she said. "When I went, I literally thought I'd died and gone to heaven. It was brilliant. And then this right-wing, fascistic mentality started taking over." In addition, she claimed there are more acting opportunities for women of her age in her own home country.

John de Lancie stars as Q in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" — a role he reprises in "Star Trek: Voyager," "Star Trek: Picard," and "Star Trek: Lower Decks." While the actor appears in films such as "Gamer" and "Crank: High Voltage," he's found most of his success in the television side of the entertainment industry, securing roles in series such as "Charmed," "Breaking Bad," and "Stargate SG-1." He's lent his voice to animated shows such as "Batman: The Animated Series," "The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest," and "My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic," while gamers should recognize him as the voice of William Miles in various "Assassin's Creed" titles.

The actor has also become known as a secular activist, disclosing that he started questioning religion from the age of 6. "Yeah, I was asked not to come back to Sunday school," he told Skeptical Inquirer. "Mostly, I felt very manipulated by some of the religious people I came into contact with." That being said, de Lancie said people should be free to choose what they believe in for their own reasons, only encouraging critical thinking. He added: "Comfort is one thing. Proof is another. I would never take away the 'comfort' that a religious belief might afford."

Jonathan Frakes will forever be known as William Riker, serving as the Enterprise-D's first officer and later captain. From "Star Trek: The Next Generation" to "Star Trek: Picard," he's continued to bring this fan-favorite character to life across the franchise for multiple decades now. His acting career never stalled either, as he popped up in popular shows — such as "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman," "Roswell," and "Criminal Minds" — and provided the voice for David Xanatos in "Gargoyles." Frakes drifted behind the camera, too, directing films like "Clockstoppers" and "Thunderbirds" while also helming episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," among many others.

Fun fact: He's a part of a select group of "Star Trek" actors who tried to have music careers, as he played the trombone on a track for the rock band Phish. Frakes also served a critical role in preparing the next generation of filmmakers by giving directing classes at the now-closed Rockport College. In addition to all this activity, he's remained close to his "Star Trek" castmates, telling Edmonton Journal in September 2024: "Our cast is thick as thieves, we've been friends for 39 years, and we've been in each others' lives."

Gates McFadden stars as Dr. Beverly Crusher in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." During the first season of the series, McFadden didn't see eye-to-eye with showrunner Maurice Hurley, which culminated in her character being excluded for the second season. However, Dr. Crusher returned from Season 3 onward and never looked back. McFadden reprised this role in the movies, as well as other "Star Trek" shows, while also having a successful stage and television career that saw her appear in series such as "Mad About You," "Franklin & Bash," and "The Practice." She has also given back to the acting community, teaching at institutions such as Harvard, the University of Pittsburgh, and Brooklyn College. In more recent times, she lent her voice acting skills to animated shows like "Masters of the Universe: Revelation" and "X-Men '97."

As part of the cast of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," McFadden and her co-stars received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Saturn Awards. According to the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films (via TrekMovie.com), the show received the accolade "due to its continued influence on the face of general television. It was originally doomed to failure since it was following in the footsteps of the original 'Star Trek,' yet it carved its own identity, and its diverse cast was light years ahead of its time."

Michael Dorn portrays the iconic Klingon Worf in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." Worf has become one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise, appearing in multiple shows and movies, while Dorn has established himself as the "Star Trek" actor who has appeared in the most episodes. Dorn isn't only known for his "Star Trek" achievements, though, as he's crossed over into other pop culture franchises like "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles," DC, and Marvel. In "Superman: The Animated Series," for example, Dorn provides the voice of John Henry Irons, better known as the heavy-hitting superhero Steel.

In 2023, Dorn received the opportunity to head back to Metropolis as he penned the Steel comic book story arc titled "Steelworks." It turned out to be his first paid writing gig, too, something Dorn was delighted about after having tried to make it happen for a long time. "I've written maybe four or five screenplays and people liked my writing and blah, blah, blah, blah, but nothing's come to fruition," he told Polygon. "The big thing [about 'Steelworks'] is, I'm a paid writer."

Wil Wheaton stars as the polarizing whippersnapper Wesley Crusher in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." At the time of his casting, fans recognized Wheaton from his star-making performance as Gordie Lachance in Rob Reiner's "Stand by Me." However, that didn't stop parts of the fandom from seeing Wesley as one of the characters that almost single-handedly ruined a television show.  As "Star Trek: The Next Generation" progressed, Wesley's appearances became sporadic, while Wheaton continued his ascension as a young actor in showbiz. Even so, the actor didn't forget about the character and returned to play Wesley in other "Star Trek" projects.

Wheaton's acting career saw him star in films like "Toy Soldiers" and "Flubber," while also featuring in television shows such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Eureka." Additionally, he's received opportunities in the animated world as he voices Aqualad in "Teen Titans," Menma in "Naruto," and Dr. Peter Meechum in "Generator Rex."

Apart from his acting career, Wheaton is also a writer, having started his own blog, written a few books, and contributed articles to publications such as LA Weekly and The Washington Post. Wheaton also opened up to his fans to write about the mental health issues which he has experienced throughout his life.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

For "Star Trek" fans, Majel Barrett remains royalty and one of the most important people to have ever contributed to this universe. Not only was she the wife of the creator of the franchise, Gene Roddenberry, and inherited his massive estate when he died in 1991, but she also played a number of pivotal characters across different productions and has become known as the voice of the Federation starship's computer. In "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," Barrett also plays the Betazoid Lwaxana Troi.

Barrett appeared in popular sci-fi shows like "Babylon 5" and "Earth: Final Conflict," while she voiced Anna Watson — Mary Jane's aunt and Aunt May's best friend — in "Spider-Man: The Animated Series." One of Barrett's final roles felt almost full circle as she provided the voice of the starship's computer in J. J. Abrams' "Star Trek" film.

In December 2008, Barrett died from leukemia. She was 76 years old. Notably, several of her "Star Trek" co-stars attended her funeral to pay their last respects to her.

"Star Trek" fans from the '90s remember Colm Meaney's Chief Miles O'Brien from "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." While he might be more associated with the latter, he still featured in 52 episodes of the former. Meaney continued to have an acting career to make any working actor jealous, starring in movies such as "Layer Cake," "Con Air," and "Tolkien," while featuring in series such as "Hell on Wheels," "Stargate Atlantis," and "Gangs of London."

The highly prolific and recognizable Irish actor prefers to live life out of the limelight, though, as he left America to move to the island of Majorca with his wife and children in the 2000s. In August 2024, the Sci-Fi and Fantasy Gazette asked him if he would welcome the opportunity to reprise the role os Chief O'Brien. Meaney joked about not being able to fit into the suit anymore, before adding: "Do you want to see an elderly Miles O'Brien? I don't know. It's certainly not at the top of my agenda of things I'd like to do at the moment."

In the first season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," Denise Crosby stars as security chief Tasha Yar. However, the character is killed off in the episode titled "Skin of Evil." In Season 3, Yar returns as the storyline explains she's alive in a different timeline, because this is sci-fi and, well, reasons.

Speaking to IGN in April 2024, Crosby explained how she originally left the show because of creative frustrations regarding how her character was presented. She said: "My intention was to get somebody in the room and tell me, 'What is this going to be? What is this character?' It's such an incredible opportunity. You have so much here, but I'm not going to just be the token hot blonde on the show. But they had a '60s mentality."

After "Star Trek," Crosby continued her acting career, appearing in everything from "Suits" to "The Walking Dead." However, she's remained close to the "Star Trek" fanbase as she often appears at the "Star Trek: The Cruise" event and other fan conventions, while she's also acted as a producer on the "Trekkies" documentary films.

LeVar Burton brings Geordi La Forge to life in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and other related "Star Trek" shows and movies. While Burton has had a successful career both in front and behind the camera, he's also renowned for his other impressive achievements in the creative field. As the host and executive producer of the educational children's show "Reading Rainbow," he and his team secured over 200 awards, including 26 Emmys. He also started a podcast in 2017 called "LeVar Burton Reads," in which he would read short stories and discuss the tales with his audience in an effort to encourage people to read more.

In addition to this, Burton joined the board of the AIDS Research Alliance — an organization that aimed to find a cure for HIV/AIDS — in 2012. Speaking about his decision to accept this opportunity at the time, Burton said the following (via PR.com): "When [CEO] Carolyn Carlburg explained the work of AIDS Research Alliance and really broke down the ongoing need to shine a light on AIDS and AIDS research, as well as the unique position ARA has in the AIDS research community as an organization working on an HIV cure, I couldn't say no to joining the Board. I realized there was such a need."

When fans discuss the best and worst episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation," even the less-popular ones are made that much more special and memorable because of Brent Spiner's Data. The entertaining android has continued to appear in other "Star Trek" media, becoming one of the most easily recognizable and beloved figures in all sci-fi history.

While Spiner has returned to play Data on numerous occasions, he continued to flex his creative muscles after "Star Trek: The Next Generation." He dabbled in music, releasing an album in 1991, while he has also tap danced his way back to Broadway for a few shows. In terms of acting, he appeared in blockbuster films like "Independence Day" and "The Aviator," while starring in shows such as "Warehouse 13" and "Young Justice," in which he voices the Joker.

In a 2002 interview with IGN, Spiner disclosed how he thought about quitting the role of Data at the end of every season in "Star Trek: The Next Generation"; however, he kept discovering there was more to uncover with the character. He said: "It was about a character who was evolving and growing all the time, and experimenting with different facets of humanity, and playing other characters in order to understand that humanity. It felt limitless, finally."

When it comes to discussions about bona fide legends in acting, Sir Patrick Stewart's name needs to be mentioned in every conversation. From theater to television and the big screen, he's done it all and won more awards than any single trophy cabinet could contain. For Trekkies, he holds a special place in their hearts as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, a role he made famous in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and continued to play in various other "Star Trek" films and shows. Stewart endeared himself to the comic book-loving fanbase too, as he played Professor Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" movies, while he's racked up a formidable list of other film and television credits across all genres — heck, he even lends his voice to "The Emoji Movie"!

On a personal level, Stewart continues to follow the English soccer team Huddersfield Town Football Club, which he has supported for most of his life, while he admitted to taking a keen interest in jigsaw puzzles. Speaking to AARP in December 2023 about what his plans for the future are, Stewart said: "One of my ambitions, should my work continue, is to do more comedy. Making people laugh gave me so much satisfaction. Because I've been in productions where I've seen people sitting wiping their eyes, and I feel sorry for them."

Want to read more about this classic television show? Make sure to check out the actors who were almost cast in "Star Trek: The Next Generation."