Star Trek: DS9 Guest Star Was Almost TNG's Captain Picard

Summary Armin Shimerman reveals Stephen Macht was second choice for Captain Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Macht portrayed Bajoran General Krim on Deep Space Nine, leading a coup against Starfleet to gain control of the station.

Although Macht lost out on the role of Picard, he played Krim with diplomatic honor and made a memorable adversary on DS9.

It's hard to imagine anyone else besides Sir Patrick Stewart in the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest star was almost cast as the Captain of the USS Enterprise-D, according to DS9's Quark actor Armin Shimerman. As a hub of activity near the Bajoran wormhole to the Gamma Quadrant, the Deep Space Nine station was host to many Bajorans, Starfleet officers, and colorful visitors, so it's not surprising that casting directors might turn to actors who had previously auditioned for Star Trek roles to portray Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's recurring characters and guest stars.

As the director of Star Trek: The Next Generation season 1, episode 1, "Encounter at Farpoint", Corey Allen was able to offer input regarding the casting process for TNG. Allen went on to direct 4 more episodes of TNG and 4 episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, including DS9 season 2, episode 2, "The Circle". When it came time to cast actors for the guest roles in "The Circle", it's possible that Star Trek director Corey Allen referred back to the shortlist of actors considered for Captain Jean-Luc Picard, and recommended a memorable standout to portray a role on DS9 that required a similar sense of leadership.

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Stephen Macht Was Second Choice for Star Trek: TNG's Captain Picard

Patrick Stewart famously won the role of Picard

During a discussion of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episode 2, "The Circle" on The Delta Flyers podcast, Armin Shimerman reveals that Star Trek: DS9 guest star Stephen Macht, who played Bajoran Over-General Krim, was in the running to play Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Macht actually got far enough in the audition process for TNG to be the second choice for Picard, but of course, Patrick Stewart ultimately won the role. Read Shimerman's quote below and listen to The Delta Flyers, starting at the 10:20 timestamp.

Armin Shimerman: "Stephen and I have worked together many times, doing theater together, so I know this for a fact: Stephen Macht was the second choice for Picard. It is interesting to me ... that here's Corey Allen, who directed the pilot [of Star Trek: The Next Generation] and had a choice in who was going to play Picard. Was it Corey who said we're going to get Stephen Macht to play this part?"

Stephen Macht is Bajoran General Krim in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Season 2

Krim only made one appearance on DS9

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Stephen Macht played Bajoran Over-General Krim in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2, episodes 2 & 3, "The Circle" and "The Siege". As the highest-ranking officer in the Bajoran militia, Krim led Bajor's coup to take DS9 from Starfleet, believing the move was in Bajor's best interests, instead of being designed by the Bajoran extremist group, The Circle. Krim made an interesting adversary to Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks), and respected Sisko as a military peer. In The Delta Flyers, Armin Shimerman points out script notes in "The Circle" suggesting Krim could have returned, but Stephen Macht's Krim was never seen again after DS9 season 2's 3-part opener.

As Bajoran Over-General Krim, Stephen Macht wasn't among the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest stars who was hidden beneath heavy prosthetic makeup, so genre fans may recognize Macht from his other guest starring appearances on 1990s sci-fi television. Macht appeared in guest roles in FOX's Millennium and Sliders, and another acclaimed space station show, Babylon 5. Earlier in his career, Stephen Macht starred in 1980s films The Mountain Men and The Monster Squad. Although Stephen Macht ultimately lost the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation to Patrick Stewart, Macht portrayed Over-General Krim in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine with similar diplomatic honor.

Source: The Delta Flyers season 10, episode 2, "The Circle"

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is streaming on Paramount+.