Ooh ooh – Gates McFadden spills the Star Trek Tea on this Sci-Friday. A recent appearance on the Inside of You podcast gave us some next-level insight on Beverly Crusher’s character in the first season of Star Trek: TNG. Who knew being Wesley’s mom could be so spicy?? I got a kick out of this and you will, too – take a look:
Interestingly, her work ethic and approach paid off in the long run. Series creator Gene Roddenberry admitted that the Dr. Pulaski character did not develop a chemistry with the other characters, so McFadden was approached to return as Dr. Crusher for the third season. She was hesitant, but after a phone call from co-star Patrick Stewart, and numerous fan letters, McFadden was persuaded to return to the role, which she then played through the remainder of the series.
Fun fact: Gates McFadden plays Alec Baldwin’s wife in The Hunt for Red October. She also tells us about how she ended up *not* returning for that role. Might be a blink-and-you-miss-it role, but she disappears so seamlessly into the ‘British housewife’ role that it reminds you ‘there are no small parts, only small actors.’
So that was wild – Gates McFadden shows that Star Trek is a tv show like every other television show. Politics, personalities, and catty behavior are just part of the landscape. I hope you enjoyed this scifi catfight. Please feel welcomed to dive down the rabbit hole of every other Sci-Friday I’ve published in the past couple years. Have a great weekend!
