Star Trek: Jeri Ryan Reveals The Voyager Scene She Hates To This Day
The lore surrounding the fearsome Borg took a decidedly unexpected turn during the 4th season of "Star Trek: Voyager," when Jeri Ryan debuted the beloved "Trek" character Seven of Nine. Seven is, of course, a former Borg drone who spends the bulk of her "Voyager" tenure having her cybernetic implants removed, learning the honorable ways of Starfleet, and attempting to reconnect with who she was before being assimilated. That journey is often as hilarious as it is heart-wrenching, with the role making an instant "Star Trek" icon of Ryan.
It remains a calling card to this day, with the actor discussing how she was cast in the role in a February 2023 interview with StarTrek.com. Per Ryan, she was sent two scenes for the audition. And it seems she still doesn't much like one of them, describing it as "the infamous Harry Kim 'take off your clothes' scene that I've always hated."
Ryan doesn't clarify precisely what it is about the scene that continues to draw her ire. But if you've seen it, you know it arguably errs on the side of cringe, with Seven using her still Borg-like logic to inadvertently bulldoze Harry Kim in regard to a perceived romantic advance. And yes, Seven's frankness throughout could make even the staunchest "Trek" fan squirm a little.
There's also one scene Jeri Ryan seriously regrets NOT shooting
It is hardly uncommon for Seven of Nine to speak so frankly to her Starfleet shipmates over the years, of course. Given that this particular scene opens with Harry Kim admitting his attraction to Seven, the subject of romance also seems inevitable. But part of the problem may be that Seven's bluntness in the moment is indicative of what some perceive to be the shameless over-sexualization of the character — a concept more clearly illustrated in the infamously skintight getups that serve as the character's uniforms. Whatever the case, it does seem a slightly odd scene for producers to push on an actor during the audition process.
Still, as Ryan told StarTrek.com, the second scene was far more intriguing, and it remains one of her all-time favorites despite having never been shot. "The other [scene] — that we never ended up shooting — was one of the most beautifully written scenes I've ever seen for any audition, before or since," she said. "It was a scene of Seven — I think she was with Chakotay — having her first memories of laughter."
While the first scene apparently came close to turning Ryan off to the role, she admitted the second really sold her on the character's potential, saying, "It was so beautiful, and I saw what the potential for this character could be and the growth that she could have." Though Seven's pre-Borg life was talked about with some regularity on "Star Trek: Voyager," it really feels like a missed opportunity that this particular scene was left out of the mix. And it seems Jeri Ryan still has some pretty strong feelings about it too.