Who Voices Peanut Hamper On Star Trek: Lower Decks?
It's pretty evident that the "Lower Decks" character with a mathematically perfect name, Peanut Hamper, is much different than the other exocomps, first introduced in "The Next Generation." The rebellious and smart-mouthed hovering liaison officer debuted in "No Small Parts," as a new recruit on the Cerritos. By the end of the Season 1 finale, Peanut Hamper bails on Starfleet when asked to partake in a dangerous mission to save the crew. Since then, she has appeared in several episodes, and the entertaining "Star Trek" persona's amusing antics are thanks to the exceptional efforts of Kether Donohue. Donohue is the actor responsible for voicing Peanut Hamper.
In addition to the actor's work on "Star Trek: Lower Decks," Donohue has a number of credits voicing characters in animated titles such as "Tuca and Bertie," "Pokemon," "American Dad," "Elena of Avalor," "Birdgirl," and "Tokyo Mew Mew." But she has also lent her talents to live-action endeavors, including notable roles as Gabby on "B Positive" and Lindsay Jillian on "You're the Worst." Her work on the big screen also includes a few standout roles, like Alice in "Pitch Perfect" and Donna in the found footage feature "The Bay."
While Donohue undoubtedly has extensive experience playing many unique and interesting characters, the thought of voicing a floating robot called Peanut Hamper was almost too much for the actor to handle.
Playing Peanut Hamper initially made Kether Donahue nervous
Joining any major franchise can be a nerve-racking experience, especially when the property has been a powerhouse with fans for many decades, as is the case with "Star Trek." While it probably can feel intimidating to take on the role of an extraterrestrial persona like a Vulcan or Klingon, having to play a faceless, armless, floating robot named Peanut Hamper could easily come off as a risky challenge for any seasoned actor. This was the case when Kether Donohue was considering taking on the "Lower Decks" role.
"I'm not going to lie, I felt really intimidated when I came on to play Peanut Hamper because I know Star Trek has a very loyal fan base of people that watch the show," the actor said in an interview with StarTrek.com "I take that seriously and I'm honored and grateful that I was accepted into the Star Trek universe. I'm grateful and happy that people dig Peanut Hamper. It makes me happy."
Despite Peanut Hamper's checkered past and questionable actions, Donohue's assessment that fans have embraced the character positively is accurate. For example, on Reddit, u/O/WSpaceClown posted, "I thought Peanut Hamper was so adorable. Then she turned out to be a self-absorbed a**hole. Still kind of love her though." u/WoundedSacrifice added to the comment saying, "I love to hate her."
There is no denying the character is the most popular exocomp since "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and it will be exciting for fans to see what the future holds for Peanut Hamper in "Lower Decks."