Star Trek's Tuvok Actor Tim Russ Almost Played An Iconic The Next Generation Character
Tim Russ is a stalwart of the "Star Trek" franchise, known for playing Tuvok on "Star Trek: Voyager" and a couple of episodes of "Star Trek: Picard." However, he had to graft his way into the sci-fi saga, which meant some failed auditions and a small role as a different character in "Star Trek: Generations." Regarding the auditions, Russ told TrekMovie that he tried out to play Geordi La Forge on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," only to lose out to LeVar Burton.
"I went in to read for it once or twice, and I subsequently went in to read for the doctor's role in Deep Space Nine and then eventually Voyager. At the time, I wasn't aware that LeVar Burton was also up for it. That might have been a straight offer [without audition]. He was the only well-known name from the States that was in that series; that is one of the reasons they brought him in."
Russ added that he tried out for all of the "Star Trek" series in the lead-up to "Voyager." However, while he was unsuccessful at landing parts like La Forge, he still made a positive impression on the right people. Ultimately, the actor's hard work and patience paid off, and, in the end, he felt more suited to playing Tuvok.
Tim Russ is glad to have played Tuvok instead of Geordi La Forge
"Star Trek: The Next Generation" is arguably more popular than the series Tim Russ is synonymous with. As of this writing, it boasts a 92% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes, while "Star Trek: Voyager" sits at 76%. But despite not being part of the most acclaimed show of the two, Russ is still happy that he got cast as Tuvok instead of Geordi La Forge.
"Yeah, I am actually glad I got the role as Tuvok over that one because the role that I had was somewhat more organic and much easier in terms of dialog," he told TrekMovie. "I am glad I didn't get stuck with all that engineering tech talk. I would have not have been as impressed or enjoyed it as much. That kind of dialog doesn't do anything for me. So, I am glad it ended up the way it did."
Of course, that's not to say that Tuvok can't be part of the "TNG" story moving forward. On "Star Trek: Picard," he appoints Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) as the new captain of the USS Enterprise-G, so he does have a link to the crew. Jonathan Frakes also wants the "TNG" story to continue, and "Picard" leaves the door open to more adventures down the line. As such, Tuvok could return to the franchise if a continuation series comes to fruition.