Star Trek's Tuvok Actor Played A DS9 Character But Only Real Fans Caught It
Since the introduction of the literal, logic-loving species in the mid-1960s, "Star Trek" fans have been rather fond of Vulcans, especially Tim Russ' "Star Trek: Voyager" character Tuvok. He also likely left an impression while portraying a Klingon named T'Kar during Season 2 of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine." However, Trekkies may have some difficulty identifying Russ as the malicious mercenary. For one, the actor's physical transformation into T'Kar was more extensive than Tuvok, given that Klingons have significant facial folds. In addition, he also was convincingly able to embody a Vulcan and a Klingon — two very distinct species — without any overlap in terms of his physicality or cadence.
That being said, Russ may have had less difficulty portraying Tuvok than T'Kar. In a March 2023 interview on "The Ready Room," hosted by "Star Trek: The Next Generation" star Wil Wheaton, the actor noted that he and his Vulcan counterpart are quite similar. "In terms of his logic and his craving of practicality and sensibility. And organized — that would be part of me. Very much so. So, the logic aspect of it is definitely part of me," Russ said.
Tim Russ discussed his long history with 'Star Trek'
While appearing on a "Star Trek" panel, Tim Russ stated he had some history with the franchise before sporting Tuvok's Vulcan ears. He explained that longtime producer Rick Berman noticed how he embodied certain characters, including T'Kar, and approached him to don Tuvok's Starfleet uniform. "By the time we got to 'Voyager,' he was already asking me about the role and the part, you know, six months beforehand. So the time came and I came in to read for it a couple of times. And it just turned out that I was right for the role, physically," said the actor.
Russ also shared he was eager to be a "Star Trek: Voyager" star, as he knew the series would have several seasons. "As an actor, you kind of look out for those things," he admitted.
During the "The Ready Room" interview, Russ noted that Tuvok — well, at least someone who resembled the Vulcan — had a significant storyline during Season 3 of "Star Trek: Picard." "I was wondering if and when my character might be able to appear on the show because the timeline was consistent with my character from 'Voyager.' So, sure enough, the email came in from my manager's office, asking for availability. I thought, 'Oh my goodness, that's great,'" he said.