Posted in: Star Trek, TV | Tagged: 3 Body Problem, Rosalind Chao, star trek, star trek: deep space nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Star Trek: TNG/DS9 Star Rosalind Chao Discusses Playing Keiko O'Brien

Rosalind Chao reflects on her time in the Star Trek franchise, from screen testing as Tasha Yar to playing Keiko O'Brien on TNG & DS9.

Rosalind Chao has been an enduring presence in Hollywood since her debut opposite Lucille Ball on her sitcom Here's Lucy in 1970. With a career spanning six decades primarily on TV, the actress has nearly 140 credits, largely in guest roles with the occasional film like her memorable one in the ensemble The Joy Luck Club (1993). She's appeared in FX's Better Things, Showtime's The First Lady, and Netflix's Sweet Tooth in recent years. While promoting her latest work in Netflix's 3 Body Problem, Chao spoke about her time as Keiko Ishikawa O'Brien, the spouse of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) across two Star Trek series, The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. The actress appeared in eight episodes on TNG and 19 on DS9.

Rosalind Chao on Initial Star Trek: The Next Generation Screen Test & Return as Keiko O'Brien

When it came to the initial casting call for TNG, "I met with them and they wanted me to come back and screen test [for the role of Tasha Yar], and I was visiting my now-husband in London. I said, 'Oh my God, Star Trek? It's been done.' So they cast someone else. Then they brought me back for the role of Keiko," Chao told Vanity Fair. Denise Crosby would get cast in as the U.S.S. Enterprise-D's chief of security, who, sadly, didn't survive the first season.

As an Asian actor working in Hollywood, Chao is accustomed to playing characters of different ethnicities. "It shouldn't make a difference. Ethnicity shouldn't make a difference, though race should. When I was on 'Star Trek' they said they would change it to Chinese, and I said, 'Why?' I'm the same color, and the storyline has her as Japanese. Keep it the same," she said. "It's still a bit of an issue. Asians are already limited in the business, so if, on top of that, you say only Chinese can play Chinese? On 'Joy Luck Club' we had Vietnamese, Japanese, and Chinese, and it all worked beautifully. So long as we're not painting our faces yellow or anything. I get a bee in my bonnet about this. Not everyone on 'The Bear' is Italian."

Chao joined TNG in the season four episode "Data's Day," and she has fond memories of some great laughs on the set. "The biggest laughs I've ever had. Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner making fun of Patrick Stewart. They are ruthless. So many great moments," she recalled. When it came to recurring cast member Whoopi Goldberg, who played Ten Forward host Guinan, "Yes, I was breastfeeding at the time, and she gave me some terrific advice. I remember we were sitting on the little spaceship. I was so nervous because I was like, 'My baby will be hungry,' and she just calmly said, 'He'll be fine.'" In the season five episode "Disaster," where Worf (Michael Dorn) helps Keiko give birth to her daughter, "Yes, that's how Michael Dorn and I got close. He stood between my legs for eight hours." For more on her career, you can check out the interview here.

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