All 6 Different Star Trek TV Shows & Movies Where Tim Russ Appears

Tim Russ may be most remembered for portraying Lt. Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager, but the actor has popped up in a surprising number of other Star Trek projects. Many actors have portrayed multiple roles throughout the Star Trek franchise, but Russ has played more than most, appearing across multiple eras, in films and television shows, in animation and live action. Originally considered for the role of Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Russ continued auditioning for Star Trek roles, landing a few smaller parts before ultimately being cast as Tuvok.

Tim Russ began acting in the 1980s, appearing in episodes of The Twilight Zone, Hill Street Blues, and The Highwayman, among many others. Russ also appeared in 1987's Spaceballs and portrayed Jesse in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown. He remains most known for his Star Trek roles, but later went on to have significant roles in Samantha Who? and iCarly. He continues to enjoy a busy acting career, popping up across television, film, and video games, and currently has several projects in various stages of development.

6 Tim Russ In Star Trek: The Next Generation

Russ Portrayed Devor In TNG Season 6, Episode 18, "Starship Mine"

Tim Russ's Star Trek debut came in the Star Trek: The Next Generation season 6 episode, "Starship Mine," which finds Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) starring in his own version of Die Hard. With the Enterprise evacuated for scheduled maintenance, a group of mercenaries attempts to steal parts from the ship, only to be thwarted by a determined and resourceful Picard. Russ portrays one of the mercenaries named Devor, who poses as a technician working on the ship.

When Picard encounters Devor working on a panel, the Enterprise captain questions what he's looking for. Devor attacks Picard, but Jean-Luc gains the upper hand and takes Devor down with a Vulcan nerve pinch. When Devor wakes up, Picard questions him about the mercenaries' plans, but he refuses to answer. Picard knocks Devor unconscious again with a hypospray, and the thief is presumably killed when the baryon sweep passes through the Enterprise.

5 Tim Russ In Star Trek Generations

Russ Portrayed An Unnamed Lieutenant In Generations

The first foray onto the big screen for Captain Picard and his TNG crew, Star Trek Generations is most remembered for the death of James T. Kirk (William Shatner) and the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D. The opening scenes of the film take place in 2293, as retired Starfleet officers James Kirk, Montgomery Scott (James Doohan), and Pavel Chekov (Walter Koenig) attend the maiden voyage of the USS Enterprise-B.

The Enterprise-B soon gets pulled into an impromptu rescue mission to save two El-Aurian refugee ships from a strange energy ribbon. Tim Russ appears as a lieutenant on the Enterprise who attempts to beam the refugees from the SS Lakul, but cannot get a lock because they are in "some sort of temporal flux." Russ's unnamed lieutenant later reports on the falling percentages of the Lakul's hull integrity until the ship eventually explodes.

4 Tim Russ In Star Trek: Voyager

Russ Portrayed Tuvok In All Seven Seasons Of Voyager

Most famously, Tim Russ portrayed the Vulcan Lt. Tuvok, who served as the Security Chief on the USS Voyager under the command of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew). Tuvok was working undercover on the Maquis raider Val Jean when the ship was transported 70,000 light years to the Delta Quadrant. He rejoined Voyager's crew after the crews of the two ships merged, serving as Janeway's second officer.

With his sense of Vulcan logic, Tuvok proved to be a great investigator and security officer on Voyager throughout the ship's unprecedented journey through the Delta Quadrant. He expertly adapted to new situations and was a big part of the reason why most of Voyager's crew survived their journey. Despite his stoic Vulcan exterior, Tuvok could be surprisingly funny, and he cared deeply for his fellow crew members.

3 Tim Russ In Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Russ Portrayed T'Kar in DS9 Season 2, Episode 4, "Invasive Procedures" & Mirror Universe Tuvok In DS9 Season 3, Episode 19, "Through the Looking Glass"

Before Tim Russ landed the role of Tuvok, he appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 2 as a Klingon named T'Kar. T'Kar was a mercenary who visited Space Station Deep Space 9 in the company of the Trill Verad (John Glover). Verad was attempting to steal the Dax symbiont from Jadzia (Terry Farrell), and T'Kar helped take over the space station and guard the senior officers who had been taken hostage.

Tim Russ appeared again on DS9 in the show's third season, this time playing the Mirror Universe version of Tuvok. When Captain Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) is brought to the Mirror Universe, he aids the Terran rebellion against the Klingon/Cardassian Alliance. Tuvok was one of the rebels and the only Mirror Universe counterpart of a Star Trek: Voyager character to appear in live-action.

2 Tim Russ In Star Trek: Lower Decks

Russ Portrayed Commander Tuvok In Lower Decks Season 3, Episode 1, "Grounded"

In Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3 premiere, Tim Russ returned to voice Commander Tuvok, who aided in the investigation of the Pakled Planet's destruction. Captain Carol Freeman (Dawnn Lewis) of the USS Cerritos had been framed for the alleged bombing of the planet, and Tuvok ultimately helped clear her name.

The investigation was led by Captain Morgan Bateson (Kelsey Grammer), who had Tuvok interrogate a Zakdorn data fabricator with ties to the Pakleds. Through a mind meld, Tuvok learned that the Pakleds had destroyed their own homeworld to force the Federation to relocate them to a better planet.

1 Tim Russ In Star Trek: Picard

Russ Portrayed Captain Tuvok & Changeling Tuvok In Picard Season 3

And last but not least, Tim Russ's most recent appearance as Tuvok came in Star Trek: Picard season 3, by which time the Vulcan had transferred to the command division and held the rank of captain. Although the real Tuvok returned at the end of the season, Russ initially portrayed a Changeling posing as Tuvok who contacted the USS Titan-A. Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan) discovered the deception, leading the Changeling to threaten the ship's crew.

After Admiral Picard and his crew thwarted the Borg/Changeling plot, Starfleet rescued Tuvok and the other officers being held by the Changelings. Tuvok then met with Seven to inform her that Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) had recorded a message prior to his death recommending that Seven be promoted to captain. Tuvok honored this wish, confirming Seven's promotion to captain and giving her command of the newly rechristened USS Enterprise-G. It remains to be seen if Tuvok's story will continue, but Tim Russ will always be a welcome face in any Star Trek project.