Billy Campbell portrayed Captain Thadiun Okona in one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but has returned to the franchise in animated form. Billy Campbell began acting in the mid-1980s, landing his first significant television role on Dynasty in 1984. Campbell went on to costar as Detective Joey Indelli in Crime Story before appearing in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 2, episode 4, "The Outrageous Okona." Campbell landed the leading role in Disney's The Rocketeer in 1991 and also portrayed a vampire hunter in Bram Stoker's Dracula in 1992.
Billy Campbell continued to appear in popular films and television shows throughout the 1990s and beyond. From 1999 to 2002, Campbell starred alongside Sela Ward in the Emmy-winning Once and Again. Campbell also appeared in episodes of Law & Order: SVU and The OC, and had a regular role on The 4400. Campbell portrayed Darren Richmond in The Killing, Dr. Alan Farragut in Helix, and John Cardinal in Cardinal. Most recently, Campbell has popped up in episodes of FBI and Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and is set to appear in the upcoming sequel to I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Billy Campbell Played Captain Thadiun Okona In Star Trek: TNG
Campbell's Okona Stole The Show In TNG's "The Outrageous Okona"
In Star Trek: The Next Generation's "The Outrageous Okona," the crew of the USS Enterprise-D meets Billy Campbell's Captain Okona when he needs help repairing his ship. Once aboard the Enterprise, Okona charms the crew, particularly the women, but his presence on the ship soon draws the Enterprise into the middle of a family squabble. Okona had been passing messages between two young lovers on opposite sides of a conflict, but the leaders of the warring planets believed Okona to be a thief and a rogue. In the end, Okona helps the two families resolve their conflict and encourages the two lovers to marry.
Although all of this happens on the bridge of the Enterprise, Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) cannot intervene in the internal politics of the two planets. Aside from a lackluster subplot where Lt. Commander Data (Brent Spiner) attempts to learn humor, "The Outrageous Okona" doesn't give the main cast much to do. Billy Campbell's performance as Okona elevates the episode, making it memorable despite its somewhat uneventful plot. Okona made such an impression as a character that Star Trek brought him back in animated form over three decades later.
Billy Cambell’s Return As Okona in Star Trek: Lower Decks and Prodigy
Okona Is Still A Smuggler, Who Occasionally Moonlights As A DJ
After his appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Captain Okona was not mentioned again until he popped up in the background of Star Trek: Lower Decks season 2, episode 5, "An Embarrassment Of Dooplers." In that episode, which takes place around 2381, Okona was working as a DJ at the Command Conference afterparty on Starbase 25. Okona had also left his left eye in an unknown incident, making him look even more like a pirate. After this brief cameo, Okona made a more significant appearance in Star Trek: Prodigy.
In Star Trek: Prodigy season 1, episode 14, "Crossroads" and episode 15, "Masquerade," Dal R'El (Brett Gray) and his friends encountered Okona when he stowed away on the cargo trolley they used to flee from Starfleet. Okona helped the kids escape and, later, took them to Noble Isle spaceport to repair the Protostar. Okona made one more appearance in Prodigy season 2, episode 14, "Cracked Mirror," in an alternate reality visited by Chakotay (Robert Beltran) and the Protostar kids. In this reality, the Federation had been destroyed, and Okona was raiding the USS Voyager-A's sickbay.
Billy Campbell Almost Played Star Trek: TNG’s Commander Riker
Campbell Almost Snagged The Role That Went To Jonathan Frakes
Although Billy Campbell's Okona has become more than just a one-off character, the actor almost played a much larger role in the Star Trek franchise. Before Jonathan Frakes landed the role of Commander Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation, Billy Campbell was a front-runner for the part. Several actors were considered to portray Riker, but Campbell was reportedly Gene Roddenberry's first choice for the role. At one point, Campbell was even cast as Riker, but then-President of Paramount Studios John Pike was not a fan.
According to The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years by Mark A. Altman and Edward Gross, John Pike felt that Billy Campbell lacked "a sense of command." Producers then went to their second choice, Jonathan Frakes, and he was perfect for the role. Not only did Campbell still manage to land a role in Star Trek, but he has continued to appear in a steady stream of popular films and television shows throughout his successful career. Billy Campbell made Captain Okona a memorable Star Trek: The Next Generation guest star who continues to pop up in modern Trek.
