6 Amazing Bodies of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

Dr. Julian Bashir was a star of the Starfleet Medical Academy racquetball team. Engineer Miles O'Brien was forced to take him on, in a tournament arranged by Quark. Major Kira loved Springball, so much so that she had a court built. And, of course, Commander Sisko and his son loved the classic Earth game of baseball. Despite it being considered a sci-fi show for '90s "nerds," the classic series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine featured a fair number of jocks. And in real life, the cast maintains their fitness. Read to see how Terry Farrell and more stay well into the future.

1. Terry Farrell

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Terry Farrell played science officer Jadzia Dax on the first six seasons. She opened up about negotiating contracts in Hollywood to WomenAtWarp.com. “When it first happens and you’re speaking up for yourself, I think a lot of the drive comes from how you’re afraid to speak out. So you can sound passive-aggressive, you build up anger, and you’re afraid to say how you’re feeling because you’re afraid how someone will react to you. At least for me, I would be afraid of how someone would react to me. And then, when you find your voice, and you trust that its going to be heard, then you can find a safe place, you can start that dialogue of sticking up for yourself before you get to the angry. It can feel really scary, and you can feel yourself being brave, but the more you do that, the more you practice that, the more your voice can come out and be heard. The more you feel your own strength, the more you find your own voice. You do have to learn it if you haven’t had it to begin with.”

2. Rosalind Chao

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Rosalind Chao reprised her The Next Generation role of Keiko O’Brien on the show. Chao shared some advice for actors with Backstage.com. “If I had one piece of advice for young actors now, it’s train train train, and then train some more. [And] don’t sweat the small stuff. Debra Zane, who cast ‘Mulan,’ brought me in to read. I was about to leave for London. I wasn’t actually going to go in because I was about to leave to be on stage. I thought, you know what, I haven’t met Debra Zane so I’m just going to go in anyway. When I went in, I explained to her, ‘I don’t think I can do this because I’m going to be in London for six months and it doesn’t work with the ‘Mulan’ schedule.’ She said, ‘This schedule is in constant transition. I really want to put you down for us, just in case.’ I really didn’t think I had the audition prepared as if I was going to be able to do the role. She really encouraged me to read for her anyway.”

3. Alexander Siddig

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Alexander Siddig played medical officer, Julian Bashir, for all seven seasons. In an interview with Bidoun.com, he talked about the roles he wants to play. “I am looking for solid characters, more in the old-fashioned way that books and films are very similar, rather than segmented films with uneven time. The great narratives, the great stories, have been appealing to all cultures, whether they are written by Tolstoy, or Garcia Marquez, or Mahfouz, and they are usually very simple stories.”

4. Cirroc Lofton

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Cirroc Lofton played Jake Sisko on the show. He talked about feeling supported by the show’s fans to TrekMovie.com. “The expansion of the fans has also been a wonderful thing. To meet all these new people that are getting brought back into the fold, to meet fans of my show that weren’t even born when the show went off the air… doing this podcast has been also an exceptional gift that keeps on giving. Thanks to the late great Aron Eisenberg, thanks to my partner Ryan T. Husk. This has been the thing that has kept me attached to Star Trek and helped me nurture and grow relationships that I’ve already had. Those are the wonderful things, the opportunity that this podcast has been for me.”

5. Nicole De Boer

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Nicole De Boer played Ezri Dax on season seven of the show. She talked about going to conventions with Heavy.com. “It is an absolute gift… there’s so much love there from the fans. You get to be with your other actor friends as well, you get to really engage with your fans and meet them. And meet families who brought ‘Star Trek’ to their kids and then watched it with their kids. Then their kids grew up and then they had kids and they introduced them to ‘Star Trek.’ And I get to meet these people at conventions. And it’s just so incredibly heartwarming. And so fun! It’s a huge part of my life.”

6. Andrea Martin

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Andrea Martin played the recurring role of Ishka on the show. She previously struggled with bulimia. She opened up about how she handles these feelings with CBC.ca. “Not feeling was the only purpose food ever held for me. If I have any feelings, happy or sad, my intention is to stuff them down. But instead, I sit with them. I feel what I’m feeling until it passes.”

Babylon 5, the iconic 90s sci-fi series, is renowned for its compelling narrative and memorable characters—oh, how we miss Vir Cotto. Here we offer a glimpse into the lives of six pivotal cast members. Claudia Christian, passionate about cooking, finds solace in culinary arts. Bruce Boxleitner reflects on his career's twists and turns with gratitude. Phil LaMarr advocates for diversity in voice acting, stressing its importance. Julie Caitlin Brown shares insights on negotiating contracts amidst cultural complexities. Bill Mumy discusses the nuances of child acting and sustaining a career. Beata Pozniak highlights her activism, particularly in establishing International Women's Day in the U.S. Read on.

1. Claudia Christian

Claudia Christian played Susan Ivanova on the first four seasons. She is an avid cook, and talked about her love of cooking with Tor.com. “Cooking is my sanity, my joy and my way of showing the people that I love that I appreciate them. I have no children, so my friends are the recipients of my maternal love. When I cook homemade meals for them, when the soufflé turns out perfectly, I feel that anything else … any negative minutia of life cannot affect me, I am at peace.”

2. Bruce Boxlietner

Bruce Boxlietner played John Sheridan from seasons 2 to 5. He talked about how he feels about his career to Smashing Interviews Magazine. “I don’t think there’s anyone in this business that doesn’t have regrets. Maybe you should have gone one way, and you didn’t, or there was a role you were offered, and you turned it down. Everybody has those in this business. But, no, I’ve got to tell you that I’m very blessed. Actually I’ve been very, very blessed for the most part for the paths my career has taken.”

3. Phil LaMarr

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Phil LaMarr played Stephen Franklin in The Road Home. In an interview with Twin Cities Geek, he talked about the importance of diversity when it comes to voice acting. “Diversity and representation weren’t buzzwords, but they were in the minds of people who had raw vision,” he said. “We need new stories; we need new perspectives. That’s what makes things interesting.”

4. Julie Caitlin Brown

Julie Caitlin Brown played Na’Toth in season one. She makes sure to negotiate her contracts correctly, and shared her approach with RosterCon. “There are always cultural differences, this is the way of the world. There can be a bias against women, their can be a problem with language and customs, there can be socio-economic issues that must be considered. I take into account all of these things when I am negotiating a contract.”

5. Bill Mumy

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Bill Mumy played Lennier in the first five seasons. He talked about his career in an interview with FOX News. "I’ve been very fortunate to work in so many areas of show business and be professionally rewarded for that," he said. "But I will say it’s a hard thing to adjust to when millions of people watch you perform week after week and then one day nobody is paying any attention to you. I can see how that can be troubling. But you know, I just kept finding a slot to work in. I never suffered financially like many other child actors whose parents spend their money. My parents invested and they kept me humble."

6. Beata Pozniak

Beata Pozniak played President Susanna Luchenko on the show. She is an immigrant, and has worked to empower women. Pozniak also was a factor in making International Women’s Day a holiday. She talked about her activism with Voyage LA. “The most proud thing I have done is to have met and found women that are inspirational — giving voice to the immigrants, who came here for a safer life. In searching for my new self, for my new identity, I wanted to find other immigrants, women from different walks of life that could serve as a positive role model. I met so many extraordinary immigrant women, from Ghana to Japan that words can’t even describe how uplifting their stories were. Therefore, in 1994, I spearheaded the introduction of the first bill in the history of the U.S. Congress (H.J. Res. 316) to recognize International Women’s Day in the United States. I wanted to celebrate the diversity of this great country.”

Star Trek stars have captivated audiences with their compelling performances and memorable characters (and pointy ears). Beyond the starships and interstellar adventures, these actors also share their personal journeys toward physical and emotional well-being. From Chris Pine's insights on healthy prepping for roles to Zachary Quinto's reflections on the evolving landscape for LGBTQ+ individuals, this article delves into the multifaceted lives of these talented individuals. Join us as we explore how actors like Karl Urban, Sonequa Martin-Green, and Michelle Yeoh strike a balance between maintaining incredible bodies, supporting charitable causes, and embracing their authentic selves in the ever-evolving realm of showbiz.

1. Chris Pine

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Chris Pine opened up about his career in an interview with Men’s Journal. In it, he says that he avoids those calorie rich diets when prepping for roles. “You’ve got Thor, you’ve got Captain America. These guys are eating 5,000, 7,000 calories, waking up just to eat food, eating 15 meals a day. For your liver, I don’t think that’s healthy.”

2. Karl Urban

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Karl Urban opened up about how he got in shape for his role in The Boys to Men’s Journal. “I made sure I was consistently putting work in the gym. I wanted to make sure I was meeting the requirements of what people had in their heads when they thought of him. There's also an importance on staying healthy when you're coming up on a big shoot like The Boys, because it can take a lot out of you. I put a program together based on a few other regimes I had built for other film projects and it worked. The goal was to add mass to all of the muscle groups, and hit them all. I wanted something that was just as much about fitness as it was about aesthetic.”

3. Zachary Quinto

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In an interview with Time, Zachary Quinto opened up about growing up as a gay man. “I feel grateful to have grown up at a time when all my experiences as a kid in learning to perform and growing up was based on the people that came before me. I spent a lot of time charting the journeys of the people who weren't allowed to be openly gay and had to live their lives in terrible self-oppression and torture and lies just to succeed. Kids today don't have to think about that, because so many of those people died. Now you can do what you want to do. That came at a cost. Honoring that cost is the only thing we owe each other.”

4. Chris Hemsworth

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Chris Hemsworth’s stuntman Bobby Holland Hanton, opened up about the way he and the actor get in shape for roles to Page Six. “Chris says to me, ‘We want to be the strongest, healthiest versions of ourselves for this next “Thor.” We want to take it to the next level.’ As you know, every single ‘Thor’ and ‘Avengers,’ he’s always in incredible shape. For him to want to take it to that next level, it was another huge challenge.”

5. Jason Isaacs

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Jason Isaacs shares his fitness secrets with GQ. "I have one of the many seven-minute workout apps. It’s star jumps; wall-sits; squats; crunches; push-ups with rotation; step-ups; planks; side planks as well. All the other actors and various crew members were initially interested, and one by all they’ve all dropped off. There’s a couple of die-hards that still do it with me but I am so much better at exercising when I’ve got a workout partner.”

6. Sonequa Martin-Green

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Sonequa Martin Green is open about supporting cancer charities. “What appealed to me about Stand Up To Cancer was the unity,” she told WebMD. “There is something so powerful about community, to know there are so many people from so many different disciplines in science coming together, shedding their egos, and combining their research. They’re world-changers and they’re doing it all as one, and I’m so honored to support this work.”

7. Michelle Yeoh

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Michelle Yeoh’s trainer, Andy Le, talked about working with her in an interview with GQ. “Her extensive background in martial arts films definitely had a great impact on how we worked together. Michelle brings a presence when the cameras are on her. You can take anyone else and teach them the same choreography and they would never be able to do it like her, she brings an X factor to her performance.”

8. Terry Farrell

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Terry Farrell opened up about working on Star Trek and what she’s learned in a 2015 interview with Woman At Warp. “I think that living in the moment is important – for myself, I strive to live in the moment, challenge myself to be a better person, and challenge myself to be my authentic self. And hopefully, whenever I get the feeling that I’m a little scared to deal with something, that instead I think ‘that’s how being brave feels’ and that motivates me to deal with it and confront it. I’ve had a lot of practice this year.”

9. Gates McFadden

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Gates McFadden opened up about her diet in this Tweet. “My diet does not include dairy or gluten. There are terrific crackers that are gf, most bread sucks so I bake biscuits that taste great. tofu salads, I occasionally eat fish, and am currently craving and scarfing down mochi that are made with coconut milk and are dairy & gf!”

10. Zoe Saldana

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In 2016, Zoe Saldana talked to Coveteur about getting in shape for Star Trek: Beyond. “The physical side of [filming] wasn’t demanding at all for me—I asked if it was okay for me to not try to be a hero in this installment of the films. I have my sons who are six months old. But with that being said I still have a fighting scene, and I’m so happy about it. I was already in my process of slowly getting back to my normal routine with my body, so I just started doing some power yoga and a lot of floor work—breathing has been helping me a great deal. I just love it, so that’s what I was doing in my spare time.”

11. Alison Pill

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Alison Pill opened up about the impact of Star Trek: Picard to Inverse.com. “I think we definitely all understand that humans are social animals and many animals are social,” Pill says. “So how do we organize ourselves by these principles that don't put us in these individual black and white boxes and get stuck in the binary way of thinking? Of good vs. bad? Or with us or against us? How, how could we operate in society if those weren't the only options? That’s what our show is about.”

12. Rebecca Romijn

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Rebecca Romijn is all about self-acceptance. She talked about this in an interview with People. “I think life is a whole game of acceptance. I think when you, especially as you get older, you just have to accept certain things and accepting your looks to a certain extent is part of that, just growing up, maturity.”

13. Anson Mount

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In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Anson Mount opened up about the impact of the Star Trek franchise, and honoring it in Strange New Worlds. “To me, it’s super important because I grew up watching the original series when it was in syndication. That is how I discovered Star Trek. And that was the only Star Trek I had until The Next Generation. So, for me, that’s everything. And that is what we really wanted to do, something that was a throwback and homage to the original series. And almost everything we do, that consideration goes into it.”

14. Jack Quaid

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Jack Quaid opened up about his life and career to GQ. He says that he wants to respect the people he works with. “I very much have a sorry to bother you attitude in my life. I don’t want to involve anyone else. But whatever people's processes are, as long as you're not actively hurting anyone, I think it's okay.”

15. Ella Purnell

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Ella Purnell talked about how she plays characters in an interview with TheFace.com. “It doesn’t matter to me if the character is likeable or not likeable. What matters to me is compelling storytelling. And if you lose the audience at episode three or four because your character is annoying, they’re not going to give a shit if you [PLOT DETAIL REDACTED] in episode 10.”

16. Wil Wheaton

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Wil Wheaton talked about the changes he was making to his diet in this 2016 post on his website. In it, he talked about how he was eating healthy and approaching food. “My only vice left is ice cream, and I have ice cream almost every night. I’m not going to feel bad or apologize for it, or make any excuses. All my other meals are really good, and we are cooking our own food at least three nights a week. I track my calories in and out, and I’m staying right around 1300 calories every day, which I guess is good for a guy my age and activity level and all that stuff.”

17. Christina Chong

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Christina Chong revealed in this interview that she likes to meditate. According to the Mayo Clinic, meditation has a lot of benefits. “During meditation, you focus your attention and eliminate the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process may result in enhanced physical and emotional well-being.”

Cue spooky music and embark on an extraterrestrial expedition to uncover the secrets behind the show's most iconic figures. The FBI's finest, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson have revealed their off-screen regimens to maintain those investigative physiques that could even make Cigarette Smoking Man quit a bad habit. From Duchovny's passion for juicing to Anderson's dedication to skincare, it's clear these stars are as committed to their health as they are to solving paranormal phenomena. Joining the dossier are Annabeth Gish, who takes family fitness to new heights, and Joel McHale, whose disdain for lunges is matched only by his determination. Read on.

1. David Duchovny

David Duchovny played one of the lead characters, Fox Mulder, on the show. He shared some of his diet and workout secrets in a video interview with Men’s Health. He loves to make juices. “Down here we have juicing stuff like beet, carrot,” he said, showing the viewers his fridge. “I’ve got back into juicing recently. Fruit. I like this coconut stuff.”

2. Gillian Anderson

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Gillian Anderson played Dana Scully on the show. She shared some of her skincare secrets with New Beauty. "Even with all the fancy creams I’ve been gifted over the years, once I started seeing that my skin was suffering, I began to pay more attention to it. There’s a Clinique Moisture Surge Gel, which is kind of extraordinary for application in the afternoon, if you’re starting to feel like you’re drying up and need some hydration.”

3. Annabeth Gish

Annabeth Gish played Monica Reyes on the show. She revealed to Sportify that she and her family do a lot of physical activities together. “My kids know that working out for my mental and physical health is a priority. We all go rock climbing as a family. We ski. We scuba dive. My children are starting to now out-pace me. They want to go deeper, and ski faster, and climb higher. It’s beautiful to see when your children start to actively excel beyond you.”

4. Joel McHale

Joel McHale played Ted O’Malley on the revival series. In an interview with Men’s Journal, he revealed that he does a lot of tough lower body workouts. “I think all leg workouts are harder than upper body workouts just because it’s a much bigger muscle. Even though I don’t like doing lunges and they annoy the hell out of me, I do them, because I know I’ll be happy sometime later. I really don’t have that much trouble with motivation. I’ve never been one of those guys that’s like 'I don’t know if I’m going to work out today.' I’m way too vain to not work out.”

5. Robbie Amell

Robbie Amell played Miller on the revival. He shared some of his at-home workouts in an interview with Men’s Health. "Obviously, times are really weird right now, but I think it's really important to try and stay active, whether it's pushups, situps, burpees, jumping jacks, you know, anything to just get the blood flowing and get the endorphins going.”

6. Robert Patrick

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Robert Patrick played John Doggett on the series. He also appeared in Terminator 2: Judgement Day, and talked about the experience with The Chicago Tribune. “If you let your imagination go, you can kind of endure anything. I don’t want that to sound so cavalier, but I think because of the preparation I had done, the training that I had done, I was able to do what was asked of me. And no one got hurt — including myself. I felt like I did a good job. Every effort was made to make me feel comfortable.”

Staying fit in Star Wars isn't just about lightsaber training. Herewe delve into the wellness routines and secrets of six remarkable Ahsoka stars who not only grace our screens with their talent but also inspire us with their dedication to health and self-care. From Rosario Dawson's practical approach to Natasha Liu Bordizzo's go-to meals, Mary Elizabeth Winstead's intense training regimen to Diana Lee Inosanto's love for nature, David Tennant's unique take on public image to Eman Esfandi's artistic pursuit of a more empathetic world – prepare to be impressed with how they stay slimmer than a Purrgil.

1. Rosario Dawson

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Rosario Dawson talked about her wellness routine to Us Weekly. She says that because of her schedule, she needs her wellness secrets to be easy and consistent. “I walk everywhere. I drink a lot of water. I try to get as much sleep as possible. Everything else about my schedule and routine is inconsistent, so if those types of things I can do, they’re really important… I can always take the stairs rather than use the elevator or the escalator.”

2. Natasha Liu Bordizzo

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Natasha Liu Bordizzo shared her go-to meals in an interview with Byrdie. “For breakfast, I'll usually have muesli with coconut milk or eggs and avocado (the Aussie classic). For lunch, I'll eat at a cafe as I'm always out and about. For dinner, it's a simple stir-fry with veggies, tofu and a heap of tamari. Or a prawn pasta with a tomato base.”

3. Mary Elizabeth Winstead

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While promoting her Netflix film, Kate, Mary Elizabeth Winstead shared how she got in shape to do some of the stunts in the role. “Working with 87North, they give you a really good baseline in jiu jitsu,” she said on Netflix's website. “Then they throw in boxing drills and things like that. And that's one of those examples, when I said I didn't really know that I was learning the choreography. It became: ‘Ok, you're punching like we've been doing in these boxing drills. but with a knife in your hand this time.’ So I'm using the proper power behind the force of the punch now it's a knife." They're just really smart, in terms of building it into your body in a way that you don't even realize what's happening.”

4. Diana Lee Inosanto

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In an interview with The Inner Circle, Diana Lee Inosanto shared some of her fitness and wellness secrets. “I love doing Yoga,” she says. “I love writing and reflecting on my life. I also love taking long scenic walks by the ocean or hiking in outdoor places. I am a nature lover!”

5. David Tennant

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In an interview with the DailyMail’s Weekend Magazine, David Tennant talked about things people might not know about him. “I don't think very much about my public image,” he revealed. “I once saw the same photo of me in two magazines in the same week. One had captioned it, 'This man knows how to dress!' The other said, 'What on earth is he wearing?' Ever since then, I've chosen to follow my own spirit.”

6. Eman Esfandi

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In an interview with Voyage LA, Eman Esfandi talked about his approach to acting, creating art, and making movies. “The end goal is to perpetuate a more understanding, empathetic, and selfless society through whichever means/medium possible. I hope one day I can look back on my work and feel confident knowing that it was always in pursuit of that goal. I hope one day you can look back on my work and feel anything at all.”