7 people you may have forgot were in Star Trek: First Contact
By Chad Porto
Ethan Phillips
Like with Robert Picardo before him, Ethan Phillips came into the movie long established as a Star Trek actor over on UPN’s Voyager. The only thing about Phillips’ appearance is that you may not have realized who he is at first. While his voice may give it away, you’d never that the doorman of the holographic nightclub is actually the man known to fans as Neelix.
In a scene where Jean-Luc Picard and Lily are trying to outmaneuver the Borg, Picard leads the Borg into the holodecks and activates a crime story that Picard enjoys playing out. He does this so Picard can use a holographic Tommy gun to mow down the two Borg drones following them.
When the program starts, however, the Borg are greeted by a man with no face paint or face prosthetics covering him up in any way. This man is in fact the same person who plays Neelix on Voyager; Ethan Phillips.
Unlike Picardo’s cameo, Phillips plays a character completely different than the one he does on Voyager, a simple hologram whose job is to protect the bar. It is ironic that both Voyager cameos are holographic creations.
Phillips continues to act, guest-starring in shows like Chuck, The Mentalist and having a role in The Purge: Election Year. He also continues to act in Star Trek properties, having appeared in Star Trek: Online as Neelix.