Louise Fletcher, who played Kai Winn on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, passed away Friday night.
The Star Trek family has lost another member on the heels of the recent death of Marva HIcks, who portrayed T’Pel on Star Trek: Voyager. Reported by Variety, Louise Fletcher who played Winn Adami (Kai Winn) on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine passed away on September 23rd. Though she only appeared in fourteen episodes of the series, her performances were so impactful that it always felt like her presence still walked the promenade even when she wasn’t there.
Fletcher was an Oscar-winning actress, well-known long before her appearance on Deep Space Nine, as Nurse Ratched on One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Along with winning an Academy Award for that role, she was ranked by American Film Institute TV special “AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Heroes & Villains,” as the fifth-greatest villain in film history.
The Star Trek community has reached out to honor Louise Fletcher and the gift she gave to the franchise.
Jonathan Frakes posted a picture of Fletcher in her Kai Winn costume but sent the RIP to Nurse Ratched.
RIP Nurse Ratched #LouiseFletcher pic.twitter.com/bbmChrpPGy
— Jonathan Frakes (@jonathansfrakes) September 24, 2022
Strange New Pod, a podcast that focuses on the past, present, and future of Trek, according to tis bio, honored Fletcher’s life and sent out the wish for her to “walk with the Prophets.”
Today we honor the life of one of the all time greats, Louise Fletcher, known to #StarTrek fans as Kai Winn. Louise passed away last night at the age of 88 in her home in Southern France. May she walk with the Prophets. #StarTrekFamily #LouiseFletcher pic.twitter.com/ZcYwV9soHQ
— Strange New Pod (@strangenewpod) September 24, 2022
Trek Untold, another Star Trek podcast, encouraged fans to look through her resume and watch some of her other work as she was a “Hollywood great.”
Just heard the sad news that Louise Fletcher has passed away at 88. If you only know her as Kai Winn you owe it to yourself to look through her résumé and watch some of her other work. A Hollywood great who #StarTrek was lucky to have on #DS9.#louisefletcher #RIP #StarTrekDS9 pic.twitter.com/aAlimlHptu
— Trek Untold #WeAreStarfleet (@TrekUntold) September 24, 2022
Ira Steven Behr tweeted that every Star Trek: Deep Space Nine fan should be in mourning as Louise was a key player. He regretted that she couldn’t be interviewed for the documentary because their schedules wouldn’t match up.
Every fan of #StarTrekDS9 should be in mourning tonight.
— Ira Steven Behr (@IraStevenBehr) September 24, 2022
Louise was key player for us.
A stone cold pro who committed totally to her character.
I would have loved to interview her for our documentary but we never could synch schedules.
She was so damn good being so damn bad. https://t.co/0600NLzUOZ
Bryan Fuller also sent out a tweet saying that Kai Winn walks with the prophets.
KAI WINN WALKS WITH THE PROPHETS - REST IN POWER, LOUISE pic.twitter.com/7SDW6CoPvP
— Bryan Fuller (@BryanFuller) September 24, 2022
Louise Fletcher died at her home in France on September 23rd at the age of 88. The entire Star Trek family mourns this loss. Our hearts are with her family.