For all the things Star Trek has done for the world of entertainment, creating next-level headliners isn't usually its calling card. The biggest names to leave Star Trek, William Shatner, LeVar Burton, and Scott Bakula, were big stars prior to Star Trek. Shatner was already a leading man on television, while Bakula was an icon in the industry long before his turn on Enterprise. Not to mention Burton was the leading man in one of the biggest television properties of its time, Roots, as well as his leading role on Reading Rainbow.
They were brought in because they were stars.
Not a lot of names left Star Trek after their turn and found A-tier success beyond the franchise. Jonathan Frakes, while a director, saw his biggest role after Trek as a host of Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction, while Brent Spiner had a minor role in Independence Day. Jeri Ryan found some success as a main character on a television or two but she never carried a property with her name, same with long-time rival Kate Mulgrew.
So many ex-Star Trek actors and actresses found success in bit roles, recurring spots, or guest roles but few ever carried a major property on their back. That may be a reality that is quickly changing, as Star Trek has a few young stars who have the potential to be leading men or women in Hollywood for some time.
We're going to talk about three of them, but first, the honorable mentions.