Alice Krige didn't perceive the Borg Queen as a villain

Alice Krige played one of the most memorable roles in Star Trek, that of the very first Borg Queen. She made her debut in Star Trek: First Contact, using her feminine wiles to seduce Data with the prospect of allowing him to feel physical touch. What she really wanted were the encryption codes for the computer for Enterprise-E. But from watching the scene, it looked very much like she was after Data for so much more, and for those of us who'd already seen the Borg and the devastation the Collective caused, we didn't trust her for a minute. We knew she was a villain, but that's not how Krige herself thought of her character.

In an interview included in Star Trek All Good Things: A Next Generation Companion, Krige explained that she could never perceive anyone she portrays as a villain. There had to be some semblance of kindness, even if it was warped.

"The Borg Queen felt she was doing everyone a big favor. There's no way I can perceive anyone I play as a villain. They have aspects of their personality that are problematic for other people, but I can't have had feelings about anyone I play. Certainly the Borg Queen thought she was offering a kind of salvation to any being she assimilated."

- Alice Krige

That's a unique take on the Borg Queen, considering she led the Collective in ripping away the lives of millions of species. The Borg harvested what they wanted and left behind what they didn't. And it would be difficult for anyone to see what they did as an offer of salvation.

Krige's portrayal of the Queen was chillingly calm and cool. Looking back on it now, after reading her thoughts on the role, it does seem as though the Queen was being magnanimous and not deliberately cruel, but you'll never convince this fan that she was anything but a villain.