When Star Trek: Voyager launched into Gene Roddenberry’s rich science fiction universe 30 years ago, it already consisted of three live-action television shows and an animated series. However, Voyager boldly went where none of the others had gone before as the lead of this particular installment featured a female captain: Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew).
Naturally, it’s only right that the USS Voyager’s commander was flanked by one of the franchise’s most beloved Vulcans, Tuvok (Tim Russ). However, despite the seriousness of many episodes, it turns out there were plenty of pranks being pulled behind the scenes. Russ recalled the good ole days while attending the recent Creation’s Trek to New Jersey event, and the Voyager star discussed some of the BTS shenanigans for those in attendance. Russ said (via TrekMovie.com):
“I was kneeling on the floor. She [Mulgrew] was across from me, and there was some cork on the floor that they put down there to make it look like debris. And I looked at her. I picked up a piece of it, and I was just doing like this [throwing motion]. And she said, ‘Don’t you dare think about hitting me with that!’ I said, ‘Oh no?’ But I did. I pinged her with it just before the tape.”
Russ’ story must have delighted those Trekkies and conventiongoers on hand, but his prank-related tale didn't go his way entirely. As it turns out, the captain of the starship Voyager can give as good as she gets in real life, too. Yes, Mulgrew got her revenge by pulling off a little prank of her own. Russ elaborated in the same interview by saying:
“Then when I went to my trailer at the end of the night to go home, all of my street clothes were not there. Couldn’t find clothes to change into. So, I had to go to the wardrobe people and ask [the costumer] Matt [Hoffman]. I said ‘Matt, man, I can’t find my clothes, what happened to my clothes?’ And so, we went to Kate’s trailer. That’s where they were. She’d taken them and put them in her trailer.”
Like a seasoned chess player, Russ then made his move to get even with his on-screen commander. “I told Matt: ‘Matt, get your Polaroid camera out for me, man.’ So, he took several Polaroid pictures of my bare ass. About four or five of 'em. And I stuck them all over her trailer. So that’s what she saw when she came in the next day.”
Unfortunately, for the beloved Tuvoc actor, he was playing pranks with a chess master. Mulgrew bided her time until the team was shooting season 3’s opening episode, “Basics, Part II,” to make her move — and checkmate her friend and colleague.
“She has a big speech about how we have to survive. ‘We may end up having to eat whatever’s available to eat.’ She held up a big hand of mealworms, which were alive,” Russ continued. “And just before the take on me, she dumped them down the back of my uniform. So, they were squiggling around… during the take.”
If Russ and Mulgrew had been playing tennis, that mealworms incident was game, set, match! Afterward, the Voyager co-stars called a truce, and Russ told those attending Trek to NJ: “You don’t want to mess with the captain.”
Star Trek: Voyager is streaming on Paramount+. However, at the time of this writing, those who don’t pay for a subscription can warp over to PlutoTV and watch all 26 episodes of Voyager season 4 absolutely FREE. For more Star Trek content, visit the Redshirts Always Die Facebook and X pages.
Live long and prosper, Trekkies!