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Rebecca Romijn has had a fascinating journey from being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue model in the ’90s to becoming an A-list actress, thanks to her iconic role as Mystique in the X-Men film series. Her portrayal of the blue-skinned mutant in the original ’00s trilogy made her a household name, and she’s set to reprise the role in Avengers: Doomsday this year. However, Romijn’s career isn’t limited to just the X-Men universe—she has also made a significant mark in the Star Trek franchise.
In 2019, Romijn joined the Star Trek universe by playing a character who hadn’t been seen for over 50 years. She is now one of the stars of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, a show that has expanded the lore of the franchise in exciting ways. Let’s dive deeper into her role and what she has shared about her sci-fi icon status.
The Lost Pilot Behind Rebecca Romijn’s ‘Star Trek’ Origin Story
Romijn first became part of the Star Trek world when she was cast as Number One in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery. While not as instantly recognizable as Captain Kirk or Mr. Spock, Number One is a crucial character. She originally appeared in “The Cage,” the rejected 1965 pilot episode of the original series. Played by Majel Barrett, who would later become the wife of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, Number One served as the second-in-command to Captain Pike (played by Jeffrey Hunter in the pilot).
Although Number One and Captain Pike didn’t make it into the main cast of the original series, their footage was used in the two-part 1966 Season 1 episode “The Menagerie.” This brought them into the Star Trek canon, even if they weren’t central to the show at the time.
Jeffrey Hunter, Leonard Nimoy, William Shatner, and Majel Barret in the rejected 1965 Star Trek pilot
Pike returned in the 2009 Star Trek movie, played by Bruce Greenwood, but Number One didn’t reappear in the franchise until Romijn was cast as her in Star Trek: Discovery 10 years later, with Pike played by Anson Mount. The original series was groundbreaking for its diverse cast, but Roddenberry claimed the initial pilot was rejected due to the network’s discomfort with having a woman in such a strong role. Additionally, the higher-ups were hesitant to have Barrett, who was then unknown, as a series lead.
Fast forward over five decades, and Number One has become more prominent in the world of Star Trek than ever before.
From Trekkie to Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Star
Romijn only played Number One in three episodes of Star Trek: Discovery, but in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which debuted in 2022 and takes place a decade before the original series, she is one of the core characters. The latest series has built out the character’s lore, giving her the name Una Chin-Riley and revealing her to be a member of the Illyrian species, though she appears human.
Romijn is no stranger to playing powerful women, having starred as a mysterious, double-crossing vixen in Femme Fatale (2001) and voiced Lois Lane in various animated Superman movies in the 2010s. In an interview with the Star Trek site TrekMovie, she described the experience of building a character who was originally a “blank slate” and praised her character’s strength and meticulous nature, saying, “She’s very, very good at her job… she is slightly intimidating to the rest of the crew.”
Rebecca Romijn in Season 2 of Star Trek: Discovery (2019)
Romijn was a longtime Star Trek fan before she was ever in the show. She revealed that her mother introduced her to the original series when she was just 8 years old. As she recalled to TrekMovie, “I think moms want to introduce their kids to Star Trek because when you look into your child’s eyes—and I can say this as the only mom on our cast, I have kids—you see curiosity. You see a need for exploration. You want your kids to think universally and think totally outside the box.”
Rebecca Romijn in Season 2 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2023)
Romijn said that being fitted for her first Star Trek uniform “brought tears to my eyes.” In a podcast interview, she described the unique experience of going from Star Trek fan to Star Trek star, saying, “The most out-of-body experience I’ve had so far was when I walked onto the set of the bridge of the Enterprise… It was one of the most ‘pinch-me’ moments I’ve ever experienced in my life, because the set itself is 360 degrees, including the ceiling, and you feel like you are in Star Trek.”
A Family Affair
Star Trek is truly a family affair for Romijn. Not only was she introduced to the show by her mother, but her husband, Jerry O’Connell, stars on the animated series Star Trek: The Lower Decks. The couple has a running joke about their ongoing rivalry over which of their characters has a higher rank.
It’s clear that Rebecca Romijn has a deep connection to the Star Trek franchise, and her love of the original series comes through in her charismatic portrayal of a character who might otherwise have been lost to time.
Rebecca Romijn in Season 1 of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds (2022)