Why One Iconic X-Men Star Turned Down Star Trek

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Famke Janssen, who went on to play Jean Grey in the X-Men movies, turned down the role of Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine as she feared it would imperil her big-screen movie career. According to Terry J. Erdmann and Paula M. Block’s Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion from 2000, Janssen turned down Dax before Terry Farrell was cast in the part. Janssen called the role “A great opportunity,” but explained that she was concerned about her ability to play movie roles on the side, as well as exploring other characters.

Famke Janssen Turned Down Star Trek So She Could Take On Movie Roles

A glance at Janssen’s screen career proves that, as great as Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was, she made the right decision when it came to movie roles. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ran for seven seasons from 1993 until 1999 and, in that time, Janssen appeared in 1995’s classic James Bond movie Goldeneye, 1998’s underrated monster movie Deep Rising, 1998’s cult classic Rounders, and the same year’s Robert Rodriguez sci-fi horror classic The Faculty.

In 1999, Janssen played a supporting role in House on Haunted Hill’s remake, while a year later, she was cast as Jean Grey in the X-Men movies. Since that breakout role, Janssen has played supporting roles in blockbusters like 2008’s Taken and 2013’s Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, as well as reprising her role as Jean Grey in 2013’s The Wolverine. Although she will once again play Grey in 2026’s upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, the intervening decades did see Janssen finally return to the small screen with roles in shows like How to Get Away with Murder.

The X-Men Star’s Decision To Turn Down Star Trek Paid Off

Thus, although it meant turning down Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Janssen had little reason to regret her decision down the line. That said, her big-screen career wasn’t without its occasional missteps. 1995’s Clive Barker adaptation, Lord of Illusions, underperformed upon release, while 1998’s John Grisham adaptation, The Gingerbread Man, was a rare outright flop from director Robert Altman.

Similarly, 1998’s Celebrity was a commercial and critical misfire from disgraced director Woody Allen, although Janssen is far from the only major star to collaborate with the writer-director over the years. Although her movie career wasn’t entirely consistent, Janssen starred in enough successful movies to warrant her decision to turn down a role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and this was before the X-Men franchise had even come calling to casting her as its pivotal heroine, Jean Grey.

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