TNG/DS9 star Rosalind Chao talks about playing Keiko O'Brien

Posted in: Star Trek, TV | Tagged with: 3-body problem, Rosalind Chao, Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Star Trek: The Next Generation

Rosalind Chao reflects on her time on the Star Trek franchise, from auditioning as Tasha Yar to playing Keiko O'Brien on TNG and DS9.

Published Wed Apr 10, 2024 1:37:08 PM -0500

by Tom Chang

Article overview

Rosalind Chao shares insights from her time as Keiko O'Brien in Star Trek TNG and DS9.

Chao was originally tested for Tasha Yar, but later joined as Keiko while maintaining her Japanese heritage.

She remembers laughing on set with the TNG cast and receiving valuable advice from Whoopi Goldberg during filming.

Chaos' journey includes not limiting himself to ethnicity in the roles and highlighting diverse Asian representation.

Rosalind Chao has been an enduring presence in Hollywood since her debut as an actress Lucille Ball in her sitcom Here's Lucy In 1970. With a career spanning six decades, spanning mostly television, the actress has nearly 140 credits, mostly in guest roles, with the occasional ensemble film like her memorable The Joy Happiness Club (1993). She has appeared in FX's Better thingsShowtime's The First Ladyand Netflixs sweet tooth in recent years. While promoting her latest work at Netflix 3 body problemChao spoke about her time as Keiko Ishikawa O'Brien, the wife of Chief Miles O'Brien (Colm Meaney) over two Star Trek Series, The next generation And Deep Space Nine. The actress appeared in eight episodes TNG and 19 on DS9.

Star Trek: Rosalind Chao reflects on her time as Keiko O'Brien on TNG and DS9 — Rosalind Chao in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Image courtesy of Paramount.

Rosalind Chao in Initial Star Trek: The Next Generation Screen Test & Return as Keiko O'Brien

When it came to the first casting call TNG“I met with them and they wanted me to come back and do a mock test.” [for the role of Tasha Yar], and I was visiting my now husband in London. I said, 'Oh my God, Star Trek?' It's been done.' So they cast someone else. Then they brought me back for the role of Keiko,” Chao said Vanity Fair. Denise Crosby would be cast as head of security for the USS Enterprise-D, which unfortunately did not survive the first season.

As an Asian actor working in Hollywood, Chao is used to playing characters of different ethnicities. “It shouldn't make any difference. Ethnicity shouldn't make a difference, but race should. When I did 'Star Trek' they said they were changing it to Chinese and I asked, 'Why?' “I have the same skin color and history shows that it is Japanese,” she said. “It's still a bit of a problem. Asians are only represented to a limited extent in this business anyway. So if you also say that only Chinese people can play Chinese? On 'Joy Luck Club' we had Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese and stuff.” Everything worked wonderfully. Unless we paint ourselves yellow or something, not everyone in The Bear is Italian.

Chao joined TNG in the season four episode “Data's Day,” and she has fond memories of some great laughs on set. “The biggest laughs I've ever had. Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner make fun of Patrick Stewart. They are unscrupulous. So many great moments,” she remembers. When it came to recurring cast members Whoopi Goldbergwho played Ten Forward host Guinan said: “Yeah, I was breastfeeding at the time and she gave me some great advice 'Hungry' and she just calmly said 'He'll be fine.'” In the episode “Disaster” the fifth season, in which Worf (Michael Dorn) helps Keiko give birth to her daughter: “Yes, that’s how Michael Dorn and I became closer. He stood between my legs for eight hours.” You can find out more about her career in the interview here.

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