“Star Trek: Deep Area 9” solely had eight central forged members listed as its regulars within the opening credit, however by the top of its seventh and closing season, it had no fewer than 30 members in its ensemble. Like on “The Simpsons,” all the supporting gamers on “Deep Area 9” expanded because the sequence went on, with a lot of them getting story arcs of their very own. Actors like Andrew J. Robinson, Penny Johnson Jerald, Marc Alaimo, Max Grodénchik, Aron Eisenberg, Louise Fletcher, and Jeffrey Combs could have solely technically performed recurring characters, however they had been simply as essential to the sweeping narrative of “Deep Area 9” as the principle forged.
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Living proof: Chase Masterson performed a personality named Leeta, a Bajoran lady who labored in Quark’s Bar. Leeta was a dabo woman, employed to spin a Ferengi roulette wheel and look fairly. She was first launched within the third season episode “Explorers” (Might 8, 1995), flirting with the good-looking younger Dr. Bashir (Alexander Siddig). She and Dr. Bashir would date briefly, earlier than she dumped him in favor of the seemingly half-witted Ferengi Rom (Grodénchik). By the top of the sequence, Rom would show that he truly has quite a lot of enterprise acumen, and he and Leeta would marry. General, Leeta solely appeared on 16 episodes on “Deep Area 9,” however she left an impression, turning into a notable a part of “Star Trek” lore.
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Masterson liked this about Leeta. Not that she was part of Trek lore, however that she solely appeared in 16 episodes. Being a predominant character on “Deep Area 9,” the actress felt, would have jeopardized her total work schedule. As a supporting participant, she was allowed the time and the leeway to play other forms of roles and develop her craft. She talked about her concurrent non-Trek roles in a 2011 interview with StarTrek.com, and the way blissful she was to have the ability to exit the “Star Trek” set when she wanted to.
Chase Masterson preferred the liberty of being a supporting participant
Masterson stated in her interview that one purpose she did not thoughts being a supporting participant on “Deep Area 9” was as a result of the writing was so darn good. As famous, all of the so-called minor characters finally grew into a lot bigger figures on the sequence, even when they’d much less general display time than the eight rules (9, as soon as Michael Dorn joined the forged to reprise his function of Worf). As she put it:
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“‘DS9’ was so well-written that there wasn’t actually a difficulty of predominant characters with out a lot to do; certainly, one of many strengths of the present was that our writers created a complete world wherein the viewers acquired to know people who weren’t all the time within the highlight, simply as you’d in the event you had been dwelling in that world. Utterly aside from the truth that I used to be a kind of people, I all the time revered that in regards to the present.”
Certainly, Leeta had an entire arc. She did not simply have separate romantic companions, as talked about, but additionally grew to become pal to Dax (Terry Farrell), and have become one of many extra outspoken advocates for unionization in her office. Masterson began as a background character who flirted with Dr. Bashir, however swiftly grew to become wealthy, attention-grabbing and nuanced.
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Extra importantly, although, Masterson started working on her profession, and was in a position to take all kinds of jobs. “Deep Area 9” aired from 1993 to 1999, and that was fairly a dedication from its eight principal actors (though Colm Meaney took breaks lots, and Farrell exited the present in its closing season). Masterson was known as solely each infrequently, permitting her to show up on a litany of different applications.
Chase Masterson was on each present
Masterson continued:
“There have been different causes that being a recurring character, quite than a sequence common, labored properly for me. I acquired quite a lot of expertise enjoying all kinds of various roles on different reveals through the run of ‘DS9’ that I would not have had if I had been a sequence common, together with: a grieving mom on the Emmy-winning episode of ‘ER,’ a recurring function on UPN’s ‘Dwell Shot,’ co-host of ‘NBC Saturday Evening on the Motion pictures with Ryan Seacrest,’ a visitor star on ‘Sliders,’ ‘Showtime: Nighttime,’ which I did for a 12 months on Showtime, [and] ‘Sci-Fi Leisure,’ which I hosted on the Sci-Fi Channel.”
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Masterson, as you may see, saved busy. Certainly, the above interview was solely from 2011, and he or she has continued to work, each internet hosting style TV reveals, and starring in different notable tasks. Certainly, she returned to “Star Trek” in 2023 to play Leeta once more in an episode of “Star Trek: Decrease Decks.” On the time, she was blissful to announce that she had starred in a movie she known as “Frozen,” however which was truly the TV film “Typically They Come Again… For Extra.”
She added that “Being a sequence common would have been good, after all, however I loved the flexibility of the opposite work I used to be free to do throughout these years.” Masterson is, as of this writing, about to look in an indie sci-fi comedy known as “Je Suis Auto,” and two different style flicks known as “Tempest: An Angel’s Wrath” and “The Inspector Chronicles.” At age 62, she hasn’t stopped. Nor ought to she. Masterson is deeply beloved by the sci-fi neighborhood.
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