When Jeri Ryan first stepped onto the set of Star Trek: Voyager in 1997, she wasn't exactly a "Trekker." In fact, she had barely seen the show. The actress, known globally as the Borg Seven of Nine, was famously handed a copy of the Star Trek Encyclopedia and a VHS of First Contact just a day before her final screen test. She had to learn an entire universe overnight.
Most people see the silver catsuit and think "eye candy." That was definitely the studio's initial plan to save flagging ratings. But if you look closer, Ryan’s performance was actually a masterclass in subtlety that saved the show from becoming a punchline. She didn't just play a robot; she played a survivor of a cult trying to remember how to be a person. Honestly, it's a miracle she stayed at all, considering the backstage drama that almost broke her.
The Seven of Nine Actress and the "Catsuit" Controversy
Let’s be real: the costume was a nightmare. It was so tight that Jeri Ryan famously had trouble breathing, and a nurse had to be on standby with oxygen tanks. But the physical discomfort wasn't the biggest hurdle. The "Borg 7 of 9 actress" faced a cold reception from some of her castmates, most notably Kate Mulgrew (Captain Janeway).
Mulgrew has since been very open about this. She felt that bringing in a "sex symbol" undermined the work she had done to make Janeway a serious, authoritative female lead. It wasn't personal, but it felt personal at the time. Ryan has described the first few years on set as incredibly difficult. Imagine going to work every day in a suffocating suit only to be met with professional frostiness.
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Yet, something weird happened. The on-screen chemistry between Janeway and Seven became the beating heart of the show. The mentor-protege dynamic was electric. You've probably noticed that their best scenes aren't the action beats; they’re the quiet arguments in Astrometrics about logic versus emotion. Ryan’s ability to stay "Borg-stiff" while showing a tiny flicker of fear or curiosity in her eyes is why we’re still talking about her in 2026.
From Borg Drone to Enterprise Captain
If you haven't kept up with the recent Star Trek: Picard series, you've missed the greatest character redemption in sci-fi history. Jeri Ryan returned as Seven, but she wasn't the same person. She was human. Well, mostly. She traded the silver suit for leather jackets and a phaser.
Reprising the role wasn't easy for her. Ryan has mentioned in interviews that she had a hard time "finding the voice" again. In Voyager, Seven spoke with a very specific, staccato rhythm. In Picard, the writers wanted her to sound like a normal person who had spent twenty years living on the fringes of space. Ryan struggled with whether the character would lose her essence if she stopped sounding like a drone.
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Why the Picard Era Changed Everything
- The Voice: Ryan and director Jonathan Frakes eventually decided that Seven "pretends" to sound more human to fit in.
- The Trauma: We finally saw the scars. Seven wasn't just an ex-Borg; she was a woman who had been hunted and rejected by the Federation she helped save.
- The Promotion: The finale of Picard Season 3 saw Seven of Nine finally take the center chair as Captain of the USS Enterprise-G. It was the "full circle" moment fans waited three decades for.
Life Outside the Collective
Jeri Ryan isn't just a sci-fi icon. She’s a National Merit Scholar and a massive foodie. She actually co-owned a French restaurant called Ortolan in Los Angeles for years with her husband, chef Christophe Émé. She’s also a regular on shows like Leverage: Redemption and Bosch.
People often forget she was a Miss Illinois winner and finished fourth in the 1990 Miss America pageant. She used the pageant money to pay for her theater degree at Northwestern University. She’s literally the "beauty and brains" trope come to life, though she’s spent most of her career trying to prove that the "beauty" part is the least interesting thing about her.
There’s a lot of talk about a spinoff called Star Trek: Legacy. Fans are practically screaming for it. Jeri Ryan has said she’s "never say never" about returning, but it has to be the right story. She actually turned down a different spinoff pitch because it didn't feel true to where Seven is now.
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What You Can Do Now
If you’re looking to dive deeper into Jeri Ryan’s work beyond the Borg implants, here is how to catch up:
- Watch "Someone to Watch Over Me" (Voyager S5, E21): This is widely considered her best acting work, where Seven tries to learn how to date. It's heartbreaking and hilarious.
- Check out "Leverage": If you want to see her play a completely different character—a grifter named Tara Cole—this is the one.
- Follow the "Star Trek: Legacy" petitions: If you want to see her back in the Captain's chair, the fan movement is currently the only thing keeping that hope alive at Paramount.
The reality is that Jeri Ryan took a character designed for ratings and turned her into a symbol of resilience. Whether she ever puts on the Starfleet uniform again or stays in the world of prestige TV dramas, she’s already secured her spot as one of the most complex actors of her generation.
Actionable Insight: To truly appreciate Ryan's range, watch the Voyager episode "Body and Soul," where the Doctor (Robert Picardo) inhabits Seven's body. Ryan's mimicry of Picardo's mannerisms is flawless and proves she was always the most talented person in the room.