Who has played a Klingon? Star Trek has been going since 1966 and literally hundreds of actors have portrayed characters across over 700 TV episodes and over a dozen movies. One of the most recognizable Star Trek species are the iconic Klingons, and dozens of actors have played Klingons over the years. Hailing from their home world of Kronos (Qo’noS), the Klingons even have their own language which is the most popular fictional language on Earth today. It is even recognized by Google for translation. Here is a list of recognizable actors whom have donned the Klingon makeup.

Vaughn Armstrong has portrayed many different characters on Star Trek, human and alien alike. He makes this list as Commander Korris from The Next Generation. You may recognize him from his many TV appearances, The Net with Sandra Bullock, or Clear and Present Danger with Harrison Ford. Fellow Trek actor Gates McFadden was in another Jack Ryan movie, The Hunt for Red October.

I bet you didn’t know that John Larroquette was a Klingon! Yep, he was one of Christopher Lloyd’s (Commander Kruge) henchmen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock. Larroquette is most famous for his role on Night Court. He has been on many TV shows, including Boston Legal with fellow Trek actors Rene Auberjonois (Odo) and William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk).

Jumpin’ Gigawatts! That’s right, ol’ Doc Brown played a Klingon! Christopher Lloyd is very recognizable from his vast body of work including Back to the Future and The Addams Family. He portrayed Commander Kruge in Star Trek III, The Search for Spock. One of his Klingon henchmen was played by John Larroquette, whom we just saw.

Suzie Plakson is a remarkably tall woman known for her TV work and movies such as Wag the Dog with Robert de Niro or Disclosure with Michael Douglas. She has also played several characters on Star Trek, including a Vulcan, an Andorian and a Q. Plakson makes this list as the half-Human, half-Klingon Ambassador K’Ehleyr, Worf’s first love interest and the mother of Alexander Rozhenko. She was also on the show Everybody Loves Raymond (along with several other actors on this list) as Robert’s ex-wife, Joanne.

The Candyman is a Klingon! Indeed, Tony Todd is a veteran Star Trek actor. He has portrayed everything from a Hirogen Hunter to an aged Jake Sisko. Todd makes this list as Captain Kurn, brother of Worf and a recurring character on both The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. He starred in Candyman 3 alongside fellow Klingon actor Robert O’Reilly (Chancellor Gowron). Todd has also appeared on Stargate SG1, but that’s another list.

Famous actor of the stage and screen Christopher Plummer donned the Klingon makeup in 1991. He played the Shakespeare-quoting General Chang in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Unique to his character, Chang was bald with subtle cranial ridges and an eyepatch bolted to his skull. Plummer also appeared in Dracula 2000 with fellow Trek actor Jeri Ryan (Seven of Nine).

Star Trek VI had its share of heavy-hitting actors. We already saw Christopher Plummer as General Chang. David Warner was also in The Undiscovered Country as Chancellor Gorkon, head of the Klingon Empire. Warner has a large body of work, but if you are about my age there is one that stands out – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, the Secret of the Ooze. He previously was featured in Star Trek V as a Federation Ambassador. Warner later portrayed Cardassian Gul Madred on The Next Generation.

Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister is everywhere. You may recall his professional wrestling character Zeus or Debo from Ice Cube’s movie Friday. Lister has the distinction of portraying the Klingon Klaang in the first episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. Klaang was the first Klingon to come to Earth in Star Trek canon. You may have seen The Fifth Element with Bruce Willis and Gary Oldman – Lister played the President of Earth.

Even Uncle Phil played a Klingon! After his run on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, James Avery put on the Klingon makeup in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise. His character (K’Vagh) was instrumental in finally explaining why Klingons looked differently in The Original Series. Pretty clever if you ask me. Of course, Star Trek Discovery messed with that for no reason.

Klingons come in all sizes! Brian Bonsall was Alexander Rozhenko, son of Worf and Ambassador K’Ehleyr, whom we saw earlier played by Suzie Plakson. Bonsall rose to fame on Family Ties with Michael J. Fox in the 1980’s. The character Alexander was 1/4 human and raised by Worf’s adoptive parents on Earth. Versions of Alexander would be played by several different actors – we will see one later on this list.

Colm Meaney has quite the Star Trek pedigree. He appeared in the very first episode of The Next Generation and worked his way to recurring character Chief Miles O’Brien. This led to a starring role on Deep Space Nine where he put on the Klingon makeup for one episode as an undercover operative. Meaney has been in many movies including Con Air with Nicolas Cage.

Like Colm Meaney, Avery Brooks had a starring role on Star Trek Deep Space Nine. He, too, got to wear Klingon makeup as an undercover operative. Now most famous as Captain Benjamin Sisko, Brooks was originally known as Hawk from the show Spenser: For Hire.

While we are on a roll, may as well get the other one out of the way. There was that episode of DS9 where some of the main characters got to be Klingons. Normally portraying Odo, Rene Auberjonois got to dress up like a Klingon with Avery Brooks and Colm Meaney. Auberjonois is probably most recognizable from his role on Boston Legal alongside Trek legend William Shatner (Captain James T. Kirk).

I mentioned earlier that Star Trek VI had an impressive list of guest actors. William Morgan Sheppard has portrayed several characters in the Star Trek Universe, but he makes this list as the Klingon Commander of Rura Penthe. You may remember Sheppard from The Prestige with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. He was also on Quantum Leap with Star Trek Captain Jonathan Archer (Scott Bakula).

Sometimes you just need a really tall Klingon. Star Trek found one with NBA legend James Worthy. That’s right, an L.A. Laker played Klingon Koral for an episode of The Next Generation.  This would be the first of four acting credits for the professional basketball player.

You may recognize Kevin Conway from movies like Thirteen Days with Kevin Costner or Mercury Rising with Bruce Willis. In the Star Trek Universe, Conway plays Kahless the Unforgettable, the spiritual leader of the Klingon Empire.

Mary Kay Adams in known for her role on TV’s Guiding Light. She plays recurring character Grilka on Deep Space Nine. Grilka would eventually become the (temporary) wife of the Ferengi, Quark (Armin Shimerman). Adams appeared on Everybody Loves Raymond, as did fellow Klingon actors Suzie Plakson (K’Ehleyr) and J.G. Hertzler (Martok and Kolos).

Robert O’Reilly is no stranger to Klingon makeup. He has played several different characters in the Star Trek Universe, but his main role is of Klingon Chancellor Gowron, which he portrayed 12 times on The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine. O’Reilly appeared in The Mask with Jim Carrey and Candyman 3 with fellow Klingon actor Tony Todd (Kurn).

Why play one Klingon when you can play two? J.G. Hertzler has portrayed many different characters in three different Star Trek series, but he is most known for General Martok and the Klingon Advocate Kolos. Hertzler is recognized from his role on the Zorro TV series, and has appeared on Quantum Leap and Everybody Loves Raymond with fellow Trek actors Scott Bakula, Suzie Plakson and Mary Kay Adams.

James Sloyan is another one of those actors who has played many roles in the Star Trek Universe. His portrayal of K’Mtar gets him on the Klingon list. It was revealed that K’Mtar was actually Alexander Rozhenko, son of Worf and K’Ehleyr, from the future. You may recognize Sloyan from daytime TV – General Hospital, The Young and the Restless or Chicago Hope.

Tricia O’Neil gets on the Klingon list for her portrayal of Kurak from an episode of The Next Generation. O’Neil has also played the role of Captain Rachel Garrett in Yesterday’s Enterprise with Christopher MacDonald. She has appeared on MacGyver with fellow Trek actor Bruce McGill and Babylon 5 with recurring Trek actor Andreas Katsulas (Tomalak).

She is most famous for her role as Captain Katherine Janeway, but Kate Mulgrew got to wear the Klingon makeup for one episode of Voyager. Today, Mulgrew is most well known for her character on Orange is the New Black.

Karen Austin played the Klingon Miral Torres, mother of B’Elanna Torres (Roxann Dawson) on an episode of Voyager. She also played the character Kalandra on Deep Space Nine. Austin is probably most famous as John Candy’s wife in Summer Rental. She also appeared in Night Court with fellow Klingon actor John Larroquette.

Actress and author Gabrielle Union was the Klingon N’Garen on a sixth season episode of Deep Space Nine. Her resume includes many films, including 2000’s Love and Basketball which also starred fellow Star Trek actress Alfre Woodard.

Most recognized from the show Law and Order, John Schuck’s Star Trek career spans 20 years. He played a Klingon Ambassador in both Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. Schuck also played the Klingon Antaak on Star Trek: Enterprise. Along with Star Trek legend Ricardo Montalban (Khan), Schuck also appeared on Fantasy Island.

Eric Pierpoint has portrayed several different characters on Star Trek, but he makes this list as the Klingon Kortar from Voyager. You may recognize Pierpoint from his TV work or his role in Liar, Liar with Jim Carrey.

Two Eric(k)’s in a row! Erick Avari has been in countless movies and TV shows. He has even played more than one character on Star Trek. Avari is on this list for his role as Klingon Junior Adjutant B’iJik from The Next Generation. You may have seen him in movies like Independence Day with fellow Trek actor Brent Spiner or Warehouse 13 with fellow Trek actor Saul Rubinek… Or The Mummy with Brendan Fraser… OR my other favorite SciFi show Stargate – in which he played the leader of Abydos in both the movie and the TV series (but that’s a whole other article).

Christopher Collins (aka Chris Latta) is another actor who has played many characters on Star Trek. His portrayal of Klingon Captain Kargon from The Next Generation gets him a spot on this list. He became a legend in the 80’s as the voice of Cobra Commander from G.I. Joe and Decepticon Starscream from Transformers. To a lesser extent, he was also the horrific voice of D’Compose from Inhumanoids. Leonard Nimoy (Spock) was also in Transformers as the voice of Galvatron.

Rick Worthy has played everything from a Xindi to an android to the hybrid Tuvix on Star Trek. He makes this list as Kornan from Deep Space Nine. Worthy as a tremendous amount of TV credits and you may recognize him from Duplicity with Julia Roberts.

The first of our two ‘regular’ Klingon roles, Roxann Dawson portrayed Lieutenant B’Elanna Torres for seven years on Voyager. The half-Human – half-Klingon character served as Chief Engineer aboard the starship. Dawson appeared in Darkman 3. Darkman 2 featured Larry Drake – also a Trek actor. As IMDb X-ray points out in EVERY episode she appears in, Dawson was once married to Casey Biggs who plays the Cardassian Damar on DS9.

Saving the best for last, Michael Dorn is the King of Klingons. He has portrayed two versions of Worf across seven years of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, and five feature films. Dorn has worn the Klingon makeup more than every other Klingon actor combined. You may recognize him outside of Star Trek in The Santa Clause 2 and 3.