Why Almost Turn Down Jeri Ryan? Voyager's Star Trek
Renowned for her performance of Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager, Jeri Ryan revealed a provocative scene almost caused her to turn down the part. The scene, which aired in the fourth episode "Revulsion," showed Seven's awkward flirting attempt misinterpretation of Harry Kim's (played by Garrett Wang). One of two scenes Ryan's audition showed first caused questions about the character's portrayal and made her consider turning down the offer.
The Argument Scene in "Revulsion"
Harry Kim tries to flirt with Seven in the scene; she interprets this as a direct proposition instead. Seven so orders Harry to strip in front of her in the mess hall. Jeri Ryan in an interview with TV Zone said this scene was "terribly predictable and a bit cheesy." The scene produced an awkward moment by clearly sexual overtones juxtaposing with Seven's character development. Ryan voiced her misgivings, saying she wouldn't have gone on audition if this had been the only scene shown to her.
The Reason behind Jeri Ryan
Ryan's response to the scene made sense. At a turning point in her road to rediscover her humanity, Seven's character—a former Borg drone saved from the Collective by the Voyager crew—was With its too strong sexual connotations, the scene presented a stereotypical picture that ran counter to Seven's continuous growth. It was not at all like the multifarious, relevant character she developed in next seasons.
Seven of Nine's Character: Significance
Seven Of Nine's trip on Star Trek: Voyager was an engross story of a former Borg drone negotiating the complexities of human emotions and social interactions. Her encounters with the Voyager crew enabled her to rediscover her humanity and pick up the subtleties of personal relationships. But by using an unduly sexualized portrayal that finally felt out of character, the scene in "Revulsion" eclipsed this deeper storyline.
The Effects of the Scene
The sequence in "Revulsion" regrettably reinforced Seven's sexuality in a way that did not fit her level of development. It was a startling turn from the character's known path. Seven, a former Borg, had few human memories—including those of her childhood. Her early sexualization in this scene seemed improper, even awkward.
Outside the Scene
Luckily, Jeri Ryan was given more material during her audition, which helped her to see Seven of Nine's potential outside of the provocative scene. She could see the character's depth and complexity, her path of self-discovery, and the gripping exchanges she would have with the Voyager crew. It is evidence of Ryan's skill and the depth of the character Seven of Nine came to be such a beloved and powerful presence in the Star Trek universe.
Voyager's Legacy: Star Trek
The fifth Star Trek film, Voyager, shows the crew of the USS Voyager's difficult return home following their being stranded in the far reaches of the Milky Way Galaxy. Under Captain Kathryn Janeway, the crew solves difficult riddles, meets various alien species, and negotiates the tricky dynamics of a crew thrown into strange conditions. Though Star Trek: Voyager finally had great success and the character of Seven of Nine became a mainstay of the series' legacy, initially there was a mistake in how Seven of Nine was portrayed.
