Jennifer Lien | |
|---|---|
 Lien at the Generations II convention in 1996 | |
| Born | Jennifer Anne Lien August 24, 1974 Palos Heights, Illinois, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1990–2002 |
| Known for | Star Trek: Voyager |
| Spouse | Phil Hwang |
| Children | 1 |
Jennifer Anne Lien (born August 24, 1974) [1] is an American former actress known for playing the alien Kes on the television series Star Trek: Voyager.
Lien was born on August 24, 1974, [2] in Illinois, the youngest of three children, and joined the Illinois Theatre Center at the age of 13. [1]
In a 1992 interview, she said: "My childhood was wild because I was very uncomfortable living where I lived (the South Side of Chicago). It was very industrial—if you didn't fit in, you got your ass kicked. I was just my own person, and I adopted this really tough skin because I had to if I wanted to survive. A lot of my friends were into drugs, and I saw a lot of them die." [3] In a 1993 interview, she said:
When I was a little kid in Chicago, I always used to pretend I was somebody else. I wrote little plays, I was a tomboy, I hung out with the guys a lot. I never had much interest in hanging out with girls. I was always writing plays or watching movies or reading books, and when I was in seventh grade, I joined the drama club and found that I could fit right in, I could relax, I could do anything I wanted. I began to think I could make a difference, I could make people happy. I felt like I made the world just a little better for a while. Then, on the advice of an eighth grade teacher, I went to acting class, and then got an agent. I did industrial films and some theatre. Soon, casting directors started hiring me and then I got an interview with the people from AW . They liked me, asked me to come to New York, so here I am! [4]
Lien's first television appearance was in a bubble gum commercial playing twins. [5] Her first appearance on a television series was as a music academy student in a 1990 episode of Brewster Place , starring Oprah Winfrey. The same year she provided her voice for the dubbed English language version of Baby Blood , a French horror film. Lien moved to New York in 1991 after she was cast as Hannah Moore on the soap opera Another World . She attended and graduated from the Professional Children's School while working on this series. [6]
In a 1992 interview, Lien said: "A couple of years ago, I was trying to get an audition for a baseball movie, so I said that I could play baseball. We'd always played a lot while I was growing up, like in the backyard. But when I showed up at the audition, I was faced with these Goliath-like, testosterone women who could really play. I did survive the two days of training and auditions, but I basically pulled every muscle in my body!" [7]
In 1993, Lien was cast as Roanne in Phenom , a sitcom starring Judith Light. She also participated in the recording of Adam Sandler's comedy album They're All Gonna Laugh At You in which she played the part of the Valedictorian on the track "The Buffoon And The Valedictorian", as well as one of the daughters on the track "Oh, mom..." [8]
In 1994, Lien was cast as Kes on Star Trek: Voyager . Her character is an Ocampa, a species in the Star Trek universe that lives for only eight to nine years, who joins the starship's crew after it is stranded 70,000 light-years from Earth. [9]
In the same year, Lien voiced the character Valerie Fox in the pilot episode of The Critic .
Richard Lutz wrote, "The medical personnel in Star Trek best embody the humane values embedded in this franchise; the most notable of which is Kes, thanks in large part to Jennifer Lien whose remarkable performance brought to life a beautiful child-like being (Ocampa) whose short lifespan and humanity reminds us that the most important element in a life worth living is a loving connection with our fellow human beings." [10]
The showrunners reluctantly terminated Lien's contract as a member of Voyager's main cast due to unresolved personal issues that affected her performance. [11] She was replaced by a new character, Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan. In 2000, Lien returned as a guest actor for a season six episode titled "Fury". [12] [13]
After Voyager, Lien appeared in the movie American History X as Edward Norton's younger sister. In 1998, she appeared in SLC Punk! playing Sandy, the wild girlfriend of Matthew Lillard's character. She also voiced Agent "L" for the first three seasons of Men in Black: The Animated Series (1997–1999) and the first seven episodes of the 2000 season.
Lien has attended science fiction conventions in relation to her role as Kes when she was working on Voyager and after her film career ended. In a 1995 interview, [14] she said about these conventions:
The conventions are something within themselves, a unique world. It's a very different experience in that I can talk to other people involved in the world of Star Trek, like authors and actors from other Star Trek shows. I also get to meet people from other SF shows, because they tend to have guests from other series at the conventions I attend. The fans love the conventions, love meeting the people involved in their favorite shows. That makes you want to give them everything you can. I try to tell them what's going on, share my laughter and tell them about the wonderful experience I've been having on Voyager. The feedback is just so positive. The fans seem to really like the show, and that's good. If they have any negative feedback, they give it to me, too, which is fine. They're usually pretty respectful, and they come up with things that are very interesting—positive and negative – and I get sucked into it.
Lien is married to writer and filmmaker Phil Hwang; their son, Jonah, was born on September 5, 2002. [15] Upon his birth, Lien retired from acting and voice-over work but was credited as executive producer on her husband's 2008 film Geek Mythology. [16] In August 2010, Lien said she intended to work as a nutritionist after completing her studies. [13]
In a 2000 interview, Lien said that she liked every kind of music, and that she played the trombone, which she started in high school. [1] She said she supported charities helping people with AIDS and had worked with Camp 40, of which she said: "I want to be doing what I can for people who need it." [1]
Between 2015 and 2018, Lien was arrested and charged with a variety of offenses; [17] [18] [19] several of the charges were later dropped. [20] [21] The court eventually ordered her to undergo mental health treatment. [22]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Baby Blood | Yanka | Voice role |
| 1998 | American History X | Davina Vinyard | |
| SLC Punk! | Sandy | ||
| 2001 | Rubbernecking | Nurse |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Brewster Place | Music Academy Student | Episode: "One Small Step at a Time" |
| 1991–1992 | Another World | Hannah Moore | Recurring role; unknown number episodes |
| 1993–1994 | Phenom | Roanne | 22 episodes |
| 1994 | The Critic | Valerie Fox | Episode: "The Pilot" |
| 1995 | Inside the New Adventure –Star Trek: Voyager | Herself | TV special |
| 1995–1997; 2000 | Star Trek: Voyager | Kes | 68 episodes; regular cast member for three seasons |
| 1996 | Duckman | Movie Actress | Voice, episode: "Apocalypse Not" |
| The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest | Elise | Voice, episode: "Eclipse" | |
| Star Trek: 30 Years and Beyond | Herself /Kes | TV special | |
| 1997 | Superman: The Animated Series | Inza Nelson | Voice, episode: "The Hand of Fate" |
| 1997–2000 | Men in Black: The Series | Agent L | Voice, 40 episodes |
Kes is a fictional character played by Jennifer Lien on the American science fiction television show Star Trek: Voyager. She is a member of a telepathic alien species known as the Ocampa who have latent psychic abilities and a life span of only nine years. Joining the starship USS Voyager's crew in the pilot episode "Caretaker", she opens a hydroponics garden and works as the medical assistant to a hologram known as the Doctor. Her storylines focus on encouraging the Doctor to develop his humanity and dealing with her Talaxian boyfriend Neelix's jealousy. She also seeks to expand upon her mental capabilities, leaving in the fourth season after her powers threaten to destroy the ship. She reappears in a season six episode and features in Star Trek: Voyager novels and short stories.
Star Trek: Voyager is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor. It originally aired from January 16, 1995, to May 23, 2001, on UPN, with 172 episodes over seven seasons. It is the fifth series in the Star Trek franchise. Set in the 24th century, when Earth is part of a United Federation of Planets, it follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager as it attempts to return home to the Alpha Quadrant after being stranded in the Delta Quadrant on the far side of the galaxy.
Katherine Kiernan Maria Mulgrew is an American actress and author. She is best known for her roles as Captain Kathryn Janeway in Star Trek: Voyager and Red in Orange Is the New Black. She first came to attention in the role of Mary Ryan in the daytime soap opera Ryan's Hope.
Seven of Nine is a fictional character introduced in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. Portrayed by Jeri Ryan, she is a former Borg drone who joins the crew of the Federation starship Voyager. Her full Borg designation was Seven of Nine, Tertiary Adjunct of Unimatrix Zero One. While her birth name became known to her crewmates, after joining the Voyager crew she chose to continue to be called Seven of Nine, though she allowed "Seven" to be used informally.
The Kazon are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek franchise. Developed by Star Trek: Voyager series' co-creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor, the Kazon serve as the primary antagonists during the show's first two seasons. They are represented as a nomadic species divided into eighteen separate sects, and characterized by their reliance on violence. A patriarchal society, the Kazon have a low opinion of women, and place pride in men becoming warriors and proving themselves in battle. The Kazon storylines frequently revolve around the attempts of Jal Culluh and his Kazon sect to steal technology from the USS Voyager, with the assistance of former Voyager ensign Seska. During the second season, the Voyager crew uncover more about the alien species' history and culture through a temporary truce. In their final major appearance, the Kazon successfully commandeer Voyager, but are eventually forced to surrender and retreat. The alien species have minor cameo appearances and references in the show's subsequent seasons, and have also been included in Star Trek Online and novels set in the Star Trek universe.
"Caretaker" is the series premiere of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. It was first broadcast as a double-length episode on January 16, 1995, as the first telecast of the fledgling UPN network. It was later split into two parts for syndication, but released in its original one-episode format on DVD and streaming services. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they are stranded in the Delta Quadrant far from the rest of the Federation.
"Tuvix" is the 40th episode of the science fiction television program Star Trek: Voyager. The episode originally aired on May 6, 1996, and tells the story of Tuvok and Neelix being merged into a unique third character named Tuvix.
Garrett Richard Wang is an American actor known for his role of Ensign Harry Kim in Star Trek: Voyager.
The Vidiians are a fictional alien race in the Star Trek franchise. Developed by Star Trek: Voyager series' co-creators Rick Berman, Michael Piller, and Jeri Taylor, they serve as recurring antagonists during the show's first two seasons. They are represented as a nomadic species suffering from a pandemic known as the Phage, which destroys their tissue. A society with highly developed medical technology, the Vidiians harvest organs from corpses and living beings to stall the progression of the Phage, and experiment on other alien species in an attempt to develop a cure. Vidiian storylines frequently revolve around the aliens' attempts to take its Voyager crew members' organs, though a Vidiian scientist named Danara Pel serves as a love interest for The Doctor. The alien species have made minor appearances in the show's subsequent seasons, and have been included in novels set in the Star Trek universe.
"Faces" is an episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. Set in the 24th century, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they are stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from the rest of the Federation. The 14th episode of the first season, first broadcast by UPN on May 8, 1995, "Faces", was developed from a story by Jonathan Glassner and Kenneth Biller. Biller also wrote the teleplay, which was directed by Winrich Kolbe.
"Cold Fire" is the 26th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the tenth episode in the second season. The episode aired on UPN on November 13, 1995. It is a direct sequel to the series premiere "Caretaker" and explores the existence of another entity belonging to the Caretaker alien's species. This is also the first episode since "Caretaker" to depict members of the Ocampa species other than Kes.
"Elogium" is the fourth episode of the second season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, the 20th episode overall. The episode first aired on the UPN network on September 18, 1995. The story was written by freelancers Jimmy Diggs and Steve J. Kay, based on Diggs' experience while serving in the United States Navy. It was rewritten by executive producer Jeri Taylor and guest writer Kenneth Biller.
"Parturition" is the 23rd episode of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, airing on the UPN network. It is the seventh episode of the second season and is the second of three Voyager episodes directed by Star Trek: The Next Generation castmember Jonathan Frakes.
"The Gift" is the second episode of the fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, the 70th episode overall. The episode marks the transition of Kes, played by Jennifer Lien, out of the main cast of the series, and integrates her replacement, Seven of Nine, played by Jeri Ryan, into the ensemble.
"Fury" is the 143rd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 23rd episode of the sixth season. It saw the return, for this episode only, of former regular cast member Jennifer Lien as her character Kes. As with her final regular appearances in the first two episodes of the fourth season of the show, Lien is given an "Also Starring" credit, after the opening title sequence and before the Guest Stars are listed.
"Before and After" is the 63rd episode of the science-fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager, and the 21st episode of the third season. It foreshadows events seen in a later episode, "Year of Hell". The episode debuted on UPN on April 9, 1997. This episode is focused on the alien and crew member Kes, played by actress Jennifer Lien, in a plot involving a complicated time travel paradox with the USS Voyager. In this science fiction show, the USS Voyager is a 24th century star ship stranded on the other side of the Galaxy as Earth, and must make its way back over what may be decades with motley collection of Starfleet, Maquis, and aliens as crew.
"Sacred Ground" is the 49th episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the seventh episode of the third season. In this episode a crew member of the star ship Voyager is injured by an energy field in an alien temple.
"Warlord" is the 52nd episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the tenth episode of the third season. This is a science fiction television episode, part of the Star Trek franchise, that aired on UPN on November 20, 1996. This is the story of USS Voyager, a Federation starship stranded in the Delta Quadrant with a motley crew of Star Trek aliens, Maquis, and Starfleet. In this chapter the crew encounters the Ilari aliens, which commandeer Kes's body during political struggles on their homeworld. The crew works with factions of the aliens as Kes struggles to maintain control of her mind.
A Trekkie or Trekker is a fan of the Star Trek franchise, or of specific television series or films within that franchise. The show developed a dedicated and enthusiastic following shortly after it premiered, with the first fanzine premiering in 1967. The first fan convention took place the year the original series ended.
The fourth season of the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager commenced airing on UPN in the United States on September 3, 1997, and concluded on May 20, 1998, after airing 26 episodes. Set in the 24th century, the series followed the adventures of the Starfleet and Maquis crew of the starship USS Voyager after they were stranded in the Delta Quadrant, far from the rest of the Federation. Season Four featured the debut of new main cast member Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, nicknamed Seven, and the departure of Jennifer Lien, who portrayed Kes during the first three seasons of the show. At the end of the season, co-creator and executive producer Jeri Taylor retired.
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