Between Star Trek: Picard and Star Trek: Khan, Tim Russ did what no other Star Trek actor has done in the last two years. Russ is iconic as Lieutenant Commander Tuvok in Star Trek: Voyager, a role he performed for seven seasons on United Paramount Network (UPN) from 1995-2001.
Tuvok was the first Vulcan to be a series regular in a Star Trek TV show since Mr. Spock (Leonard Nimoy) in Star Trek: The Original Series. Unlike Spock, however, Tuvok was fully Vulcan, with no trace of humanity in his DNA, but he quickly became a fan-favorite member of Star Trek: Voyager‘s cast.
After Star Trek: Voyager ended, Tim Russ played Tuvok in fan-made productions like Star Trek: Renegades, but he and Tuvok returned to official Star Trek canon with his cameo in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Russ also plays Ensign Tuvok in Star Trek: Khan, thereby making Star Trek history.
Tim Russ Did What No Other Star Trek Actor Has In 2 Years
Between Star Trek: Picard season 3 in 2023 and Star Trek: Khan in 2025, Tim Russ is the first Star Trek actor to portray his character in two different eras of Star Trek in just two years’ time, plus an evil third version of Tuvok, as well.
In Star Trek: Picard season 3’s finale, Captain Tuvok had a touching scene with Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan), where he revealed that the late Captain Liam Shaw (Todd Stashwick) admired Seven and put her up for promotion. Tuvok had the honor of raising his former USS Voyager crewmate to the new Captain of the USS Enterprise-G.
In Star Trek: Picard season 3, episode 7, “Dominion,” however, Tim Russ shocked fans and Seven of Nine by returning as “Captain Tuvok,” but it was really a Changeling posing as the Vulcan. Fans didn’t know if Tuvok was alive until he reappeared in Star Trek: Picard season 3’s finale. Thus, Tim Russ even got to play a diabolical alt-version of Tuvok.
Finally, Star Trek: Khan allowed Tim Russ to voice Ensign Tuvok, who served under Captain Hikaru Sulu (George Takei) on the USS Excelsior in the late 23rd century, as revealed by Star Trek: Voyager‘s “Flashback.”
Tuvok played a key role in Dr. Rosalind Lear’s (Sonya Cassidy) investigation of Khan Noonien Singh (Naveen Andrews). Unsurprisingly, Tuvok deduced Lear’s secret at the end of Star Trek: Khan.
Tim Russ Is Now Star Trek’s Most Senior Vulcan
When Leonard Nimoy passed away in 2015, the torch automatically passed to Tim Russ, who stands as the most senior Vulcan in Star Trek for the last decade. With Star Trek: Voyager celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2025, Russ has now portrayed Tuvok for three full decades, and, hopefully, there will be more to come.
Commander Tuvok also cameoed in Star Trek: Lower Decks season 3, although without Tim Russ providing his voice.
Tuvok redefined Vulcans in Star Trek, as Tim Russ and Star Trek: Voyager‘s writers explored the intriguing aspects of Tuvok, who lacked Spock’s inner conflict between his Vulcan and human sides.
Tuvok’s success opened the door for Subcommander T’Pol (Jolene Blalock) on Star Trek: Enterprise. Tuvok is also a touchstone for the versions of Spock played by Zachary Quinto in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek trilogy and Ethan Peck on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Whether Captain Tuvok and evil Changeling Tuvok in Star Trek: Picard, or Ensign Tuvok in Star Trek: Khan, it has been a milestone couple of years for Tim Russ, whose appearances as his iconic Vulcan likely won’t be equaled by another Star Trek actor.
- Release Date
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2020 – 2023
- Network
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CBS All Access, Paramount+
- Showrunner
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Michael Chabon
- Directors
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Jonathan Frakes, Hanelle M. Culpepper, Akiva Goldsman, Joe Menendez, Lea Thompson, Michael Weaver, Terry Matalas, Deborah Kampmeier, Dan Liu
- Writers
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Matt Okumura, Kiley Rossetter, Christopher B. Derrick
