Explore the fascinating history of Star Trek casting with a look at 10 actors who were considered before Avery Brooks took on the groundbreaking role of the franchise’s first Black captain.
Without Avery Brooks as Commander (later Captain Benjamin Sisko), it’s hard to conceive what Star Trek: Deep Space Nine would have looked like. Given that the series placed a lot more emphasis on its protagonist than earlier Star Trek programs, his portrayal of the first Black lead character was crucial to the show’s success.
The producers did not initially select Brooks for the part, though. Before the job went to Avery, they offered it to a few other A-list performers they had in mind.
These are a few well-known celebrities who declined the Commander Sisko position.
1. Ernie Hudson
Ernie Hudson is best known for playing Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters movie franchise. Hudson has joined the cast of Boston Blue, a Blue Bloods spinoff starring Donnie Wahlberg and Sonequa Martin-Green, who led Star Trek: Discovery for five seasons as Captain Michael Burnham.
In an interview with Bleeding Cool about his role as Reverend Peters in Boston Blue, Ernie Hudson was asked about the possibility of his joining the Star Trek universe like his co-star, Sonequa Martin-Green. Hudson explained that he auditioned for the lead role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine over 30 years ago. “I auditioned for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,” he said. “When they told me that they were thinking about going with a black captain, this was back in the day, I thought, ‘They’re not going to make the captain the black guy.'” They enjoyed his audition and asked him to come back for the next round, but eventually went with Avery Brooks instead.
2. Tony Todd
Tony Todd is best known as Worf’s brother, Kurn, on The Next Generation. However, he was one of the first performers considered for and to audition for the role of Benjamin Sisko. A July 30, 1992, casting sheet lists him as well as other actors.
Did we miss the #ds9 birthday? Here are casting notes for the role of Sisko. Includes Morpheus, Mulder, Pennywise, Locke, Leland Palmer, and a Bond. All pale in comparison to the great Avery Brooks, of course. July 22, 1992. pic.twitter.com/Hw70ruCubp
— trekdocs (@trekdocs) January 5, 2018
Todd lost out, but didn’t hold a grudge, and later notably played alongside Avery Brooks as the adult Jake Sisko in the DS9 episode “The Visitor.” He became a cast member of all three 1990s Star Trek series.
He later said he was on the “short-list” of actors considered for Star Trek: Discovery, but he didn’t elaborate on what role.
3. James Earl Jones
James Earl Jones, best known for voicing Darth Vader, was the showrunners’ and writers’ first choice for the role. However, his age would have significantly altered the series. Sisko would have raised Jake as an admiral rather than a commander, and his father would likely have died in the pilot. Additionally, due to his age, he wouldn’t have been as action-oriented. Despite these considerations, he was highly sought after for the role.
Casting director Ron Surma discussed the role with Jones’ representatives, but he was unwilling to commit to a seven-season television series, as it would restrict his options for other projects. Surma told the publication that because “you never give up on the wish list until it’s too late,” they continued to pursue him until just before they cast Brooks.
4. James Avery
The world knew James Avery as Uncle Phil from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” while DS9 was searching for its Commander Sisko. His portrayal of a strong, accomplished Black man helped shift the conversation about Black achievement, and he’s one of TV’s favorite fathers.
Avery was also on the wish list for Sisko, according to a casting record from the desk of Junie-Lowry Johnson, the Star Trek casting director who cast the show’s most famous parts. However, according to the notes beside his name, he was unavailable because of his casting on Fresh Prince.
6. Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers is best known as Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies and action blockbusters like Predator. Based only on his name value, he appeared to be a strong contender. Weathers auditioned for the role of Benjamin Sisko, but the role eventually went to Avery Brooks.
Weathers, who was more action-oriented and capable of putting anyone in their place, would have been fantastic as Sisko. He would later jump from the Star Trek franchise to Star Wars with his appearance in The Mandalorian.
7. Joe Morton
Joe Morton is best known for his brilliant performance in The Brother from Another Planet. The actor was 45 years old at the time and had just appeared in Terminator 2: Judgment Day.
The versatile actor would have done a great job and would have given the character a warmer tone. While Morton never appeared as an actor on Star Trek, he narrated the audiobooks of several Pocket DS9 and Star Trek: New Frontier novels.
8. Keith David
In the same casting document from 1992, it lists actor Keith David as a contender for the role of Benjamin Sisko. He had already gained notoriety in roles like The Thing (1982), Platoon (1986), and They Live (1988). With David’s deep voice and commanding presence, he would have done a good job.
But he was unavailable because he was starring in the Broadway musical “Jelly’s Last Jam.” He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance, so it worked out well for him. He also won 3 Emmys out of 6 nominations.
9. Laurence Fishburne
In early 1993, Laurence Fishburne was primarily cast in small movie and TV roles. His booming voice and excellent charisma made him a top candidate for the role of Sisko in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, but he declined to prioritize his movie career over his television work. Shortly after the series premiered, he landed his breakout role in What’s Love Got To Do With It.
Eventually, Fishburne changed his stance on television, appearing in shows like CSI, Hannibal, and Black-ish. He also expanded his focus into sci-fi with roles in The Matrix and Ant-Man and the Wasp.
