Star Trek Stars Mourn the Loss of Rene Auberjonois

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine star René Auberjonois died yesterday at the age of 79 years old. Auberjonois was known to Star Trek fans for playing Odo, the changeling security chief on Deep Space Nine's titular space station. He also directed eight episodes of the series: "Prophet Motive," "Family Business," "Hippocratic Oath," "The Quickening," "Let He Who Is Without Sin...," "Ferengi Love Song," "Waltz," and "Strange Bedfellows."

As Odo, he was an all-business security officer keeping the Ferengi bartender, Quark, in line and harboring secret feelings for his co-worker, Kira. He was also alone the universe, knowing no other changelings. At the end of the series, he left his life on Deep Space 9 behind to rejoin his people.

Auberjonois also played Colonel West in the film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country, a role that went uncredited because his scenes were cut from the theatrical release and restored in the home media releases. He played the character Ezral in an episode of Star Trek: Enterprise.

Auberjonois is survived by his wife, writer Judith Auberjonois, who he married 56 years ago, his sisters Marie-Laure Degener and Anne Auberjonois; his son Remy-Luc Auberjonois, his daughter Tessa Auberjonois, his son-in-law Adrian Latourelle, his daughter-in-law Kate Nowlin, and his three grandchildren.

As the news spread, members of the Star Trek community -- those that worked with Auberjonois and those who only knew him through meetings at conventions and elsewhere -- took to social media to share their condolences and memories of the actor. We've collected some of their thoughts here.

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