Star Trek: Voyager’s Kate Mulgrew Commemorates 25th Anniversary of Her First Janeway Scenes

It was 25 years ago that Star Trek: Voyager‘s Kate Mulgrew began her journey as Capt. Kathryn Janeway. In January 1995, Star Trek: Voyager debuted and sent Janeway and crew aboard the USS Voyager into the Delta Quadrant. But it was in September 1994 that Mulgrew began shooting her first scenes for that pilot episode. Earlier this week, that fact was brought to Mulgrew’s attention and she commemorated it with posts on social media. “It’s come to my attention that on this day, 25 years ago, I filmed my first scenes as Captain Janeway,” Mulgrew wrote on Facebook. “Thus, 25 years ago today I walked onto the Bridge and my life changed utterly. A singularly privileged and extraordinary journey on that intrepid vessel, with my beloved crew. How lucky I have been.”

Mulgrew was the first woman to lead a Star Trek series (though she was the second actress cast as Janeway). Her celebration of 25 years led some fans to renew their call for Mulgrew to return as Janeway, be it a cameo n Star Trek: Picard or in another series. Mulgrew has said before that “I did it on Voyager. I played at the admiral, I did it. I think I did it.” She’s not sure that she’d want to return to that well again.

“I don’t know,” she said in an interview. “It surprised me when Patrick [Stewart] came out on the stage—I was there that day—and announced it. It surprised me that he wanted to. But I think he knows it will probably have a shot at being quite a hit. And there’s no one who likes to work as much as Patrick Stewart. And for him, it will probably be very successful. Picard was beloved. Yeah, it’ll be interesting. I don’t know what to say about Janeway. Seven years is a long time to play a character. I’m not sure that she would enjoy resuscitation. She was a very, very vibrant person, while she was. I would have to cross that bridge when I got there. It’s nothing that I have entertained.”

At the Star Trek: Destination Birmingham convention in 2018, Mulgrew did reveal one pitch that would get her back into the role of Janeway. “[William] Shatner, Stewart and myself in some sort of movie – I’d love to do that,” she said when a fan asked if she’d ever suit back up in her Starfleet uniform. “So the answer is yes.”

Would you like to see Mulgrew return as Janeway? What’s your favorite Janeway moment? Let us know in the comments.