In 1987, Gene Roddenberry somehow managed to find a cast that was as watchable and loaded with the same level of chemistry as the original “Star Trek” for “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, and the opinionated (but totally valid) Michael Dorn were among the many new stars who would become massive in the years to come. That included Brent Spiner as the Enterprise D’s hyper-smart android, Data.
Filling the role of the non-human crew member equally fascinated by the human race, Spiner’s Data felt like a stand-in for Spock (Leonard Nimoy), who became just as important as the rest of “The Next Generation.” It turns out, however, that while Spiner might have been perfect for the part, others had dared to audition for the role that he would become synonymous of for nearly 40 years. The most notable contender was an actor who had already experienced an alien encounter, the very year “The Next Generation” began its mission to explore strange new worlds.
While Picard was giving orders to “engage,” Kevin Peter Hall was wearing mandibles as an intergalactic hunter in “Predator.” The notorious seven-foot, two-inch star tried to take on the role of the android, as well as another role before being regretfully turned down. But even though Hall didn’t join the permanent crew of the Enterprise, he still played smaller roles during the show’s run.
Kevin Peter Hall still appeared in Star Trek: The Next Generation
Before LeVar Burton made his way to the bridge, Kevin Peter Hall had a crack at the role of La Forge, besides trying out for Data. Unfortunately, he didn’t land either role, but was kept on the “Trek” files and got a call to share the screen with Picard and the rest of his crew in the third season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” In Episode 8, “The Price,” Hall appeared as the Caldonian negotiator, Leyor, who attended the starship to discuss the possession of the only known wormhole in the galaxy.
While Hall might not have spent a lot of time among the stars in “The Next Generation,” he was a go-to favorite for the big-screen franchise he’d help build with Predator. Not only did he appear in the Schwarzenegger film as the titular villain, but he also stepped into the clawed shoes once more in “Predator 2,” this time facing off against Donald Glover’s worn-down police officer in the 1990 sequel. If it was possible to put Hall in a comic book, he surely would’ve shown up when the Predator went up against the Wolverine.
Hall took on the far more family-friendly role of Harry, aka Bigfoot, in “Harry and the Hendersons,” not only in the feature-length film that was released in 1987, but also in the short-lived spin-off show in 1990. Sure, he might not have been Data, but he certainly had the talent to take on some equally iconic characters, and he didn’t even need to be beamed up to do it. Unfortunately, Hall died in 1991 and never had the chance to try another role and audition to the best “Star Trek” movie.
