Very few fine actors went on to better things after trek. Colm Meany is the exception.
I am not talking about the Captains.
Terry Farrell went on to "Becker" but that's about it. Michael Dorn, nothing. Marina Sirtis, nothing. Levar Burton hasn't done anything of significance after it. Brent Spiner, nothing. René Auberjonois nothing afterward. Armin Shimerman, nothing. Jonathan Frakes has done stuff if you want to include directing. Gates McFadden, nothing.
sharequark and odo were in Boston Public
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Ian:
Patrick Stewart did become the biggest star after Star Trek, that’s hard to deny. Leading films, headlining Broadway and West End plays, advertised as a main draw for TV shows/movies/miniseries, and a huge part of another big franchise. And this has kept up into his 80s, which is huge.
But that’s not the same as saying he’s the only true star post-Trek. Kate Mulgrew did big plays and got an Emmy nod. Jonathan Frakes, Roxanne Dawson, and Robert Duncan-McNeill became big shot TV directors and producers. Scott Bakula has kept headlining TV shows. Colm Meaney’s career hasn’t slowed down at all. Rene Auberjonois worked steadily to the end. Jeri Ryan has never been short of high profile TV work and is easily worth tens of millions. Alexander Siddig had a great stint in movies in the early 2000s and also has had an enviable TV career in the UK and Hollywood. They all clearly have no illusions that work could dry up (the TNG cast’s advice to the other series’ actors was not to make any big purchases until season 4), but it never really did for a good few of them. Take Patrick Stewart’s outlier out of the equation and these are highly successful careers beyond just one show.