MovieChat Forums > Star Trek: Voyager (1995) Discussion > Roxann Dawson ironically the least recog...

Roxann Dawson ironically the least recognizable cast member

posted 5 years ago by [deleted]
4 replies | jump to latest

Normally, actors under super heavy makeup aren't recognizable without it in the real world. Ironically, Roxann Dawson is the least recognizable without her makeup, even though it was the lightest out of everyone else's.

Does anyone know what I mean? There was something about her cosmetic makeup that gave her face so much "character" that isn't there off screen. Because of this, I'd have a harder time recognizing her in real life as the actress who played B'elanna Torres than I would recognizing Ethan Philips as Neelix, who was slathered in pounds of makeup and aesthetics.

[–] JestersDead (485) 5 years ago

True.

Ethan Philips is now in Avenue 5, and you know it's the Neelix actor immediately. He has a very distinctive voice.

[–] [email protected] (6247) 5 years ago

atomicgirl--- That's so interesting that you would put it that way. I've always thought the same thing!

The Klingon make-up somehow accentuated her features, especially her lovely lips, and made them look better.

I've seen some actors on TV who had played Klingons, Ferengi, etc. and recognized them immediately without the alien hardware on their faces. Not the same when I first saw Roxann Dawson. She really looked different.

[–] Volley (3441) 5 years ago

Makes sense. When you think of Chief Engineer in Star Trek you think Geordi LaForge, Chief O'Brien, or Montgomery Scott. You don't really think about B'elanna Torres, I think Voyager had a few 'engineer' types which kind of overshadowed her work. Captain Janeway and Seven of Nine were both fairly savvy at engineering as well.

Not to mention, Torres was a part of The Maquis and replaced the previous Chief Engineer which funny enough we don't see again until Season 7.

Apparently Roxann Dawson did a lot of directing of episodes as well.

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

When I said she wasn't recognizable, that's not what I meant (that her character wasn't memorable enough for the actress who played her to be recognizable). What I meant is that Dawson in real life doesn't look at all like her character, which I always found a little strange, since she never had to wear heavy makeup. She just had an eyebrow ridge and a wig.