There's a Surprising Reason why Star Trek Recast Worf's Son
Exploring Star Trek's casting choices for Worf's son, this article dives into the reasons behind multiple recasts and provides an intriguing breakdown of every actor who took on the role of Alexander
Summary
Star Trek recast Alexander Rozhenko multiple times due to the Klingon aging plot hole and the desire for different actors to bring something new to the role.
Jon Steuer, the initial actor chosen for the role of Alexander, was considered not confident enough to effectively portray a young Klingon, resulting in his replacement.
Despite the complexity of depicting Klingon aging, Alexander displayed a seemingly consistent progression in age from seasons 5 to 7 of The Next Generation. Additionally, a future iteration of Alexander, portrayed by James Sloyan, journeyed back in time to persuade Worf to send him to a Klingon training academy.
The character of Alexander Rozhenko, son of Worf, underwent multiple recasts in the 1990s within the Star Trek franchise. Initially introduced in Star Trek: The Next Generation as the offspring of Worf and the half-Human diplomat K'Ehleyr, Alexander's relationship with his father was tumultuous. However, by the time Alexander made his last appearance in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, it appeared that the father and son had resolved their differences. Nevertheless, the absence of Alexander in Star Trek: Picard season 3 potentially indicates otherwise.
Similar to other child characters in television history, the young Alexander experienced several recasts throughout both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. These recasts were necessary due to the Klingon aging inconsistency introduced in Alexander's first episode, "Reunion". Each actor who portrayed Worf's son added their own unique touch to the character, and it is hoped that a future return of Alexander in Star Trek will elucidate the events of the past two decades between father and son.
Why Star Trek Recast Worf's Son Multiple Times
Jon Steuer was the first actor to portray Alexander in Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Reunion". The director of the episode, Jonathan Frakes, mentioned in a commentary that Steuer lacked the confidence to convincingly play a young Klingon. This could be one reason why Alexander was recast in season 5. Another factor in the decision was making Worf's son a recurring character, leading them to cast Brian Bonsall, a more experienced child actor. Bonsall went on to play Alexander for the rest of TNG, appearing in seven episodes, including the emotionally charged "Ethics" and lighter episodes like "A Fistful of Datas".
When Worf joined Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Alexander did not initially join him on the space station. However, he eventually made appearances on DS9. Since TNG established that one Klingon year is equivalent to three Earth years, an older actor had to be found to play a teenage Alexander. Marc Worden portrayed the teenage version of Alexander in two episodes of DS9 season 6. He served aboard the IKS Rotarran during the Dominion War. It is important to note that despite his clumsy soldier persona, he was technically only eight Earth years old due to the rapid aging of Klingons.
Every Actor Who Played Worf's Son Alexander
Jon Steuer originally played the role of Alexander as a three-year-old in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Reunion". However, he was later replaced by Brian Bonsall in the episode "New Ground". Despite Klingons aging rapidly, Alexander appeared to age normally between seasons 5 to 7 of TNG. In the season 7 episode "Firstborn", it is revealed that a mysterious Klingon named K'mtar is actually Alexander from the future, portrayed by James Sloyan. K'mtar travels back in time to convince Worf to send his son to a Klingon training academy to prevent a future tragedy and shape him into a warrior.
In later years, when Worf and Alexander reunite aboard the IKS Rotarran, the character is played by Marc Worden. However, it is important to note that Worden is technically the fifth actor to portray Worf's son. This is because an unknown actor posed as Alexander in a photograph seen in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's episodes "The Way of the Warrior" and "Sons and Daughters". With Terry Matalas hinting at a possible return of Worf's son in future Star Trek content, it remains to be seen if Marc Worden will reprise the role or if Alexander will be recast for a sixth time.
