Many of the cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation forged lifelong friendships during their time on set. Patrick Stewart (Captain Picard) and Jonathan Frakes (Riker) are known for their close bond, often sharing laughs during conventions. Their friendship has stood the test of time, with frequent meetups and dinners, and their remarkable chemistry continues to shine whenever they’re together. LeVar Burton’s wedding in 1992 brought the cast even closer. Brent Spiner served as his best man, while Stewart, Frakes, and Michael Dorn acted as ushers, demonstrating the strong camaraderie that extended beyond the screen.

However, not all friendships started smoothly. Michael Dorn, who portrayed the stoic Klingon Worf, and Marina Sirtis, who played the empathetic Counselor Troi, initially clashed during the show’s first season. Sirtis has admitted that they didn’t get along at first, but over time, their undeniable chemistry brought them closer. Despite rumors of a romantic relationship, both have consistently maintained that their bond is purely platonic, though their enduring friendship remains one of the show’s most heartwarming legacies.

The costumes on Star Trek: The Next Generation may have looked futuristic, but they were far from comfortable. The original Starfleet uniforms were made of tight spandex that caused so much discomfort that Patrick Stewart’s agent threatened to sue Paramount if the actor suffered muscle or joint damage from wearing the one-piece suits. This threat prompted a costume redesign, and by the third season, the crew switched to more comfortable two-piece polyester uniforms.

Casting Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard wasn’t an easy decision. Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek, initially wanted a younger captain with a full head of hair. However, producer Robert H. Justman was so impressed by Stewart’s talent that he campaigned vigorously to secure him the role. After auditioning numerous actors, none of whom matched Stewart’s performance, Roddenberry reluctantly agreed. To increase his chances of being cast, Stewart wore a hairpiece during his initial meeting with Paramount executives. Ironically, the studio agreed to hire him, but only on the condition that he ditch the “ridiculous toupee.” When the cast was announced, some media outlets dismissed Stewart as an “unknown British Shakespearean actor,” prompting Brent Spiner to create a playful poster for Stewart’s dressing room that read, “Beware: Unknown British Shakespearean actor!”

Michael Dorn’s portrayal of Worf required an extensive makeup process that took up to two hours each day. However, maintaining Worf’s iconic look wasn’t without challenges. During the second season, the original prosthetic forehead used to create Worf’s distinctive appearance was stolen, forcing the production team to scramble to create a replacement. As a result, Worf’s forehead subtly changed, though most viewers didn’t notice the difference.