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Actor

1952-12-09 · Luling, Texas, USA · Male

53 series in the catalog

Michael Dorn (born December 9, 1952) is an American actor best known for his role as the Klingon character Worf in the Star Trek franchise, appearing in all seven seasons of the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994), and later reprising the role in seasons four through seven of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995–1999) and season three of Star Trek: Picard (2023). Dorn has appeared more times as a regular cast member than any other Star Trek actor in the franchise's history, spanning five films and 290 television episodes.

Outside of the Star Trek franchise, Dorn has appeared in the television series CHiPs (1979–1982), and has had voice roles as Coldstone and Taurus in the animated series Gargoyles (1994–1997), Kalibak in the DC Animated Universe, the eponymous protagonist of I Am Weasel (1997–2000), Mata Nui in Bionicle media, Lord Darkar in the Nickelodeon dub of Winx Club (2011), Castle (2009–2016) as a psychotherapist, Captain Mozar in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2015–2016) and Battle Beast in Invincible (2021–present).

Outside of shows and movies, he has had voice roles in several Star Trek-related games, as well as more obscure voice roles such as Marcus and the secondary antagonist Frank Horrigan of the action RPG game Fallout 2 (1998) and a Krogan character in Mass Effect 2 (2010), among many other similar roles. He later reprised his role as Marcus in the game Fallout: New Vegas (2010).

Early life

Dorn was born in Luling, Texas, the son of Allie Lee (née Nauls) and Arfentress (“Fentress”) Dorn Jr, and the grandson of Arfentress Dorn Sr. (1890-1961), who was himself the son of a former slave. He grew up in Pasadena, California, where he studied radio and television production at Pasadena City College. Following his graduation, he pursued a career in music as a performer with several different rock-music bands, traveling to San Francisco and then back to Los Angeles.

Early work

Dorn first appeared on-screen in Rocky, in an uncredited role as Apollo Creed's bodyguard. Two years later, he appeared as a guest star on a 1978 episode of the television show W.E.B.. Impressed by his work, the show's producer introduced Dorn to an agent, through whom he met acting teacher Charles E. Conrad. Dorn studied with Conrad for six months, until he landed a regular role on the crime drama series CHiPs.

Star Trek

Dorn's most notable role to date is that of the Klingon Starfleet officer Lieutenant (later Lt. Commander) Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Dorn was the last of the main actors to be cast in The Next Generation, and prepared for his audition by isolating himself from the other actors and remaining taciturn through his interview, mimicking the personality of the character. His character proved so popular amongst fans that Dorn was added to the cast of spin-off series Deep Space Nine in an effort to boost ratings.

Dorn (as Worf) has the record for the most on-screen appearances of any Star Trek character. As Worf, he appeared in 175 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (missing only the episodes "Code of Honor", "Haven", and "Shades of Gray"), 102 episodes of Deep Space Nine, four Star Trek movies, and seven episodes of Star Trek: Picard, bringing his total to 288 appearances as the character. He also appeared as Worf's ancestor, Colonel Worf, in the 1991 film Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country and directed the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episodes "In the Cards", "Inquisition", and "When It Rains...", and the Star Trek: Enterprise episode "Two Days and Two Nights".

He was one of six actors to reprise his role, in voiceover, for the Star Trek: Captain's Chair virtual reality game. In 2014, he participated in the fan-produced Star Trek episode "Fairest of Them All", giving his voice to the computer of the Mirror Universe Enterprise.

In 2012, Dorn announced a desire to return to his Klingon role in a television series tentatively titled Star Trek: Captain Worf. He said: I had come up with the idea because I love [Worf] and I think he's a character that hasn't been fully developed and hasn't been fully realized. Once I started thinking about it, it became obvious to me that I wanted to at least put it out there, which I have, and the response has been pretty amazing. We've been contacted by different individuals–I can't say who and all that–about wanting to come on board and be part of this.

In April 2022, it was announced that he would reprise his role as Worf in the third season of Star Trek: Picard, which aired in 2023.

Other work

Dorn has appeared in a number of TV shows, films and video games. He has been the spokesman for Neutrogena T-Gel Shampoo, and has appeared in a Dodge Dart car commercial. He voiced Marcus and Frank Horrigan in Fallout 2 and would later reprise the role of Marcus in Fallout: New Vegas. He appeared in a 2012 tongue-in-cheek television commercial for Chrysler as "Future Guy", a time traveler sent from the future to assist development of the 2013 Dodge Dart. He also plays the role of General Thain in the Castlevania: Hymn of Blood web series.

Following his Star Trek career, he had supporting roles in a number of independent feature films, including Shadow Hours (2000), Lessons for an Assassin (2001) and The Santa Clause trilogy, in which he appeared in a minor role as the Sandman. Dorn reprised his role as Worf for cameo appearances on Webster and Family Guy, the latter with several of his fellow Next Generation castmates. He had a recurring role on the television series Castle, playing the therapist of NYPD police detective Kate Beckett.

Dorn was reported in 2011 to be playing the lead role in Harry Lennix's adaptation of Henry IV, titled H4, and had shot the entire film. When re-shoots became necessary later, Dorn was no longer available for scheduling, so Lennix replaced him himself in the final version. Attendees at the viewing at the Shakespeare Association of America in 2012 wrote about their expectations of Dorn's appearance. Dorn had worn an eye-patch during production because of a recent eye surgery, which Lennix continued as a costume choice in re-shoots.

In March 2023, Dorn was announced as the writer for a comic starring Steel (John Henry Irons), whom he voiced in Superman: The Animated Series. Steelworks was published on June 6, 2023, with art by Sami Basri.

Dorn provides the voice of the character Battle Beast in the animated series Invincible.

Personal life

A member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Dorn is an accomplished pilot. He has flown with the Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds. He has owned several jet aircraft, including a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star, which he jokingly referred to as his "starship", a North American F-86 Sabre, and a North American Sabreliner. As of mid-2026, he'd reduced his fleet to one aircraft, a Piper PA-46. Dorn also serves on several aviation organizations, one of which is the Air Force Aviation Heritage Foundation, where he is on the advisory board. Dorn was interviewed for the "Private Jets" episode of Modern Marvels on The History Channel.

Dorn stated in a 2010 interview that he had been diagnosed with an "early early" stage of prostate cancer, which led him to become a vegan.

Awards and honors

2024 – Saturn Awards – Lifetime Achievement Award – The Cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation

Michael Dorn at the TCM Movie Database (archived)

Michael Dorn: A Trek Worth Remembering