5 reasons we love Michael Dorn

By: H&I Staff    Posted: November 9, 2016, 4:07PM

We all know Michael Dorn as Worf from Star Trek: The Next Generation, occasional Deep Space Nine episodes and a few Star Trek films.

His unforgettable Klingon features, booming voice and commanding presence all make him a staple to the Trek cannon. But there is more behind the forehead…

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation on H&I

Sundays 9 PM & Weeknights 9 PM Eastern

1

He was a Trekkie as a kid.

Michael Dorn was a Star Trek fan before he was cast as Worf. In an interview with Star Trek: The Magazine, Dorn said he got hooked on Star Trek: The Original Series as a child. Regarding the actors from The Original Series, Dorn proudly said, "I grew up with those guys."

2

He owns a fighter jet.

When not on a starship, Dorn can be found zipping around in his F-86 Sabre jet. He acquired the jet from the South African Air Force. These planes never saw space travel (obviously) but they did fly in the Korean War, the Indo-Pakistani War and even the Cold War. 

Image: Wikipedia

3

He is vegan.

This Klingon wouldn't touch Rokeg Blood Pie, let alone any other meat. Quite the opposite of the traditional Klingon diet, Dorn abstains from eating any animal products. He claims he doesn't even miss meat since there are so many options out there nowadays. "It's easy to make the transition because I feel so much better." 

4

His acting permanently changed his voice.

His voice grew deeper from constantly emphasizing the bass tone for Worf's speaking voice. Yup, his voice forever changed. This worked out for the best though, seeing as Dorn has worked as a voice actor for many shows outside of Star Trek

5

He suffered for his art.

Dorn developed a mild skin condition from all the hours and years of wearing that iconic Klingon makeup. All the actors on the show wore makeup, but the makeup department used a special type for aliens effects. Sorry, Michael, but sounds like you got the short end of the stick there. Check out that Klingon profile, though!

Love Star Trek? Discover where to watch on H&I