Terry Farrell (actress)

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Terry Farrell
Farrell at the 2023 GalaxyCon in Austin
Born (1963-11-19) November 19, 1963 (age 60)
Occupation(s)Actress, model
Years active1983–2003, 2017–present
Spouses
  • (m. 2002; div. 2015)
  • (m. 2018)
Children1

Terry Farrell (born November 19, 1963)[1] is an American actress and fashion model. She is best known for her roles as Jadzia Dax in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and as Regina "Reggie" Kostas in the comedy series Becker.

Early life[edit]

In her junior year of high school, the almost six-foot-tall Farrell submitted her image to the Elite modeling agency in New York City. Shortly after, at the age of 16, she was invited to New York City and, within two days of arriving, had an exclusive contract with Mademoiselle. She went on to appear on the covers of the Italian and German editions of Vogue, and was also featured in numerous editorials for American Vogue.[citation needed]

Career[edit]

Farrell at the 2009 London Expo

After 18 months of modeling, she studied acting while still modeling on the side. Her first major roles were in the short-lived 1984 television series Paper Dolls, playing a model, and in the feature film Back to School (in her film debut) with Rodney Dangerfield, playing love interest to Keith Gordon’s character. In 1986, Farrell appeared in an episode of The Twilight Zone.

In 1989, she began studying acting with Stella Adler and appeared in a number of guest-starring roles in series, including Quantum Leap and The Cosby Show. In 1992, she played Cat in a second pilot for a U.S. version of Red Dwarf, which was not picked up.

Soon after the Red Dwarf USA project folded, she was offered a lead role in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Farrell starred as Jadzia Dax, the space station's Starfleet science officer, a character from an alien species known as the Trill, who is host to a 300-year-old symbiont, and can draw upon the memories and knowledge of the symbiont's seven previous hosts. The series debuted in January 1993. When she left the show at the end of the sixth season, Paramount killed off Farrell's "host" character (though continuing the "symbiont" character in a new Dax host, played by Nicole DeBoer).[2]

Farrell then co-starred on Paramount's television comedy series Becker. She played Regina "Reggie" Kostas, foil and love interest to Ted Danson's John Becker, for four years and 94 episodes, before her character was written out of the show. Farrell told the Tampa Bay Times that she was fired from the show just after the season-four cliffhanger finale aired. She told the paper that she was completely surprised by the firing.[3][4]

Farrell also provided the voice of Six of One in the animated short film Tripping the Rift, which eventually became a Sci-Fi Channel TV series with other actors providing the voice of Six. First released independently on the Internet, Tripping the Rift originally featured Patricia Beckmann as the voice of Six and was replaced by Farrell's voice for an episode of the Sci-Fi Channel's short film series Exposure, in which Farrell was guest host. Farrell's version of Six was heard only once on television.[citation needed]

Farrell retired in 2002 after marrying actor Brian Baker. They divorced in 2015, and Farrell played a role in the web-released fan film Star Trek: Renegades. She is expected to appear in the same role in episodes of Renegades, which strips mention of Star Trek for legal purposes.

Personal life[edit]

Farrell retired from acting to concentrate on her family.[5] She lived in Hershey, Pennsylvania, with her husband, former Sprint Corporation spokesman Brian Baker and their son, Max.[6] She enjoys sewing[7] and yoga.[5] Farrell appeared with Baker at the Hershey Area Playhouse in Hershey, in a production of A. R. Gurney's Love Letters.[6] Farrell and Baker have been divorced since December 2015.[8]

In August 2015, she was reportedly in a relationship with Adam Nimoy[9] and Farrell confirmed on Twitter that they were engaged. Farrell and Nimoy were married in San Francisco on March 26, 2018, Leonard Nimoy's 87th birthday.[10]

Farrell and her Star Trek: Deep Space Nine co-star Nana Visitor were honored in 2001 when William Kwong Yu Yeung named two small Solar System bodies he had discovered after them – asteroid 26734 Terryfarrell and asteroid 26733 Nanavisitor.[11][12]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Back to School Valerie Desmond
1987 Off the Mark / Crazy Legs Jenell Johnson
1992 Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth Joanne "Joey" Summerskill
1994 Red Sun Rising Det. Karen Ryder
1998 Reasons of the Heart Maggie Livingston
2000 Deep Core Allison Saunders
Tripping the Rift Six of One Short film
2002 Psychic Murders Macy Video

Television[edit]

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Paper Dolls Laurie Caswell Main role (13 episodes)
Spencer Sally Episode: "The World's Worst Date"
1985 The Cosby Show Nicki Phillips Episode: "The Younger Woman"
1986 Beverly Hills Madam Julie Tyler TV film
The Deliberate Stranger Katie Hargreaves
The Twilight Zone Marsha Cole Episode: "The After Hours"
Family Ties Liz Obeck Episode 100: "The Big Fix"
1991 Mimi & Me Mimi Molloy TV film
1992 Quantum Leap Lt. Lisa Sherman Episode: "A Leap For Lisa"
Grapevine Laurie Episode: "The Allison and Ken Story"
Red Dwarf Cat TV film
1993 Danielle Steel's Star Elizabeth
1993–1998 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Jadzia Dax Main role; seasons 1-6
1998 Legion Major Agatha Doyle TV film
1998–2002 Becker Regina "Reggie" Kostas Main role (94 episodes)
2000 One True Love Dana Boyer TV film
2002 Crossing the Line Laura Mosbach
Gleason Marilyn Taylor
2003 Code 11-14 Michelle Novack
2017 Renegades Jada

Video games[edit]

Year Title Role
1996 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Harbinger Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax (voice)
Treasure Quest Spiritual Guide (voice)
2000 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: The Fallen Lt. Cmdr. Jadzia Dax (voice)

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Terry Farrell". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  2. ^ Erdmann, Terry J. Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, Pocket Books, 2000, pg. 586.
  3. ^ "Terry Farrell faces a "Becker'-free future". Tampa Bay Times. September 3, 2005. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  4. ^ ""Becker" Boots Terry Farrell". E! Online. 2002. Retrieved January 4, 2021.
  5. ^ a b "Star Trek". StarTrek.com.
  6. ^ a b Dunkle, David N. (February 12, 2009). "back to Work: Celebrity couple discover a home in Hershey". The Patriot-News. Harrisburg, PA. Archived from the original on November 1, 2013. Retrieved November 20, 2013.
  7. ^ "Biography". Startrek.com. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
  8. ^ "Kevin Hall's Movie Moments: Star Trek Themes Special - With DS9'S Terry Farrell". September 11, 2016. Retrieved September 23, 2016.
  9. ^ "TNG Cast Celebrates 30 Years at STLV17". Retrieved October 23, 2017.
  10. ^ "Leonard Nimoy's Son Got Married to a Star Trek Star on His Father's Birthday".
  11. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". nasa.gov.
  12. ^ "JPL Small-Body Database Browser". nasa.gov.

External links[edit]