Speculation once surrounded whether Kate Mulgrew intended to leave the series Star Trek: Voyager in 1999. As the star playing Captain Janeway, her potential departure was a subject of significant media interest.
In 1999, an article in the Sun-Sentinel titled "Mulgrew wants to abandon ship" highlighted rumors of her departure. During a press conference, Mulgrew stated she felt privileged and happy to be part of the show, noting she loved her character, the company, the cast, and the crew after five years on the series. Despite these sentiments, she remarked that she would put aside Jeri Ryan, who plays Seven of Nine, because the actress was new.
Rumors initially suggested that Mulgrew's comments regarding Ryan's character created tension on set. Other theories suggested she wanted to spend more time in Cleveland with a politician who would eventually become her husband. The network CEO at the time, Dean Valentine, responded sarcastically to her comments, suggesting Ryan would receive a promotion, which led to backtracking from both the network executives and Mulgrew.
Mulgrew eventually clarified her intentions, stating she had no intention of leaving the show before its time. She noted that while she was contractually bound to a sixth season, the door remained open to a seventh season.
Star Trek: Voyager is available to watch on H&I from Sunday through Friday at 11 PM Eastern/Pacific.
