Jonathan Frakes now seems irreplaceable as Commander William Riker in directing episodes of The Next Generation. Before production started, though, Frakes was not the favorite to be cast as Riker.
In pre-production, most of the cast of Star Trek: TNG was still in flux. Multiple actors were in the running for iconic roles, and even Patrick Stewart was just one of many options to take on Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The lists often included a few unorthodox picks, as well as actors who were well-known from other roles or would later become bigger names. The casting of Commander Riker was no exception.
Although Jonathan Frakes was on the shortlist, the frontrunner for Riker was Michael O’Gorman, a relative unknown with only a handful of acting credits on his resume, such as the movie Ironweed and a guest appearance on Miami Vice. A memo discussing the options for Riker [via Star Trek actor who was not the favorite for their final role, but given the caliber of many of the other options, Michael O’Gorman’s lead was an interesting choice.
Two other actors were on the shortlist with Frakes and O’Gorman: Gregg Marx and Ben Murphy. Marx was already known for his work in soap operas, playing Tom Hughes on As The World Turns and David Banning on Days of Our Lives. Ben Murphy had similarly made a name for himself as Kid Curry/Thaddeus Jones on the 1970s series Alias Smith and Jones. In the end, all three actors lost out to Frakes.
Jonathan Frakes is synonymous with one of the most beloved characters in the franchise, and Riker may not have achieved the same popularity without Frakes’ unique energy in the role. Moreover, Star Trek could have missed out on one of its best franchise directors. Frakes was not always the first choice for Riker, but Star Trek: The Next Generation and many Star Trek shows and movies that followed would not have been the same without him.