Jennifer Lien
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Ann Lien is an American
actress, known for playing the alien Kes
on the television series Star Trek: Voyager
.
. Her mother, Delores Lien, was a college teacher.
starring Oprah Winfrey
.
She provided her voice for the dubbed English version of Baby Blood
, a French horror film.
Lien landed the role of Hannah Moore on the series Another World
in 1991.
In 1993 she was cast as Roanne in Phenom
, a sitcom starring Judith Light
(of Who's the Boss?
fame). That year she also participated in the recording of Adam Sandler
's comedy album They're All Gonna Laugh At You in which she played the part of the Valedictorian on the track "The Buffoon And The Valedictorian."
In 1994, she was cast as Kes
on Star Trek: Voyager
. When the crew of the Starship Voyager was stranded 70,000 light years from home by a being known as the Caretaker, they met Kes who helped them rescue several crew members. She then joined the crew with her partner Neelix. Kes was an Ocampa, a species that lives for just 8 or 9 years, although some Ocampa living under unusual environmental conditions have been known to reach fourteen years of age. They have an ability to learn at great speeds, which allowed her to learn medicine quickly and work with the Holographic Doctor.
Lien left the show in 1997. This coincided with the casting of Jeri Ryan
as Seven of Nine
. Lien was featured in the first two episodes of season four, with her character losing control of her mental abilities and ascending to a higher level of existence in her final episode "The Gift
", sending the crew 10 years closer to home.
Following her departure from Voyager, Lien appeared in American History X
alongside Star Trek:Deep Space Nine actor Avery Brooks
. She also appeared in SLC Punk!
, playing the wild girlfriend of Matthew Lillard's character. She also gave her voice to the character of adult Vitani in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
, and voiced Agent "L" for three seasons (1-3) on Men in Black: The Series
.
Lien was asked to return for a special episode of Star Trek: Voyager in 2000 entitled "Fury
." An angry older Kes returned to Voyager and went back in time in an attempt to alter events. Lien had input to the script but has subsequently stated that she was disappointed with her performance in the episode. Despite this, she welcomed the chance to work with the cast of the show again.
Following the completion of her studies, she intends to work as a nutritionist.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, known for playing the alien Kes
Kes (Star Trek)
Kes is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager, played by Jennifer Lien.She was a regular for the first three seasons, leaving the show in the season four episode "The Gift". She made one guest appearance two seasons later....
on the television series Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
.
Early life
The youngest of three children, Lien was born in Palos Heights, IllinoisIllinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Her mother, Delores Lien, was a college teacher.
Career
Her first TV appearance was in a bubblegum advertisement playing twins. Her first appearance on a show was playing a music academy student in 1990 in an episode of Brewster PlaceBrewster Place
Brewster Place is a short lived American drama series which aired on ABC in May 1990. The series was a spinoff of the 1989 miniseries The Women of Brewster Place, which was based upon Gloria Naylor's novel of the same name...
starring Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
.
She provided her voice for the dubbed English version of Baby Blood
Baby Blood
Baby Blood is a 1990 French horror film directed by Alain Robak.- Plot :An extraterrestrial parasite has spent several decades desiring to be born of a human . It finds a woman working at a circus and impregnates itself into her as she sleeps.She awakens to find herself slightly heavier...
, a French horror film.
Lien landed the role of Hannah Moore on the series Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
in 1991.
In 1993 she was cast as Roanne in Phenom
Phenom (TV series)
Phenom is an American sitcom about a tennis wunderkind that aired on ABC from September 14, 1993 to May 10, 1994. The series stars Angela Goethals, Judith Light, and William Devane.-Synopsis:...
, a sitcom starring Judith Light
Judith Light
Judith Ellen Light is an American actress. Her television roles include Karen Wolek on the soap opera One Life to Live, Angela Bower on the sitcom Who's the Boss?, Claire Meade on ABC's TV series Ugly Betty and Judge Elizabeth "Liz" Donnelly on Law & Order Special Victims Unit.-Early life:Light...
(of Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss?
Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
fame). That year she also participated in the recording of Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler
Adam Richard Sandler is an American actor, comedian, screenwriter, musician, and film producer.After becoming a Saturday Night Live cast member, Sandler went on to star in several Hollywood feature films that grossed over $100 million at the box office...
's comedy album They're All Gonna Laugh At You in which she played the part of the Valedictorian on the track "The Buffoon And The Valedictorian."
In 1994, she was cast as Kes
Kes (Star Trek)
Kes is a character in the television series Star Trek: Voyager, played by Jennifer Lien.She was a regular for the first three seasons, leaving the show in the season four episode "The Gift". She made one guest appearance two seasons later....
on Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager
Star Trek: Voyager is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe. Set in the 24th century from the year 2371 through 2378, the series follows the adventures of the Starfleet vessel USS Voyager, which becomes stranded in the Delta Quadrant 70,000 light-years from Earth while...
. When the crew of the Starship Voyager was stranded 70,000 light years from home by a being known as the Caretaker, they met Kes who helped them rescue several crew members. She then joined the crew with her partner Neelix. Kes was an Ocampa, a species that lives for just 8 or 9 years, although some Ocampa living under unusual environmental conditions have been known to reach fourteen years of age. They have an ability to learn at great speeds, which allowed her to learn medicine quickly and work with the Holographic Doctor.
Lien left the show in 1997. This coincided with the casting of Jeri Ryan
Jeri Ryan
Jeri Lynn Zimmermann Ryan is an American actress best known for her roles as the liberated Borg, Seven of Nine, on Star Trek: Voyager; Tara Cole on Leverage; and Veronica "Ronnie" Cooke on Boston Public. She was also a regular on the science fiction show Dark Skies and the legal drama series...
as Seven of Nine
Seven of Nine
Seven of Nine is a fictional character on Star Trek: Voyager, portrayed by actress Jeri Ryan. Born human, she was assimilated by the Borg at the age of six. Eighteen years later, Voyager left Borg space with Seven on board, after attempts to negotiate passage through Borg space proved only...
. Lien was featured in the first two episodes of season four, with her character losing control of her mental abilities and ascending to a higher level of existence in her final episode "The Gift
The Gift (Star Trek: Voyager)
"The Gift" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the first standalone episode of the fourth season. It marks the departure of Kes from the series...
", sending the crew 10 years closer to home.
Following her departure from Voyager, Lien appeared in American History X
American History X
American History X is a 1998 American drama film directed by Tony Kaye and starring Edward Norton and Edward Furlong. It was distributed by New Line Cinema....
alongside Star Trek:Deep Space Nine actor Avery Brooks
Avery Brooks
Avery Franklin Brooks is an American actor, television director, jazz musician, opera singer and college professor. Brooks is perhaps best known for his television roles as Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and as Hawk on Spenser: For Hire and its spinoff A Man Called Hawk, and in the...
. She also appeared in SLC Punk!
SLC Punk!
# "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" - The Suicide Machines # "Sex and Violence" - The Exploited# "I Love Livin' in the City" - Fear# "1969" - The Stooges# "Too Hot" - The Specials# "Cretin Hop" - Ramones...
, playing the wild girlfriend of Matthew Lillard's character. She also gave her voice to the character of adult Vitani in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
The Lion King II: Simba's Pride is a 1998 American direct-to-video animated film released by Walt Disney Home Video on October 27, 1998. The film is the sequel to the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King...
, and voiced Agent "L" for three seasons (1-3) on Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series
Men in Black: The Series also known as Men in Black: The Animated Series is an American animated television series that aired during The WB's Kids' WB programming block for four seasons from 1997 through 2001.The show features characters from 1997's science fiction film Men in Black, which was...
.
Lien was asked to return for a special episode of Star Trek: Voyager in 2000 entitled "Fury
Fury (Star Trek: Voyager)
"Fury" is an episode of Star Trek: Voyager, the 23rd episode of the sixth season. It saw the return, for this episode only, of former regular cast member Jennifer Lien as her character Kes...
." An angry older Kes returned to Voyager and went back in time in an attempt to alter events. Lien had input to the script but has subsequently stated that she was disappointed with her performance in the episode. Despite this, she welcomed the chance to work with the cast of the show again.
Personal life
She is married to writer and filmmaker Phil Hwang; their first child, Jonah, was born on September 5, 2002. Since the birth of her son, Lien has retired from acting and voiceover work; however, she was credited as executive producer on her husband's comedy film entitled Geek Mythology (2008).Following the completion of her studies, she intends to work as a nutritionist.