Tim Russ Surprised By Tuvok’s Survival In Star Trek: Picard Season 3

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Tim Russ was genuinely surprised to see his former character, Captain Tuvok, still alive in Star Trek: Picard season 3. Russ originally played Tuvok, a Lieutenant Commander, for seven seasons of Star Trek: Voyager between 1995 and 2001. He continued to portray Tuvok in fan-made Star Trek films, and then officially reprised the role – now as a Captain – in the finale of Star Trek: Picard season 3.

Tim Russ first appeared in the third season of Star Trek: Picard in episode 7, “Dominion,” but with a surprising reveal. His character, Captain Tuvok, was shown to a menacing Changeling who mocked Commander Seven of Nine (Jeri Ryan). This led both fans and Tim Russ himself to think the real Tuvok had been replaced by a shapeshifter and was, in fact, dead.

Tim Russ recently spoke with ScreenRant about his time in Star Trek and his upcoming appearance at the ST: CHI Trek to Chicago convention. He shared details about filming the emotional scene in the Star Trek: Picard season 3 finale where his character, Tuvok, promoted Seven of Nine to Captain of the USS Enterprise-G. Here’s what Russ had to say:

ScreenRant recently spoke with the actor about reprising his role as Captain Tuvok – and his Changeling imposter – on Star Trek: Picard. They highlighted the emotional scene where his character helped Jeri Ryan’s Seven of Nine become Captain, and asked what it felt like to wear the Vulcan ears and uniform again, and share that moment with Ryan.

It’s like getting back on a bike, really. I’ve played that character so many times that the time away doesn’t make a big difference. The only physical change was the ears – they used silicone instead of rubber, and the molds were different. But slipping back into the role itself was easy. The writing was also excellent, which made it simple to perform the scenes as the character.

Tim Russ was surprised to be asked back for the finale of Star Trek: Picard season 3 as the original Tuvok. He initially believed his character was gone for good until the producers reached out and asked him to keep his return a secret. Here’s how Russ describes the process of reprising his role as Captain Tuvok:

ScreenRant praised the scenes featuring the Changeling posing as Tuvok, calling them excellent. They particularly highlighted how convincingly menacing the actor portrayed the Changeling, emphasizing the unsettling effect of realizing it wasn’t actually Tuvok at all. The performance was described as remarkably well-executed.

It was a great surprise! While filming the first episode, the producers didn’t tell me my character had actually survived. They kept it a secret, wanting to maintain complete confidentiality, which is common on projects these days. I didn’t find out I’d be back for a second episode until after we finished filming the first. Even then, I didn’t receive the script until just a couple of days before we started shooting.

They really kept everything under wraps. I wasn’t allowed to talk about the project for three or four months after filming, and I couldn’t share any details with anyone. The reason was to surprise fans – to make it a shock that my character was still alive and even getting a promotion. They’re very careful to protect the plot, and it’s not just this project; I’ve noticed a lot of secrecy around other things I’ve worked on too.

It was a really nice surprise to work on the final part of Picard season three. I honestly didn’t think I’d be involved because they were so close to finishing the season, and I didn’t expect a last-minute cameo. But they actually reached out to me twice!

Tim Russ recently returned to play Tuvok, but in a new way. He provided the voice for a younger version of Tuvok in Star Trek: Khan, an exciting audio podcast that tells the story of Khan Noonien Singh’s time in exile on Ceti Alpha V. The podcast features scenes set in the late 23rd century where this younger Tuvok is serving on the USS Excelsior with Captain Hikaru Sulu (played by George Takei).

Tim Russ has made Star Trek history by playing the same character, Tuvok, at different ages. He appeared as young Ensign Tuvok in Star Trek: Khan and as Captain Tuvok in Star Trek: Picard within just two years. Following Leonard Nimoy’s passing in 2015, Russ is now the actor who has played a Vulcan character for the longest continuous period, having portrayed Tuvok for 30 years.

In 2025, Star Trek: Voyager will mark its 30th anniversary. A standout character from the series, the Vulcan Tuvok, has become a fan favorite and an important figure in the Star Trek universe. While Tim Russ didn’t provide the voice, Tuvok recently returned to Star Trek in season 3 of Star Trek: Lower Decks on Paramount+. He assisted in clearing Captain Carol Freeman (played by Dawnn Lewis) of wrongdoing in the premiere episode.

Terry Matalas, the showrunner for Star Trek: Picard season 3, made a great decision by bringing Captain Tuvok back on screen and giving him a satisfying moment with Seven of Nine in the finale. Tim Russ, the actor who plays Tuvok, would be happy to reprise his role as the beloved Vulcan character in future Star Trek projects.

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2025-11-17 13:00