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Q, the enigmatic trickster from “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” remains one of the series’ most memorable antagonists, known for his ability to break the fourth wall. Portrayed by John de Lancie, Q made his first appearance in the show’s debut episode, “Encounter at Farpoint.” Over the years, de Lancie has reprised the role across various “Star Trek” spin-offs, notably becoming a regular nemesis to Captain Janeway, played by Kate Mulgrew, in “Star Trek: Voyager.” Surprisingly, de Lancie’s casting as Q can be traced back to a pivotal recommendation from Gene Roddenberry’s lawyer, following a life-altering surgery.
In an interview for the Roku documentary series “The Center Seat,” de Lancie shared how Leonard Maizlish, Roddenberry’s attorney, was instrumental in securing him the role of Q. Acting under the guise of a producer, Maizlish bypassed standard procedures to advocate for de Lancie, inspired by the actor’s portrayal of a whimsical advice columnist on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives.” Maizlish, who had undergone a quadruple bypass surgery, credited de Lancie’s performance with lifting his spirits during recovery, reportedly telling the actor, “You made me laugh when I thought I was gonna die.”
Despite Maizlish’s unofficial role in the production, he managed to ensure de Lancie’s casting as Q. Although Maizlish was often disliked by the crew for his disruptive behavior, de Lancie’s enduring portrayal of Q is a testament to the lawyer’s behind-the-scenes influence. The character’s legacy continues, with “Picard” actor Ed Speleers expressing a desire to face off against Q once more.
Maizlish’s reputation among the “Star Trek” production team was less than stellar. Known for his aggressive tactics, he often overstepped boundaries, rewriting scripts without any formal writing credentials or Writers Guild of America affiliation. He even went as far as firing staff members and was infamous for snooping around the production offices. As recounted by series writers like D.C. Fontana, Maizlish carried out these actions with a tenacity that seemed fueled by Roddenberry’s lingering grievances over the original “Star Trek” series.
Leonard Maizlish was known to bully his way around the studio
Paramount+
For all the kind words that John de Lancie might have for Leonard Maizlish — the lawyer who got him cast as one of the best “Star Trek” villains — most everyone else involved with “Star Trek: The Next Generation” absolutely loathed the man. In the 2014 documentary, “Chaos on the Bridge,” an entire segment is devoted to Maizlish, and no one had a nice thing to say about him. “[Leonard Maizlish] himself could be a movie of the week,” said former Paramount executive John Pike. “I can recall one day when Leonard was almost clutching his chest [in pain] and I’m saying ‘I hope you die!’”
According to Pike, longtime “Trek” writer D.C. Fontana, and others involved in the series, Maizlish was notorious for bullying his way around the production, rewriting scripts personally, despite having no writing experience and no WGA credentials. He personally fired members of the show’s staff and was known to skulk around the production offices, pilfering through people’s desks and eavesdropping on conversations to get dirt on anyone he perceived as an adversary. “Leonard was carrying the wrath of Gene [Roddenberry] all these years because Gene felt he had gotten screwed on the original [“Star Trek”] series.”
Ultimately, despite breaking all the rules and making enemies left and right, Maizlish’s job was to represent Roddenberry. Even the Paramount executive Jeffrey M. Hayes admits that “as tough as he was, he did a helluva job doing that.”
