Star Trek: All 5 Captain Kirk actors ranked from worst to best

5. Sandra Smith

Appeared in: Star Trek: The Original Series

Yep. A woman has once played Captain Kirk!

The classic Star Trek series wasn’t shy when it came to having some very wacky plots, and “Turnabout Intruder” isn’t an exception to this. In fact, it actually took things up a notch. Here we have Janice Lester, played by Sandra Smith, as one of Captain Kirk’s past love interests. Only this time, she’s not just upset. She’s downright determined to grab Kirk’s captain seat. And how does she plan to do it? By swapping bodies with him, of course.

It’s an intense and strange twist that mostly works due to the outlandish world that Star Trek: The Original Series had introduced us to over the course of its three-season run. This episode was infamous for being the last ever episode of the classic show, but it digs deep into desires, dreams, and identity. Sandra Smith, stepping into Kirk’s shoes (or body), delivers a pretty good performance. She not only captures Kirk’s essence but adds her own unique flair to his persona. It’s like watching Kirk act through new lenses.

Perhaps if the show had continued past this season, we could have seen more exploration of this storyline and more chances for Smith to play Kirk. Nevertheless, she did a great job in the role in just one episode!