Before Gates McFadden, who, in the role of Dr. Beverly Crusher on Star Trek: The Next Generation, taught Data (Brent Spiner) to dance, choreographer Cheryl McFadden (Gates’ first name) taught Mr. “Let’s Dance” himself, David Bowie, how to waltz on the set Labyrinth.
Because space geeks and goblins love when their fandoms collide, the news that before her TNG role, McFadden was Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement on Jim Henson films, including The Dark Crystal and The Muppets Take Manhattan, breaks every few years when some Trekkie journalist or David Bowie die-hard learns about it for the first time. In a Tweet sent on September 16, 2022, the Twitter account “Holodeck Four” (@holodeckfour) shared several images highlighting McFadden’s work as the “Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement” for the 1986 cult classic movie Labyrinth, starring David Bowie as Jareth, the Goblin King, and Jennifer Connelly as Sarah Williams, a teenager who embarks on a quest to reach the center of the eponymous maze to rescue her baby brother from Gareth.
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Originally, McFadden was cast to play the role of Sarah’s mother and agreed to do the choreography in addition. However, due to British labor laws, she was not permitted to appear onscreen even though she had been told for two years that she would fulfill both roles, and instead only performed the choreographer’s role. In the film’s final version, she is credited by her first name, Cheryl McFadden. This is because her choreography work is usually credited in such a manner.
McFadden is best known for her role as Dr. Crusher on TNG and in the Star Trek movies. She also recently appeared in an episode of Star Trek: Prodigy and will be reprising the role for the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard. Although she might be best known as Starfleet, she has a wide-ranging theater resume. At the Jim Henson Company, she was also the Director of Choreography and Puppet Movement for 1984’s The Muppets Take Manhattan, in which she also appeared on-screen in the role of Nancy, secretary to Martin Prince.
Gates McFadden Is an Accomplished Stage Actor
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In addition to performing in front of and behind the camera, McFadden is also an accomplished stage actor. In 1992, she appeared in four performances of a stage performance of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, which co-starred fellow TNG alums Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, and Colm Meaney. And that’s not all for this multi-talented Starfleet officer, McFadden has also taught at multiple universities (including Harvard, Purdue, and the University of Pittsburgh) and was an adjunct faculty member at the School of Theater at the University of Southern California.
McFadden continues to be involved in the Trek community, as well. In 2021, she narrated and executive produced The Center Seat: 55 Years of Star Trek, a documentary series for the History Channel. She also hosts a podcast featuring many guests who will be familiar with Trekkies: Gates McFadden Investigates.
