Whatever Happened to "Star Trek: Voyager's" Jennifer Lien?

Source: Paramount

Like many fans of Star Trek: Voyager, I hadn't given much thought to what Jennifer Lien was up to since she left the show. (If you're wondering who Jennifer Lien is, she played the young and sprightly Ocampan Kes, also known as "The Gorgeous Alien Woman Who Inexplicably Decided To Spend Her Short Life Span With Annoying Chef/Troll Neelix.") I always felt badly for Lien after she was terminated to make room for the sexy Borg Seven of Nine, Jeri Ryan. I assumed Lien went off and did whatever ex-Star Trek actors do. You know, TV movies, bit parts in small pictures, and becoming a professional autograph signer on the convention circuit. So imagine my surprise when I saw the following headline at The Huffington Post:

'Star Trek: Voyager' Actress Jennifer Lien Arrested For Indecent Exposure

Like me, you're probably assuming this headline can't be as bad as the actual story. I clicked on it, assuming she ended up having a wardrobe malfunction at a Starbucks or something. Instead, I read the following story:

Former "Star Trek: Voyager" actress Jennifer Lien was arrested in her Harriman, Tennessee, home on Sept. 3 after allegedly exposing herself in front of children, according to multiple reports. 

ABC WATE reports that on Aug. 31 a neighbor passing by the 41-year-old's home commented on her crying children, which led to the actress lashing out at the neighbor with a "vulgar" tirade.

The neighbor claims that Lien then exposed herself, lifting up her shirt and dropping her pants, all while three children looked on. Lien denied exposing herself, but police issued her a detainer summons, charging her with indecent exposure.

According to the police report obtained by Variety, when officers later appeared with a warrant on Sept. 3, the actress was naked under a blanket and resisted arrest.
Lien, who appeared on “Star Trek: Voyager” from 1995 to 2000 as Kes, allegedly threatened the arresting officers, claiming she would have all of them shot and killed. She remains in custody at this time.

Wow. That was actually much, much worse than I thought it would be.

I also found her mugshot, which showed what the 41-year old looks like today. And it's not pretty. If you have any fond memories of Lien's younger self, look away now or have them destroyed forever.

Source: Roane County Sheriff's Department

This led me to a search to answer the question, whatever happened to Jennifer Lien? How did she end up here? The answer is pretty sad.

In 1994, Lien was cast as Kes on Star Trek: Voyager. Kes was an Ocampan, whose claim to fame is that they only live for 8 or 9 years. In season four, she was let go to bring on Jeri Ryan. In 2000, Lien came back for an episode in season six, where she played an older version of herself with god-like powers.

After Voyager, Lien had a role alongside Edward Norton in American History X. In 1998, Lien did voiceover work in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and Men in Black: The Series.

In 2002, she married writer and filmmaker Phil Hwang. Apparently, at that point, she retired from acting and voice work. In 2010, Lien told Startrek.com she was taking college courses to become a nutritionist or dietician. That made me kind of sad that she had abandoned acting.

But since then, it seems things went south. In 2012, Lien was arrested for domestic assault. In 2015, Lien was arrested for evading arrest, resisting arrest, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault. And then, there's here's her recent events.

If things get worse, she'll end up the Gary Coleman of Star Trek.

What do you think about Jennifer Lien?

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