Late actor Walter Koenig, who died at the age of 90 on October 25, played the beloved Star Trek character, Ensign Pavel Chekov, in the original 1960s series and several films throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.
In a March 2025 interview on That’s Classic, Koenig shared the unusual way he was cast on Star Trek: The Original Series, which had a three-season run until 1969. Koenig explained that the show’s casting director was interested in him for the role of Chekov, as he had already “cast [him] in several episodes of a series called Mr. Novak.” The late actor noted that one of the characters he played on the series was “a defecting Russian student,” making him a good fit for Chekov, who is famously from and has a deep love for Russia.
Koenig said, however, that he didn’t impress casting during his initial audition, wherein he played Chekov in a serious, grounded way.
“They weren’t satisfied with that not because it wasn’t accurate, but because they weren’t looking for that. They were looking to see if I had a sense of humor,” said Koenig during the That’s Classic interview.
Koenig said he was able to show off his comedy chops and secure the role of Chekov, whom he began playing during the show’s second season.
He also shared that he wasn’t informed that he was cast as the Enterprise’s ensign for quite some time. He recalled “sitting in that room waiting” after his audition for hours until a person from the wardrobe department retrieved him. According to Koenig, the wardrobe department person began measuring his lower body, which alarmed him. After he asked what exactly was going on, he was told that he needed to be measured for his character’s Starfleet uniform.
“He said, ‘Well, I have to make you a costume, don’t I?’ And that’s when I found out. That’s how I found that out. Those were the words he used. ‘I have to make you a costume.’ That’s how I found out I was on Star Trek. Crazy business. And it’s amazing that we survive it at all,” said the Star Trek star in the March 2025 interview.
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