More than two decades ago, Terry Farrell walked away from a thriving career in Hollywood. Does she have regrets? It appears not.
Now, as Star Trek marks its 60th anniversary, Farrell is back in the conversation. She’s among the franchise veterans interviewed in The Sixty-Year Mission, Mark A. Altman’s documentary about how the franchise survived and thrived, alongside William Shatner, George Takei, fellow Deep Space Nine alums Nana Visitor and Armin Shimerman, and Strange New Worlds star Christina Chong. The film opens in limited US theaters on October 9, 2026.
How Terry Farrell Went From Vogue Model to Jadzia Dax
Like many other actresses, Terry Farrell started her journey to Hollywood by modelling. Within days of arriving in New York City in 1980, a teenage Farrell landed an exclusive contract with Mademoiselle magazine.
The striking brunette went on to appear in various American Vogue editorials and even graced the covers of Italian and German Vogue. She was living every model’s dream.
But within a couple of short years, Farrell drifted into the world of acting. After a handful of early roles, she landed the part of a lifetime. Enter Jadzia Dax: the science officer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. She’s said she cried tears of joy when she got offered the role in 1992.
Jadzia was a Trill, a young officer joined to a centuries-old symbiont that carried the memories of its previous hosts, which gave Farrell the unusual job of playing someone with several lifetimes of experience.
In addition to playing Jadzia Dax from 1993 to 1998, here are a few more of Farrell’s career highlights:
- Starred in the 1992 horror film Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth
- Was honored with an asteroid, 26734 Terryfarrell, which was discovered in 2001
- Took over a regular role on the sitcom Becker, opposite Ted Danson, from 1998 to 2002
Why Terry Farrell Left Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Farrell’s departure from the sci-fi series was surrounded in a bit of controversy. It was no quiet departure.
As the show headed into its seventh season, Rick Berman gave her an all-or-nothing contract offer. She pushed back, asking if she could return in a recurring capacity rather than a full-time role.
Her reasoning? The gruelling production hours of the past six seasons had taken a toll on her both mentally and physically. Farrell has said her ask wasn’t necessarily about a bigger paycheck. She told producers she was running on empty, that her life felt permanently on hold, and that she simply wanted to come in less.
Berman wouldn’t budge. In the end, they parted on friendly terms, but many fans were upset by Dax’s death being written into the script as a result of Farrell walking away.
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Why Jadzia Dax’s Death Still Stings for Star Trek Fans
Jadzia was killed by Gul Dukat in the Season 6 finale, “Tears of the Prophets,” not long after marrying Worf, played by Michael Dorn. The Dax symbiont survived and passed to a new host, Ezri, played by Nicole de Boer, for the show’s final season.
For many fans, the exit felt abrupt, and calls to bring Farrell back to Star Trek in some form have never gone away, especially now that the franchise has so many new series. Farrell, for her part, credits the role with giving her a backbone, saying that playing Dax taught her how to take care of herself.
Why Terry Farrell Left Becker
After leaving Deep Space Nine, Farrell landed herself another regular role: Reggie Kostas on Becker. She acted alongside Ted Danson for four seasons before being replaced by Nancy Travis in 2002.
Farrell has since shared the story behind that exit. During the show’s fourth season, the supporting cast staged a walkout to push for renegotiated contracts, and Farrell was the one leading it. She believes being the ringleader is exactly why the show let her go ahead of Season 5.
She picked up a handful of acting jobs, including Code 11-14 (2003). But then it was time for her to take a well-deserved break. Looking back on the demands of her Becker years in a candid 2015 interview with Geek Chic Elite, Farrell put it plainly: “I wanted to go to work and then have a life outside of work.”
At the time, she’d married Brian Baker and had a baby boy, so prioritising her family made sense. Between the years of 2003 and 2015, Farrell became quite serious about yoga. It was something she could do part-time and she taught regular Hot Vinyasa while living in Pennsylvania.
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Terry Farrell’s Star Trek Comeback, Marriage and Divorce From Adam Nimoy
Unlike a lot of other ‘where are they now’ stories, Farrell’s retirement wasn’t a vanishing act. She stayed close to the Star Trek community throughout, returning briefly in 2015 for the fan-funded project Star Trek: Renegades. She also remained a familiar face on the convention circuit for years afterward, including a GalaxyCon appearance as recently as 2026.
However, things were changing in her personal life. In 2015, Farrell divorced Baker. In 2018, she married Adam Nimoy (son of Star Trek legend Leonard Nimoy) before that marriage also ended. The couple, who first confirmed their relationship at a Star Trek Las Vegas panel in 2017 and got engaged weeks later, didn’t last. Farrell filed for divorce in Los Angeles County Superior Court in December 2020.
Terry Farrell After Motherhood: A New Kind of Freedom
On a 2025 episode of Varsity’s Roundtable Talk, Farrell spoke about her renewed sense of freedom now that her son left for college. Since the chapter of full-time parenting has closed, she can focus on other projects and dedicate more time to her work and passions.
What’s Next for Terry Farrell in 2026?
Two decades and two marriages later, Terry Farrell is still deeply connected to the Star Trek fandom. But don’t make the mistake of putting her in a box. She’s a multi-faceted woman who’s a vocal advocate for natural aging and enjoys yoga, walking, and sewing.
But the 62-year-old is not done with acting. In fact, she’s deliberately making her way back into the world of entertainment. Some of her recent work includes:
- Alone Together: A DS9 Companion (2020–2023): Reprised her iconic role as Jadzia Dax alongside her former Deep Space Nine castmates for this episodic audio series.
- Elsie (2024): Provided the voice acting for a character named Dr. Grey in this neo-retro action platformer video game.
- The Glass Mind (TBA): Marks her return to on-screen film acting as a main cast member opposite Resident Alien star Sara Tomko in this independent supernatural thriller, which is still awaiting a release date.
We look forward to seeing Terry Farrell return to the screen in the upcoming documentary The Sixty-Year Mission, which opens in limited theaters on October 9, 2026.
