Everyone’s favorite Klingon, Worf (Michael Dorn), had a son in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the character has been played by five different actors throughout the Star Trek franchise (so far). Worf’s son, Alexander Rozhenko, was a surprise to the Klingon Security Officer. After a brief relationship in TNG season 2, episode 20, “The Emissary,” half-human half-Klingon K’Ehleyr (Suzie Plakson) became pregnant with Worf’s child. She would keep this from him until two seasons later in the TNG episode aptly named “Reunion,” when the pair cross paths again. Tragically, K’Ehleyr was killed in “Reunion”, leaving Worf responsible for Alexander, the son he had just met.
K’Ehleyr and Worf had vastly different principles and K’Ehleyr had not raised Alexander as a traditional Klingon. Although Worf himself was adopted by humans at a young age, he struggled to find common ground with Alexander. Appearing in eight episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and four of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Alexander became a recurring character whose presence was felt throughout Worf’s narrative journey. Alexander’s return in DS9, in particular, marked a turning point in Worf’s character arc, although the Klingon warrior will not be winning any Father of the Year awards. Here is every actor who has played Worf’s son, Alexander Rozhenko, in Star Trek.
When Alexander made his first appearance in Star Trek: The Next Generation’s “Reunion,” he was a toddler played by the late Jon Steuer. Alexander’s mother, K’Ehleyr, had been investigating the treacherous Klingon Duras (Patrick Massett), and Duras killed her to conceal his role in a conspiracy that had considerably harmed Worf’s standing in Klingon society. After K’Ehleyr’s death, Worf claimed Alexander as his kin, despite having previously stated he did not wish to share his dishonor with his son.
Jon Steuer only appeared as Alexander in this lone Star Trek: The Next Generation episode, and he left the acting industry soon after to pursue a career in music. When Alexander returned, he was played by an older actor — likely to accommodate labor laws that govern how long child actors of each age can work, including the hours they spend in a makeup chair.
For most of the young Klingon character’s run, Alexander was played by Brian Bonsall. Bonsall first appeared in the role in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 5, episode 10, “New Ground,” and six more episodes throughout seasons five, six, and seven. His final appearance as Alexander was in TNG season 7, episode 21, “Firstborn.” Because he played him the longest, Bonsall is the version of Alexander many Star Trek fans associate most with the character.
Many of Alexander’s episodes on Star Trek: The Next Generation focused on Worf’s relationship with his son, including TNG season 5, episode 20, “Cost of Living,” in which Worf and Alexander go to Counselor Deanna Troi (Marina Sirtis) to resolve ongoing conflicts. TNG season 6, episode 8, “A Fistful of Datas” also gives Worf and Alexander a chance to bond, as they get trapped together in a Western-themed holodeck program.
After Star Trek: The Next Generation concluded in 1994, Worf transitioned to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, joining the cast as a regular starting in season 4 in 1995. Alexander didn’t move with him to the station — as Worf explained, they had continued difficulties getting along. Because of this, Worf felt it would be better for everyone if Alexander lived on Earth with his grandparents. However, in the DS9 season 6 episode “Sons and Daughters,” Worf is surprised to encounter Alexander on the Klingon ship, the Rotarran.
Although he is only around 9 years old, Alexander has matured into a man (Klingons mature faster than humans do) and is trying to reclaim a Klingon identity for himself. In his appearances on DS9, Alexander is played by Marc Worden, since the character had grown into adulthood and therefore needed to be played by an adult. After “Sons and Daughters,” Worden’s Alexander appeared only once more in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, in “You Are Cordially Invited,” which is the last canon appearance of Worf’s son in Star Trek.
In the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Firstborn,” Worf and Alexander meet a mysterious Klingon named K’mtar (James Sloyan), an advisor to the House of Mogh. K’mtar helps Worf in a fight and then tries to teach Alexander the ways of the Klingon warrior. By the end of the episode, K’mtar reveals himself to actually be Alexander from forty years in the future.
As an adult, Alexander witnessed the murder of his father, and he blamed himself for what happened. Future Alexander then traveled back in time, vowing to turn his past self into a traditional Klingon warrior in order to prevent Worf’s murder. In the end, Worf acknowledges that he only wants Alexander to be happy, and the future Alexander returns to his own time, satisfied that Worf and his son will go on to have a better relationship.
The last actor on this list only appeared as an image in two episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Richard Martinez was used for a framed picture of Worf and his son Alexander that can be seen in the first episode of season 4, “The Way of the Warrior, Part 1,” as Worf moves into his new quarters on Deep Space Nine.
The same photo makes a brief appearance in the third episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 6, “Sons and Daughters,” where Worf reunites with the now-adult Alexander. Martinez was uncredited for the short stint, and the next time Alexander appeared in the Star Trek franchise, he would be played by the adult actor, Marc Worden.
Throughout Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Worf often struggled to reconcile his Klingon heritage with his duties as a Starfleet officer. Worf’s struggles with his own identity made it difficult for him to raise Alexander, and the elder Klingon tried to push his son to embrace the life of a Klingon warrior. However, Alexander’s mother, K’Ehleyr, had been half-human and did not hold Klingon values as highly as Worf.
As a child, Alexander had no desire to be a Klingon warrior, and this caused tension between him and his father. After the destruction of the USS Enterprise-D in Star Trek Generations, Worf sent Alexander to live with his grandparents on Earth, believing that the young Klingon would be happier there. Alexander, however, felt that Worf had rejected him for not being the kind of son he wanted. In his last Star Trek appearance, Alexander attended the wedding of Worf and Lt. Jadzia Dax (Terry Farrell), and he and Worf parted on better terms.
By the time of Star Trek: Picard season 3, Worf had joined Starfleet Intelligence and claimed to be a pacifist, despite his skills with a sword. Not only did Picard season 3 reunite the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it also introduced several children of USS Enterprise-D crew members. As the son of Jean-Luc Picard and Dr. Beverly Crusher (Gates McFadden), Jack Crusher (Ed Speleers) played a major role in the plot of Picard season 3 and ended the season as a crewmember on the newly rechristened USS Enterprise-G.
Although the finale of Star Trek: Picard season 3 provided the perfect setup for a spin-off, Paramount has been quiet regarding Star Trek: Legacy, despite fan demand. If Star Trek: Legacy ever happens, as a television series or a streaming film on Paramount+, Worf’s son Alexander could make a return to Star Trek. In his last appearance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Alexander was serving in the Klingon Defense Forces, but it’s possible he later decided to join Starfleet. Either way, it would be interesting to see Alexander reunite with Worf in a future Star Trek project.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, & Star Trek: Picard are available to stream on Paramount+.