Editing Seven of Nine (section)

==Casting and filming==

Following the third season of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', the production team decided that the main cast character of [[Kes (Star Trek)|Kes]] was to be dropped from the show. It was decided that Captain [[Kathryn Janeway]] needed a contrasting character, and so Seven of Nine was developed to fill this role. It had been a previous ''Star Trek'' staple to have a character that could provide a third-person view on the human condition, prior examples including [[Spock]] in ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'', [[Data (Star Trek)|Data]] in ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]''<ref>{{cite web|title=Stephen Poe, Star Trek Author|url=http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/poe_040298.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011007000955/http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/poe_040298.html|archive-date=October 7, 2001|date=April 2, 1998|publisher=Star Trek.com|access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref> and [[Odo (Star Trek)|Odo]] in ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''. In addition, the producers of ''Voyager'' had been keen to make greater use of [[The Borg]] as recurring antagonists in the show, particularly after the success of the 1996 ''Next Generation'' feature film ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]''.

After being cast, actress [[Jeri Ryan]] acknowledged she had hardly even seen ''Star Trek'', and had no idea what the Borg were. To prepare her, the producers gave her a copy of ''[[Star Trek: First Contact]]'' and the ''[[Star Trek Encyclopedia]]'' the day before she was due to test for the part.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interviews: Jeri Ryan: Borg Basics|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/ryan/page1.shtml|work=BBC Online|access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref> She was specifically told not to base her performance on the Borg Queen from the film as she was a "completely different animal and [they] were creating something entirely new".<ref name=ryantranscript1>{{cite web|title=Jeri Ryan, "Seven of Nine"|url=http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_091697.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011007074155/http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_091697.html|archive-date=October 7, 2001|date=September 16, 1997|publisher=Star Trek.com|access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref> Her acting experience up until this point had consisted of television movies, guest appearances and ''[[Dark Skies]]''.<ref name=ryantranscript1/>

Her audition process consisted of two readings for the producers before Ryan was asked to come in to talk through the part with the executive producers, [[Jeri Taylor]], [[Rick Berman]] and [[Brannon Braga]]. Following this, she tested for the network and was told that her option had been picked up.<ref name=ryantranscript1/> She remarked about her experience of joining the ''Voyager'' team: "It was a little awkward since the cast had been together for three years already. And one of the original characters was being written out pretty much at the same time I was being added. But the cast was terrific, and very welcoming."<ref name=ryantranscript2/> Although she wore extensive make-up for her first appearances, including an eye-piece that fell off when she smiled, her typical make-up regimen took around 45 minutes, with the attachment of the Borg appliance above her eye taking an additional 15 minutes. Her hairstyling usually took as long as that combined.<ref name=ryantranscript2>{{cite web|title=Jeri Ryan, "Seven of Nine"|url=http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_031998.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011007002710/http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_031998.html|archive-date=October 7, 2001|date=March 19, 1998|publisher=Star Trek.com|access-date=September 5, 2014}}</ref>

In the following years, the ''Voyager'' writers wrote several plot lines revolving around Seven's exploration of the positive and negative sides of human individuality. The cyborg nature of the character is seen as representing a challenge to "simple conceptions of connections/disconnections between bodies."<ref>{{Cite journal | last = Lim | first = Hilary | title = Caesareans and cyborgs | journal = [[Feminist Legal Studies]] | volume = 7 | issue = 2 | pages = 133–173 | doi = 10.1023/A:1009272228097 | date = May 1999 | s2cid = 146317834 }}</ref> Ryan maintained that the main topic about Seven was "humanity" and stated that her character was pivotal to the success of the show, because she "brought conflict to the show, which it was sadly lacking. … The [[Star Trek: Voyager#Cast|''Voyager'' crew]] was just one big happy family." After the addition of the former Borg drone to the starship's crew at the start of the fourth season of ''Voyager'', the shows' weekly viewer ratings increased by more than 60%.<ref>{{cite web|first=Joseph |last=Hanania |title=Signoff: Intergalactic Generation Gap |work=The New York Times |date=February 7, 1999 |access-date=September 7, 2014|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/07/tv/signoff-intergalactic-generation-gap.html?pagewanted=print&src=pm}}</ref> Ryan's arrival on the show was accompanied by a massive publicity campaign in TV magazines and newspaper supplements.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interviews: Jeri Ryan: Themes and things|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/ryan/page3.shtml|work=BBC Online|access-date=September 7, 2014}}</ref> Ryan thought that the increase may have been because of the way the character looked, but maintained that those viewers would have been retained by the writing on the show.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Winslow|first1=Harriet|title=Can One Borg Elevate 'Voyager'? Maybe, If She Looks Like This One|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/tv/1998/02/08/can-one-borg-elevate-voyager-maybe-if-she-looks-like-this-one/c137f9df-e942-462d-8a8f-397cef1a2b83/|access-date=February 21, 2020|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=February 8, 1998}}</ref>

She also remarked that "combining non-human qualities with an attractive human appearance," as in Seven's character, was a great move by the producers.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interviews: Jeri Ryan: Clever Combination|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/ryan/page5.shtml|work=BBC Online|access-date=September 7, 2014}}</ref> She felt that the writers did a good job in not pushing the character to be more human and having Seven enter into relationships on the show. Ryan was concerned that it could have turned out to be "Seven's sexual escapades on ''Voyager''".<ref name=ladyborg>{{cite journal|last1=Spelling|first1=Ian|title=The Lady Borg|journal=Starlog|date=April 1998|issue=249|pages=27–31|url=https://archive.org/stream/starlog_magazine-249/249#page/n29/mode/1up|access-date=September 9, 2014}}</ref> In terms of portrayal, she said that "keeping a straight face" while showing suppressed emotion was an enjoyable challenge.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interviews: Jeri Ryan: Acting Challenges|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/ryan/page7.shtml|work=BBC Online|access-date=September 7, 2014}}</ref> Regarding her form-fitting one-piece costume, Ryan commented that it was extremely impractical and uncomfortable, but worth the reward of portraying a character like Seven.<ref>{{cite news|title=Interviews: Jeri Ryan: Silver suits and high heels|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/cult/st/interviews/ryan/page8.shtml|work=BBC Online|access-date=September 7, 2014}}</ref>

Although Seven was originally introduced as a foil for Captain Janeway, with the two of them proving to be very adversarial, they gained mutual respect as time went by. Ryan later described this as a mother-daughter relationship on the show, although she said that the writers had managed to make the character into more of an unruly teenager.<ref name=impish/> The inclusion of Seven of Nine as a primary character for the show alongside Janeway and the Doctor was criticised by other actors. [[Robert Beltran]], who played [[Chakotay]] felt that his character, along with [[Harry Kim (Star Trek)|Harry Kim]], [[Tuvok]] and [[Neelix]], were being overlooked.<ref name=catchup1>{{cite web|title=Catching Up With Robert Beltran, Part 1|url=http://www.startrek.com/article/catching-up-with-robert-beltran-part-1|publisher=Star Trek.com|date=July 20, 2012|access-date=February 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=January 18, 2011 |author1=<!-- StarTrek.com Staff --> |title=Catching Up with Kate Mulgrew - Part 2 |url=https://www.startrek.com/article/catching-up-with-kate-mulgrew-part-2 |quote=So I resented that and I was hurt by the immediate, extraordinary attention given to this character. |access-date=2022-05-04 }}</ref> As the end of the series approached, Ryan remarked that she would "love to do something without special effects or rubber glued to my face, it'd be a nice change of pace."<ref name=newsflash>{{cite news|title=News Flash|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0EFEFFAA711D706D.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921204420/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0EFEFFAA711D706D.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=September 7, 2014|work=The Beacon News|date=January 2, 2001|url-access= }}</ref>

Following the end of ''Voyager'', Ryan joined the main cast of ''[[Boston Public]]'', comparing her new character of Ronnie with Seven of Nine, saying "[Seven] had all of these emotions, she just wasn't comfortable expressing them, and didn't really know how to express them; Ronnie, my character on ''Boston Public'', is quite comfortable expressing them, and is fairly free with her expressions, I think. So it's going to be a lot of fun. It's going to be much more free, as far as the acting style."<ref>{{cite web|title=Dispatch: Ryan Contrasts "Ronnie" with "Seven"|url=http://www.startrek.com/news/news.asp?ID=120433|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011008043926/http://www.startrek.com/news/news.asp?ID=120433|archive-date=October 8, 2001|date=July 7, 2001|publisher=Star Trek.com|access-date=September 6, 2014}}</ref> Ryan said that she had several favourite Seven of Nine episodes, including "[[The Gift (Star Trek: Voyager)|The Gift]]", "[[The Raven (Star Trek: Voyager)|The Raven]]", "[[Revulsion (Star Trek: Voyager)|Revulsion]]", "[[Hunters (Star Trek: Voyager)|Hunters]]", "[[Prey (Star Trek: Voyager)|Prey]]" and the two-part "[[The Killing Game (Star Trek: Voyager)|The Killing Game]]".<ref name=ladyborg/>

===Attire and filming issues===
Her initial costume as seen in "Scorpion" and the following episode, "The Gift", saw Seven of Nine as a full Borg. This outfit took some two-and-a-half hours for Ryan to get into, but an error was made in measuring the outfit by not taking into account the prosthetics that she was required to wear for the part. This cut off the blood supply through her [[External carotid artery|carotid artery]], causing her to pass out on two occasions. After a nurse was called twice to supply oxygen, the costume was modified to stop it from happening again.<ref name=babe/>

Once the character had the majority of the Borg implants removed, a new costume was required. Ryan wore a silver jumpsuit for the first few episodes, which director [[Jesús Salvador Treviño]] said that during the filming of the episode "[[Day of Honor]]" caused problems as "almost any camera angle inevitably winds up emphasising her sexuality."<ref name=simp9722/> Ryan described the new costume as "a little snug", and wore a [[corset]]-like item which gave the appearance of mechanical ribs.<ref name=babe/> At least one version of the costume had the corset built into it.<ref name=reunites/> In order to give her greater height, the shoes which formed part of her costume had four-inch (10&nbsp;cm) high heels.<ref>{{cite news|title=Star Trek Style|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83816480.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921204439/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-83816480.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=September 7, 2014|work=Daily News|publisher=|date=March 26, 1998|url-access=}}</ref> She said in a 2012 interview that the suit by [[costume designer]] [[Robert Blackman]] was a "feat of engineering", but required a 20-minute production shutdown if she needed to use the toilet, as she needed that time plus assistance to get into and out of it.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/11/jeri-ryan-body-of-proof-star-trek-voyager_n_1413141.html |title=Jeri Ryan Of 'Body Of Proof' Recalls Her Days As Seven Of Nine On 'Star Trek: Voyager' |first= Chris|last= Jancelewicz|newspaper=Huffington Post |date=April 11, 2012 |access-date=April 11, 2012}}</ref> She said that it was so fitted and figure hugging that it "might as well have been [[bodypaint|body paint]]".<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.trektoday.com/news/180202_02.shtml | title=TrekToday - Ryan Faces Catsuit Memories on 'Letterman'| date=3 October 2021}}</ref> The lengthy time it took to use the bathroom led to the actress not drinking any fluids, which in turn made her feel sick.<ref>{{Cite web|last=June 2020|first=Elizabeth Howell 09|title=How Borgs, Vulcans and doctors showed diversity on 'Star Trek: Voyager'|url=https://www.space.com/star-trek-voyager-cast-talk-diversity-reunion.html|access-date=2021-03-21|website=Space.com|date=9 June 2020|language=en}}</ref>

Treviño praised the subsequent changes to her costume in order to reduce its sexuality, saying that "it is much more sensible, because she's still an attractive person but then you get away from that titillation stuff which I think is so demeaning not only to the audience, but it's kinda of demeaning to what ''Star Trek'' is about."<ref name=simp9722>{{cite journal|last=Simpson|first=Paul|title=Man of Honour|journal=Dreamwatch|date=December 1997|issue=40|pages=22–23}}</ref> The later versions of her costumes still required 20 minutes to get into before filming could start,<ref name=transcript3>{{cite web|title=Jeri Ryan, "Seven of Nine" on Star Trek: Voyager|url=http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_021199.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011007072908/http://www.startrek.com/news/transcripts/ryan_021199.html|archive-date=October 7, 2001 |date=February 11, 1999|publisher=Star Trek.com|access-date=September 6, 2014}}</ref> but Ryan said they were much more forgiving, "In the silver costume, if I got goosebumps, you could see them. The brown costume is a thicker, stronger fabric. It's not quite so clingy, so the waist doesn't have to be cinched in."<ref name=ladyborg/> That version of the costume also removed the vertical bones of the corset, which allowed Ryan to have greater flexibility while wearing it.<ref name=ladyborg/>

One of the major remaining pieces of Borg technology that Ryan continued to wear for the part was what she described as "That little thing over my eye".<ref name=impish>{{cite news|last1=Rohan|first1=Virginia|title=Facial Prosthetics Mask Impish Smile|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22451289.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140921204437/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-22451289.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 21, 2014|access-date=September 7, 2014|work=The Record|publisher=|date=February 16, 1999|url-access= }}</ref> This was because the term that referred to it in the episodes would change depending on the writers and the episode itself, she explained that "Sometimes, it's my cortical implant. Sometimes, it's my cranial implant. Sometimes, it's my ocular implant."<ref name=impish/>