Kes Actress Jennifer Lien’s Star Trek: Voyager Exit “A Mystery,” Says Executive Producer

Star Trek: Voyager executive producer Jeri Taylor explains what she knows about the “mystery” departure of Kes actress Jennifer Lien. As the young, short-lived Ocampa, Kes was a series regular in Star Trek: Voyager’s first 3 seasons. She as a wide-eyed explorer with empathy and heart who had important relationships with Neelix (Ethan Phillips) and The Doctor (Robert Picardo) before Lien left the show at the beginning of Voyager season 4. At the time, Taylor and executive producer Rick Berman explained the reason for Lien’s removal was that Kes was an underdeveloped character with limited story potential.