Best known for playing Leeta, the wife of Rom (Max Grodénchik) in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chase Masterson almost played the girlfriend of Jake Sisko (Cirroc Lofton). Leeta debuted in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3, episode 22, “Explorers”, where she was introduced as a potential love interest for Doctor Julian Bashir (Alexander Siddig). Bashir and Leeta’s relationship lasted for a year before she found true love with Rom, the brother of Ferengi bartender Quark (Armin Shimerman). Rom and Leeta continue to make a positive impact in the post-DS9 years of the Star Trek timeline, successfully negotiating Federation membership for the Ferengi.

While Chase Masterson joined the cast of Deep Space Nine in the latter stages of season 3, she originally auditioned for an earlier episode. In Star Trek: DS9 season 3, episode 6, “The Abandoned”, Commander Benjamin Sisko (Avery Brooks) disapproves of Jake’s relationship with a dabo girl from Quark’s Bar named Mardah (Jill Sayre). Chase Masterson originally auditioned to play Mardah in “The Abandoned”, but was turned down for the role by director Avery Brooks for reasons that would eventually make her such a memorable addition to the DS9 cast.

Chase Masterson Almost Played Jake Sisko’s Girlfriend In Star Trek: DS9

It’s interesting that Chase Masterson makes her Star Trek: Deep Space Nine debut in “Explorers”, because it’s a spiritual sequel to “The Abandoned”. Both DS9 episodes are about Sisko coming to terms with his boy becoming a man, and both episodes begin setting up Jake’s future career as a writer. Masterson was cast as Leeta in “Explorers” on the strength of her audition to play Mardah in “The Abandoned”. In the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Companion, Ira Steven Behr remembers why Avery Brooks turned down Chase Masterson for the role of Jake’s girlfriend:

“Avery was directing that episode, and when Chase came in, he was like, ‘For my son?! For me , maybe! But for my son ? Get her out of here!’ Chase had played it full throttle, with kittenesque sexuality. But we kept her in mind, thinking she could make a fun character.”

It’s also worth pointing out that there’s a 13-year age gap between Jill Sayre, who was cast as Jake’s girlfriend, and Chase Masterson, who auditioned for the role. While the Sisko subplot in “The Abandoned” was all about the Deep Space Nine commander disapproving of the age gap between Jake and Mardah, Masterson’s casting would have made this gap insurmountable. The much smaller gap between Cirroc Lofton and Jill Sayre therefore made them a more believable couple in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine season 3.

Leeta Was One Of Three Important Additions To Star Trek: DS9 Season 3

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine has the largest number of regular and recurring characters in the entire franchise, and season 3 is when the DS9 cast begins to expand. Lieutenant Commander Michael Eddington (Kenneth Marshall) was introduced in the season 3 premiere, “The Search”, who would betray Starfleet to the Maquis in DS9 season 4. Leeta was the next major recurring character to be introduced in DS9 season 3, though she would only become a semi-permanent fixture from season 5 onward. As well as introducing Leeta, DS9 season 3, episode 22, “Explorers” also teased the arrival of another key character.

In “Explorers”, Jake reveals that he doesn’t want to leave Deep Space Nine until his father finds himself a girlfriend. Unlike some Star Trek captains, the list of Sisko’s love interests is surprisingly small, which caused concern for his son, who worried his father would be lonely. Jake therefore suggests his father go on a date with an unnamed freighter captain, who would be introduced in the following episode, “Family Business”. That freighter captain would turn out to be Kasidy Yates (Penny Johnson Jerald), who became Captain Sisko’s great love in the remainder of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.