Rebecca Romijn Is Now Outranked In Star Trek By Husband Jerry O’Connell: “He Never Lets Me Forget It”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Rebecca Romijn reacts to the fact that her real-life husband, Jerry O’Connell, outranks her at Starfleet. Romijn portrayed Lieutenant Commander Una Chin-Riley in Star Trek: Discovery, before the character was spun out into another series.

Romijn can currently be seen in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3. O'Connell voiced Jack Ransom, the First Officer of the USS Cerritos in Star Trek: Lower Decks before being promoted to Captain in the series finale.

In an interview with ScreenRant's John Orquiola, Romijn was asked about her reaction to her husband's character now outranking hers in Starfleet. While the two characters exist at different points in the overall timeline, Romijn jokingly says that O'Connell "never lets me forget" that he is now the higher-ranking officer. Check out her quote below:

When Jerry thinks that he can outrank me, he never lets me forget it. Let me tell you, he reminds me all the time that he outranks me.

What This Means For Star Trek

The Marriage Is A Fun Connection To The Franchise

Romijn and O'Connell have been married since 2007, and their off-screen relationship is a fun added bonus to the overall Star Trek franchise. The two characters have never officially interacted, and most likely never will. Star Trek: Lower Decks did crossover with Strange New Worlds, but O'Connell's Ransom did not make the journey.

How high Romijn's Una will climb in Starfleet ranks remains unknown. Outside of her portrayal in Strange New Worlds, the character was originally played by Majel Barrett, Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry's future wife, in the unaired pilot.

The footage of her was later reused in Star Trek: The Original Series episodes 15 and 16, "The Menagerie" parts 1 and 2. Barrett also played Nurse Chapel in TOS, Lwaxana Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and voiced the computer in multiple series and movies.

Our Take On Their Competing Ranks

Romijn's Character Has A Lasting Legacy

While O'Connell's character may currently outrank Romijn's, it has been established that Una Chin-Riley has a legacy long past her time aboard the Enterprise. It is revealed that in the year 2381, she is used as promotion for cadets joining Starfleet. Ensign Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid) describes her as his inspiration for wanting to be a Starfleet officer.

Despite Ransom being promoted to Captain of the Cerritos, it is still just a California-class starship. Una Chin-Riley's role as Number One on the Enterprise in Star Trek: Lower Decks still arguably has more prestige to it. She also has a confirmed legacy that viewers don't know if Ransom ever came close to achieving.