Movies - TV
Star Trek’s Admiral Bullock Was Affected By A Real Case Of Bell’s Palsy
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Since 1984, Tucker Smallwood has been a prolific actor in films and soaps, military dramas, and multiple sci-fi shows. However, appearing on "Voyager" was a fraught experience.
According to an interview with StarTrek.com in 2015, Smallwood had been diagnosed with Bell's palsy in 1998, an affliction that affects the muscles on the left side of his face.
It was during this time that he got a call from Paramount. Smallwood said, "I woke up one morning, looked at myself in the mirror and thought I'd had a stroke.”
“I got a call from my agent saying, ‘“Voyager" called and would like to see you for this role,’” Smallwood recalled. The role was for an alien, and the actor auditioned.
Smallwood had begun getting back control of some of his facial muscles, and his semi-paralyzed face not only aided his performance but regained his confidence.