Personal details
- Birth Date: 1954-06-28
- Height: 5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
- Birth Location: Upington, South Africa
- Parents: Pat Krige
- Professions: Actress, Producer, Writer
Alice Krige popped into the world on June 28, 1954, in Upington, South Africa, where her dad, Dr. Louis Krige, was doing the young doctor thing. The family eventually landed in Port Elizabeth – classic happy childhood vibes, two brothers (both went full doctor mode), and her mom Pat, a clinical psychologist. Oh, and no TV, which Alice calls a “huge black hole in my education.” South Africa didn’t even get TV until after she’d already bounced to London for acting. Funny thing: acting wasn’t even in her plans. She actually wanted to be a dancer but her dad vetoed that. So, she did the sensible thing and followed her mom’s path, picking up psychology and literature at Rhodes University. But then, she took a drama class for an easy credit, and boom – life flipped upside down. Acting took over, she got an honors degree in drama, and off to London she went. Once in England, three years at Central School of Speech and Drama, then a blink-and-you-miss-it role on BBC’s Play for Today in ‘79. Not long after, she scored the role of Sybil Gordon in the Oscar-winning “Chariots of Fire.” She popped up in “A Tale of Two Cities,” got spooky in “Ghost Story,” and killed it on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company—think “King Lear,” “The Tempest,” the works. The rest? All over the map: “King David,” “Barfly,” miniseries like “Ellis Island,” and a wild mix of TV and film. Massive cult cred came with her Borg Queen in “Star Trek: First Contact”—Saturn Award and all, though people still recognize her from “Ghost Story.” Honestly, her career’s been one unpredictable ride, mixing up indie gems, TV dramas, and some serious sci-fi legend status.
Alice Krige first brought the Borg Queen to life in Star Trek: First Contact back in ‘96—absolutely iconic, honestly. But when Star Trek: Voyager rolled around, Krige decided to pass on coming back, so Susanna Thompson stepped up and played the Queen across four Voyager episodes. Here’s the twist—when the show was wrapping up, Thompson couldn’t make it. Her schedule was all over the place because of Once and Again, so she had to bail on Voyager’s big finale. The producers needed the Borg Queen back for the final showdown, and Krige jumped in, reclaiming the role she made famous. It’s kind of wild how the face of such a legendary villain bounced like that, but in the end, Krige’s return gave fans a proper send-off. Feels fitting, really, bringing everything full circle for the last episode. That’s some Hollywood shuffle right there.
referencennPeople just couldn't handle the Borg. I mean, you'd see it plain as day—one of them would shuffle up to the coffee table and suddenly everyone else got real interested in being somewhere else. Like, oh no, here comes that weird cyborg, better make a quiet exit. It wasn't even subtle, just this awkward, slow-motion retreat. The Borg themselves looked miserable enough already, but then to get treated like some sort of contagious disease? Ouch. Honestly, the whole vibe was pretty heartbreaking. I felt bad for my poor minions, all decked out in those uncomfortable costumes, just trying to grab a coffee and being treated like outcasts. There’s something strangely fascinating about how uncomfortable people get around anyone who looks or acts too different—even on a movie set. I guess that’s just how it goes: nobody wants to sit next to the Borg at lunch.
June 28, 1954
5′ 5″ (1.65 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Upington, South Africa
Pat Krige and Surekha
71 years old