Ethan Phillips stars as Neelix, a Talaxian, on Paramount Network Televsion’s STAR TREK: VOYAGER. A member of an alien race never before encountered in the Star Trek universe, Neelix is a charming, yet scraggly, scavenger who acts as the ship’s morale officer and budding ambassador.
Born and raised on Long Island, Phillips grew up as the only boy of six children. He received a Jesuit education in New York and attended Boston University, where he graduated with a degree in English Literature. He went on to postgraduate study at Cornell University, eventually receiving a Master of Fine Arts degree.
Phillips began his acting career appearing in such Broadway and off-Broadway productions as, “My Favorite Year” at Lincoln Center, “Measure for Measure” at the Delacorte, “Lips Together, Teeth Apart” at the Lucille Lortel and “Modigliani” at the Astor Place, along with new productions for Playwrights Horizons, the Ensemble Studio Theater, and the Hudson Guild Theater, among others. He also played leading roles in many of the major regional theaters in the country.
While he may have “cut his acting teeth” on stage, Phillips is perhaps best known for his extensive television work. He starred for five seasons as Pete Downey, the Governor’s press aide, on the hit television sitcom “Benson.” In addition, he had a recurring role in the nighttime drama “Werewolf” and guest-starred on a score of other shows, including “NYPD Blue,” “L.A. Law,” “Murphy Brown,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “Law & Order” and “Chicago Hope.” Phillips also recently appeared in HBO’s critically-acclaimed mini-series, “From the Earth to the Moon.”
His feature film credits include “Jeffrey,” in which he plays a sexaholic attending a 12-step group meeting, “The Shadow,” “Wagons East,” “Man Without a Face,” “Green Card,” “Bloodhounds of Broadway,” “For Richer or Poorer,” “Glory” and “Lean on Me.” Additionally, Phillips will appear in the upcoming feature film “Endsville.”
In addition to acting in stage, television and film projects, Phillips is also a published and produced playwright. His original work, Penguin Blues was published by the Samuel French company and has been produced more than 150 times throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Phillips currently lives with his wife, Patricia, and their two dogs: Frank, a West Highland terrier and Lucy, an Australian cattle dog. In his spare time, he is a devoted backpacker and an amateur ornithologist and botanist. He dreams of hiking the Appalachian trail from end-to-end.
