One Of The Most Hated Star Trek Admirals Ever Passes Away
Nicholas Coster, who played the despised Admiral Haftel in Star Trek: The Next Generation, has died at the age of 89.
Nicolas Coster, who has had a memorable and long career in television and film, has passed away at the age of 89, Deadline confirms. While Coster will be remembered for many roles, Star Trek fans notably detested the character Admiral Haftel in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Offspring.” Coster brought his typical gravitas to a role in which he ordered Brent Spiner’s Data to turn over his daughter, Lal, for study.
Nicolas Coster might be best known for his role in the NBC series Santa Barbara, where he played Lionel Lockridge and earned four Daytime Emmy nominations for his performance. He eventually won a Daytime Emmy in 2017 for his performance in The Bay. Coster also enjoyed roles in TV shows like Another World, All My Children, As the World Turns, and One Life to Live, Another World.
Nicolas Coster began his prestigious career by studying acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. He moved back to America to train with Lee Strasberg in New York. He later nabbed some small roles in TV shows throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
Nicolas Coster scored a big feature film role as a lawyer in 1976’s All the President’s Men. He also appeared in TV shows such as Wonder Woman, Dallas, The Incredible Hulk, Charlie’s Angels, and more throughout the 1970s. In the 80s, he appeared in films like Stir Crazy and shows like Knight Rider and Matlock.
In 2020 he starred in the film The Last Exorcist alongside Danny Trejo, Terri Ivens, and Rachele Brooke Smith. His most recent role was in an episode of the anthology series American Crime Story and a 2023 episode of The Rookie: Feds. Coster was a truly prolific actor, and the above films and TV shows just begin to scratch the surface of his resume.
It goes to show just how memorable of a performance Nicolas Coster could give since Star Trek: The Next Generation fans remember his Admiral Haftel role after so many years. Coster only appeared in the series for one episode, yet he made an extremely strong impression on the fanbase.
Of course, the character’s motivation for separating two beloved characters was enough to make his character infamous, but Coster brought his typical nuance to the part that elevated the character and made him even more memorable.
In a statement following his death, Nicolas Coster’s daughter said: “Please be inspired by his artistic achievements and know he was a real actor’s actor!” It certainly seems like a fitting time for Star Trek fans to pay their respects and revisit The Next Generations episode he starred in. The series is available to stream on Paramount+.
Of course, it’s worth checking out some of his other roles where his character is more likable. All the President’s Men, which stars Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, is streaming on Max if you’re interested in checking that out. You can also stream his TV series, The Bay, on Tubi to see his Emmy-winning performance.
