Species: male Klingon
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Date of birth: 2340
Place of birth: Qo'noS
Father: Mogh (deceased)
Brother: Kurn
Adoptive parents: Sergey and Helena Rozhenko
Adoptive brother: Nikolai Rozhenko
Son: Alexander Rozhenko (born 2366)
Marital status: widowed from Jadzia Dax

The first Klingon warrior to serve in the Federation Starfleet and an influential figure in Klingon politics (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint, Part I").

Worf, Son of Mogh, was born on the Klingon Homeworld in 2340 (TNG: "Sins Of The Father"). As a young child, Worf was fond of his pet targ (TNG: "Where No One Has Gone Before"). He accompanied his parents to the Khitomer outpost in 2346. Worf was orphaned later that year in the brutal Khitomer massacre, a Romulan attack in which 4,000 Klingons were killed. Worf was rescued by Sergey Rozhenko, a human crew member from the USS Intrepid. Sergey and his wife, Helena Rozhenko, adopted Worf and raised him as their own son, because it was believed that Worf had no remaining family on the Homeworld (TNG: "Sins Of The Father"). With his new family on the farm world of Gault (TNG: "Heart of Glory"), and later on Earth, Worf found it difficult to fit into the alien world of humans and was a bit of a hell raiser (TNG: "Family"). In 2352, while living on Gault, Worf accidentally caused the death of a human boy named Mikel during a soccer match. During a championship game Mikel's and Worf's heads collided, breaking the human boys neck. Worf felt responsible, and ever since that day, Worf practiced extreme restraint whenever dealing with humans, who were physically fragile compared to Klingons (DS9: "Let He Who Is Without Sin..."). Worf was raised along with an adoptive brother, Nikolai Rozhenko, the Rozhenkos' biological son (TNG: "Homeward"). For some reason, Worf's experiences of Earth never included drinking prune juice. When given a taste of it by Guinan in 2366, Worf pronounced it "a warrior's drink" (TNG: "Yesterday's Enterprise").

Worf visited the homeworld as a boy but was shunned by his cousins for being too human. His parents allowed him to visit No'Mat, where a vision of Kahless the Unforgettable appeared to Worf, telling him that he would do something no other Klingon had ever done (DS9: "The Sword of Kahless"). When Worf was a boy growing up in Russia (DS9: "Image in the Sand"), his father used to take him and his brother Nikolai on camping trips in the Ural Mountains. Every night they would listen to the wolves howling in the distance. Nikolai was afraid of them, but Worf would lie in his tent for hours just listening. Worf would later recall that he secretly felt the urge to strip off his clothes and run into the night to live in the forest as something wild (DS9: "Change of Heart"). Nikolai entered Starfleet Academy at the same time as Worf, but later dropped out because he found Starfleet not to his liking (TNG: "Heart of Glory"). Worf's hobbies included building models of ancient Klingon ocean sailing vessels in a bottle, considered difficult handiwork (TNG: "Peak Performance"). Worf's adoptive parents remained close to him over the years, and made it a point to visit him in early 2367 when the Enterprise-D was docked at Earth Station McKinley for repairs (TNG: "Family").

Following his graduation from Starfleet Academy in 2361, Worf held the rank of lieutenant, junior grade, and served as flight control officer (conn) aboard the USS Enterprise-D (TNG: "Encounter at Farpoint"). Worf was promoted to acting chief of security and made a full lieutenant following the death of Lieutenant Natasha Yar at planet Vagra II in late 2364 (TNG: "Skin of Evil"). Worf felt intense guilt when Lieutenant Marla Aster was accidentally killed on an away mission in 2366, orphaning her son Jeremy Aster. Worf later took Jeremy into his family through the Klingon ritual R'uustai, or bonding, ceremony (TNG: "The Bonding"). In 2366, Worf's spinal column was shattered in an accident when several cargo containers collapsed onto him. Worf was left paralyzed, and his prognosis indicated little hope for a full recovery. In accordance with Klingon tradition, Worf refused medical treatment and opted for the Hegh'bat form of ritual suicide. He was dissuaded from taking his life when Dr Toby Russell performed a dangerous experimental surgical procedure called genetronic replication, in which a new spinal column was generated to replace the damaged organ. The surgery was successful, in part because Klingon physiology includes redundancy for nearly all vital bodily functions (TNG: "Ethics"). Worf was promoted to lieutenant commander in 2371 in a ceremony held on a holodeck representation of the 19th-century sailing frigate Enterprise ("Star Trek Generations").

Following the destruction of the Enterprise-D, Worf returned to study for a year at the monastery on Boreth before he accepted an assignment as strategic operations officer at station Deep Space 9. The promotion marked a change in career path for Worf, from operations to command (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior"). For some reason, Worf found living on the station uncomfortable, so he moved his residence from quarters in the station to a stateroom aboard the USS Defiant (DS9: "Bar Association"). Worf took advantage of the time alone on the Defiant by playing Klingon opera very loudly on the ship's sound system. He particularly liked the singing of Barak-Kadan (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places"). Worf commanded the Starship Defiant on Stardate 50893 as part of the Starfleet armada that intercepted a Borg cube at Earth. After the Defiant was incapacitated in that battle, Worf and his crew were aboard the Starship Enterprise-E, where Worf served as tactical officer for the remainder of the encounter ("Star Trek: First Contact").

Worf was thrust into high-level Klingon politics in 2366 when he discovered that he had a biological brother, Kurn. The Klingon High Council had ruled that their father, Mogh, had committed treason years ago at Khitomer. Worf and Kurn challenged this judgment, but found the High Council unwilling to hear evidence that the politically powerful Duras family had falsified the charges against Mogh. Although Worf was willing to die in the challenge to protect his family honor, he eventually chose to accept a humiliating discommendation rather than allow his brother to be killed (TNG: "Sins of the Father"). Worf later killed Duras for having murdered K'Ehleyr (TNG: "Reunion"). Worf was once again dragged into high-level politics in late 2367 and early 2368 when a challenge to Gowron's reign by the Duras family triggered a Klingon civil war. Worf and Kurn agreed to support the Gowron regime in exchange for the rightful restoration of honor to the Mogh family. During the conflict, Worf was forced to resign his Starfleet commission because he would not otherwise be permitted to take sides in that internal political matter (TNG: "Redemption, Parts I and II"). Worf once investigated a claim that his father had not died at Khitomer, but was instead being held prisoner at a secret Romulan prison camp in the Carraya System. Although the report was false, Worf did indeed find a prison camp where survivors of the Khitomer massacre and their families were being held. At the camp, Worf fell in love with a half-Romulan, half-Klingon named Ba'el. Worf led some of the prisoners to freedom, but the majority (including Ba'el) chose to remain, regarding the Carraya prison as their home (TNG: "Birthright, Parts I and II").

In 2369, Worf experienced a crisis of faith, and requested a leave of absence to visit the Klingon monastery on Boreth. While meditating to invoke visions of Kahless the Unforgettable, Worf met a very real vision of Kahless. It was discovered that this Kahless was in fact a clone of the original, created by the clerics of Boreth. At Worf's suggestion, and with the support of Chancellor Gowron, the new Kahless was installed as the ceremonial emperor of the Klingon people in 2369 (TNG: "Rightful Heir"). Despite Worf's support of Gowron's regime, he refused to join the Klingon invasion of Cardassia in 2372, an act of defiance for which Gowron ordered Worf's family removed from the High Council, his titles stripped, his land seized, making Worf persona non grata anywhere in the empire (DS9: "The Way of the Warrior"). Shortly thereafter, Worf became a pawn in a deception orchestrated by the Klingon government. Worf was accused of destroying a civilian transport ship and murdering 411 Klingon citizens. A hearing at Deep Space 9 revealed that government agents had faked the deaths by using the names of Klingon citizens who had died earlier in a crash on Galorda Prime. The Gowron regime had hoped to disgrace Worf, and to gain sympathy for the empire's plan to annex Cardassian territory (DS9: "Rules of Engagement"). During the final weeks of the Dominion War, Worf became appalled that Chancellor Gowron was squandering the lives of Klingon warriors in pursuit of personal political gain. Worf urged the chancellor to reconsider his strategies, but was rebuffed. Soon, Worf realized that Gowron's politically motivated decisions threatened the survival of the empire itself. Worf challenged and slew Gowron in a bat'leth fight for honor, and in so doing, earned the right to lead the high council. Nevertheless, Worf believed that the interests of his people would be best served with Martok leading the empire, so Worf stood aside and Martok became chancellor (DS9: "Tacking into the Wind"). After the Dominion war, Worf became the Federation ambassador to Qo'nos (DS9: "What You Leave Behind"). In 2375, Worf briefly rejoined the crew of the Enterprise-E to prevent the Ba'ku people from being forcibly removed from their homeworld by the Son'a ("Star Trek: Insurrection"). He later permanently returned to Starfleet ("Star Trek Nemesis").

Worf had a son, Alexander Rozhenko, with Ambassador K'Ehleyr, with whom he had been romantically involved. When K'Ehleyr was murdered by Klingon High Council member Duras, Alexander returned to Earth to be cared for by Sergey and Helena (TNG: "Reunion"). During the Dominion War, Worf served aboard the Bird-of-Prey Rotarran under General Martok. So pleased was Martok with Worf that he made Worf a member of the House of Martok (DS9: "Soldiers of the Empire"). Worf was romantically involved with Deanna Troi in 2370 (TNG: "All Good Things, Part I and II"). In 2373, Worf found himself attracted to the Lady Grilka when she visited station Deep Space 9, although she preferred the company of Quark. Worf's interest in Grilka nearly blinded him to the attentions of Jadzia Dax, who had always had a fascination for things Klingon. It was not until the two shared a holosuite opera of Kahless and Lukara that Worf and Jadzia consummated their romantic relationship (DS9: "Looking for par'Mach in All the Wrong Places"). In late 2373, Worf and Jadzia became engaged to be married (DS9: "Call to Arms"). Worf never felt fully comfortable with his son, Alexander, and the two became further estranged when Alexander went to live with Worf's parents on Earth. Worf reacted angrily when Alexander subsequently joined the Klingon Defense Force and the two served together aboard the bird-of-prey IKS Rotarran, but the two began to heal their relationship when Alexander agreed to join his father as a member of the House of Martok (DS9: "Sons and Daughters"). Ever since he was a boy, Worf had always wanted a traditional wedding, possibly as a way of compensating for the fact that he was raised in human society. In 2374, on Stardate 51247, Worf got his wish when he and Dax were married in a traditional Klingon ceremony on Deep Space 9. In the ceremony, his son Alexander was Worf's Tawi'Yan, or sword bearer (DS9: "You Are Cordially Invited"). On Stardate 51597.2, Worf commanded a mission into Dominion territory to extract a vital Starfleet operative from possible Dominion capture. The mission was a failure when the informant was killed by Jem'Hadar forces after Worf chose to care for his wife, who had been critically wounded, instead of making the rendezvous with the informant. Captain Sisko entered another serious reprimand in Worf's record after the incident, meaning that Worf had little chance of ever being granted a command of his own by Starfleet (DS9: "Change of Heart"). Worf was deeply in love with Jadzia, but his dream of raising a family with her was shattered in 2374 when Jadzia was tragically killed by a Pah-wraith inhabiting the body of Gul Dukat (DS9: "Tears of the Prophets"). After her death, Worf worried that Jadzia had not died in battle, and might be denied entry to Sto-Vo-Kor in the afterlife (DS9: "Image in the Sand"). He therefore volunteered for a dangerous mission, dedicating the glorious victory to her name so that she may have a place among the honored dead. In this effort, Worf was assisted by his friends Julian Bashir, Miles O'Brien, and Quark, who also risked their lives to honor Jadzia (DS9: "Shadows and Symbols"). Upon his return, however, Worf was faced with an unexpected challenge: the emotionally difficult task of meeting the new host to the Dax symbiont. Worf's discomfort was so great that Ezri Dax nearly refused a posting to Deep Space 9 out of respect for Worf's feelings. She agreed to stay only after Worf indicated that he believed Jadzia would have wanted him to accept her as the new host (DS9: "Afterimage").

Michael Dorn is an American actor from Texas. He is best known for playing Worf in the "Star Trek" franchise, the first Klingon character to be part of a television series' main cast. Dorn played the character regularly from 1987 to 2002, appearing in four films and 272 television episodes. Dorn has had more episode appearances than any other actor in the franchise's main cast.

In 1952, Dorn was born in Luling, Texas. Luling was a small city, established as a railroad town in 1874. It used to be visited by cattle drivers on the Chisholm Trail. In the 1950 census, the city had a population of about 4,300 people. Dorn's parents were Fentress Dorn, Jr. and his wife Allie Lee Nauls. Relatively little is known about his family background.

The Dorn family eventually moved to California. Dorn was primarily raised in Pasadena, a city located 11 miles (17.7 kilometers) northeast of Downtown Los Angeles. He eventually attended Pasadena City College, a community college located in Pasadena. He studied radio and television production, though he had not planned on becoming an actor.

Following his graduation, Dorn initially pursued a career as a rock musician. He served as a member of several California-based music bands, though fame eluded him. In 1976, Dorn made his film debut in the sports film "Rocky". He had an uncredited role as the bodyguard of boxer Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers).

Dorn had his next film role in the science fiction-horror film "Demon Seed" (1977), which depicted the forced impregnation of a woman by a sentient computer. He had a small television role in the short-lived soap opera "W.E.B. " (1978), which depicted the behind-the-scenes activities of the personnel of a television network.

Dorn came to the attention of a television producer, who learned that the novice actor had no formal training. The producer helped introduce Dorn to a talent agent, who arranged for some acting lessons for Dorn. Dorn was trained for six months by the acting coach Charles Erich Conrad (1925 - 2009).

Dorn received his first regular television role when cast as officer Jebediah Turner in the crime drama series "CHiPs". The series depicted the activities of the California Highway Patrol (CHP). He was a series regular from 1979 to 1982. For most of the 1980s, Dorn played bit parts and one-shot characters in various television series.

In 1985, Dorn had a small part in the neo-noir thriller "Jagged Edge". The film depicts an affair between defense lawyer Teddy Barnes (played by Glenn Close) and a client who is accused of murdering his wife. Barnes is increasingly convinced that her lover is manipulating her. The film was a modest box office hit, and received decent reviews.

Dorn received his big break as an actor when cast as Worf in the science fiction television series "Star Trek: The Next Generation" (1987-1994). It was the third television series in the "Star Trek" franchise and featured an entirely new cast of characters. Klingons had traditionally been portrayed as a warrior race with an antagonistic relationship with the United Federation of Planets. Worf was depicted as an orphaned Klingon who was raised by human adoptive parents. He had chosen to follow a career in the Federation's Starfeet, and his upbringing resulted in him having unique cultural traits. Worf turned out to be one of the series' most popular characters.

In 1991, Dorn appeared in the film "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" which depicted the cast of the original Star Trek series. Dorn played the role of a namesake ancestor of Worf, who was employed as a defense lawyer. He next played Worf himself in the film "Star Trek Generations" (1994), which featured the cast of the third series. The film was successful and was followed by three sequels. Dorn played Worf in three subsequent films: "Star Trek: First Contact" (1996), "Star Trek: Insurrection" (1998), and "Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002).

In 1995, Dorn (as Worf) was added to the main cast of the television series "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" (1993-1999), the fourth "Star Trek" television series. The addition to the cast was part of an effort to boost the series' ratings. The series introduced a romantic relationship between Worf and chief science officer Jadzia Dax (played by Terry Farrell). The two characters were married in the series' 6th season, though the marriage ended with Jadzia's death in the season finale. The series was canceled in 1999, ending Dorn's regular appearances in "Star Trek" television series.

During the 1990s, Dorn started regularly working as a voice actor in animated television series. Among his notable voice roles in this period were the cyborg gargoyle Coldstone in the urban fantasy series "Gargoyles" (1994-1997), Gorgon the Inhuman in the superhero series "Fantastic Four" (1994-1996), and both the villainous god Kalibak and the superhero Steel/John Henry Irons in the superhero series "Superman: The Animated Series (1996-2000). He also received the eponymous role of I.M. Weasel in the comedy series "I Am Weasel" (1997-2000). The series focused on a rivalry between the successful and popular character Weaser and his envious frenemy I.R. Baboon (played by Charlie Adler), who constantly tries to upstage him.

In the 2000s, Dorm continued working regularly as a voice actor, though he often played one-shot characters. Among his prominent roles in superhero series of this period were the super-villain Kraven the Hunter/Sergei Kravinoff in "Spider-Man: The New Animated Series" (2003) and villainous ghost Fright Knight in "Danny Phantom" (2004-2007). and the super-villain Bane in "Batman: The Brave and the Bold" (2008-2011).

In a 2010 interview, Dorn mentioned that he had been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. While receiving treatment, he decided to switch to a vegan diet.

In 2011, Dorn was cast as the villainous god Lord Darkar in Nickelodeon's dub of the popular Italian animation series "Winx Club". Darkar was a major villain in the series 2nd season but was eventually killed. Whether his death was permanent is questionable because he had the form of a phoenix.

From 2011 to 2015, Dorn had the regular role of Dr. Carver Burke in the police procedural series "Castle (2009-2016). Burke is depicted as the psychiatrist treating female lead Kate Beckett (played by Stana Katic) for post-traumatic stress disorder. She eventually confides in him about other psychological problems which she is facing.

In 2011, Dorn had another prominent role in a superhero series when he voiced Ronan, the Accuser, in the final season of "The Super Hero Squad Show" (2009-2011). Ronan is a prominent Marvel character, typically serving as an officer of the Kree Empire, a militaristic space empire. His role as a hero or a villain depends on the Empire's plan in any given story-line.

From 2015 to 2016, Dorn played the alien Captain Mozar in the superhero series "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles " (2012-2017). Mozar is a humanoid Triceratops leading an alien invasion fleet to Earth. The character was a regular antagonist of the Turtles, portrayed as a brutal military commander.

From 2016 to 2017, Dorn voiced the super-villain Prometheus/Adrian Chase in the live-action series "Arrow" (2012-2020). The series portrayed the adventures of the superhero Green Arrow/Oliver Queen, and Prometheus holds Queen responsible for his father's death and seeks revenge.

In 2017, Dorn voiced Fortress Maximus, an Autobot Titan, in the animated web series "Transformers: Titans Return". The series featured characters from the "Generation 1" version of the "Transformers" franchise. Fortress Maximus was introduced in the 1980s. Dorn replaced the three previous voice actors of the character, Stephen Keener, Kunihiko Yasui, and Ikuya Sawaki.

From 2017 to 2018, Dorn voiced Atrocitus in the superhero series "Justice League Action" (2016-2018). Atrocitus is a prominent DC super-villain, typically depicted as the leader of the Red Lantern Corps. In the original comics, Atrocitus is a character mainly motivated by revenge. His wife and daughters were murdered before his eyes, and since then, Atrocitus has sought revenge against those responsible for the tragedy.

From 2017 to 2019, Dorn voiced the recurring character Bupu, the sable antelope, in the coming-of-age series "The Lion Guard" (2016-2019). The series was a spin-off of the film "The Lion King" (1994) and featured the adventures of Simba's son Kion. Bupu is depicted as the leader of a herd of antelopes and too proud and stubborn to follow orders from others.

By 2021, Dorn is 68-years-old and continues to add new roles to his resume.