Bio
Jennifer Lien is an American actress best known for her role as the alien Kes on the television sci-fi series Star Trek: Voyager, from 1995-2000.
The youngest of three children, Lien was born in Chicago, Illinois. She moved to New York to pursue an acting career at the age of 16.
Lien landed the role of Hannah Moore on the series Another World in 1991. In 1993, she participated in the recording of Adam Sandler's comedy album They're All Gonna Laugh At You in which she played the part of the Valedictorian on the track "The Buffoon And The Valedictorian."
In 1994, she was cast as the Ocampa alien Kes on Star Trek: Voyager, although she was let go from the series after the third season.
Her departure in 1997 coincided with the casting of Jeri Ryan as Seven of Nine, and it is speculated that the producers felt the new character was more worthy of exploration.
She is allergic to spirit gum, an adhesive commonly used in affixing special effects prosthetics, which was a major factor in her departure from Star Trek: Voyager.
Following her departure from Voyager, she appeared in the films American History X and SLC Punk!. She also gave her voice to the character Vitani in The Lion King II: Simba's Pride, and voiced Agent L for three seasons on Men in Black: The Series.
She is married to Phil Hwang; their first child, Jonah, was born on September 5, 2002.