“Star Trek” actor Jon Paul Steuer has passed away at 33

The Star Trek world has spanned generations with its many different series and movies, creating a unique legacy. And today, news broke that the Star Trek universe lost a key member when former Next Generation actor and musician Jon Paul Steuer had passed away at the age of 33.

According to a local obituary in the Williamette Week, the cause of Steuer’s death has not been determined.

Steuer’s close friends and fellow members of the rock band P.R.O.B.L.E.M.S. confirmed that the actor had passed away on January 1st. In a January 3rd Facebook post, Steuer’s bandmates wrote that he had joined the band a little over a year ago and was performing as singer under the name Jonny P. Jewels.

"The addition of Jonny to our dysfunctional family was one of the best choices that we ever made, and he brought a much needed sense of fun and lightheartedness to everything he did," Steuer's bandmates wrote. "He was only with us for a little more than a year, but we managed to cram a lifetime of great experiences into his tenure as our singer: dozens of shows at home in Portland and across several states, an amazing European tour, and our best full-length release yet."

A California native, Steuer began acting as a three-year-old and continued until he was 12. Steuer played Alexander Rozhenko, the son of the recurring Klingon character Worf in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Steuer later starred in the sitcom Grace Under Fire as Quentin Kelly and had a lead role in the movie Little Giants. 

In addition to his acting and singing careers, Steuer also opened a vegan restaurant in Portland in 2015.

The Twitter account for the game Star Trek Online tweeted their respects for the actor, including a photo of Steuer in full Klingon makeup.

The Star Trek saga has continued with Star Trek: Discoveriesbut Steuer’s role in The Next Generation will never be forgotten. Our hearts go out to Steuer’s friends and family at this difficult time.