Inspirational Women In Hollywood: How Actress Michelle Hurd Of ‘Star Trek, Picard’ Is Helping To Shake Up The Entertainment Industry

…When we interact with someone who is neurodiverse, it’s not about making them hurry up and get on our level. It’s about slowing down and getting on their rhythm to help communicate. Our neurodiverse community is desperately trying to communicate with us and be part of our community. It’s the neurotypical people who need to acknowledge this and make the effort to change. Take time and change for them because they are gifts. Anyone with a neurodiverse person in their family will tell you they are a gift…

I had the distinct pleasure of talking with Michelle Hurd. Michelle, an acclaimed American actress, is celebrated for her dynamic roles across television, theatre, and film. Best known for her portrayal of Monique Jeffries in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” and Raffi Musiker in “Star Trek: Picard,” Hurd’s career spans over three decades, reflecting her versatility and commitment to the craft.

Born to actors Hugh Hurd and Merlyn Hurd (née Purdy), Michelle Hurd was immersed in the arts from an early age. Growing up in Greenwich Village, New York, in the Westbeth Artist Housing, Hurd was influenced by her parents’ artistic and activist backgrounds. Her father, Hugh, was a renowned actor, while her mother balanced her career as an actress and clinical psychologist.

Hurd attended Saint Ann’s School in Brooklyn Heights, graduating in 1984. She pursued her passion for acting at Boston University, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1988. Further honing her skills, she studied at the Alvin Ailey School and later at London’s National Theatre.

Hurd’s early career was rooted in theatre. In 1990, she performed in the Off-Broadway play “The Constant Couple,” which was well-received and predicted to lead her to Broadway roles. Her Broadway debut came in 1996 with Stephen Sondheim’s “Getting Away with Murder.” Over the years, Hurd’s theatre credits expanded to include classic and contemporary works such as “Othello,” “Hamlet,” “A.M.L.,” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.”

Hurd’s transition to television was marked by a variety of roles in the 1990s, including appearances in “New York Undercover,” “The Practice,” and “The Cosby Mysteries.” In 1997, her performance in an episode of “Law & Order” caught the attention of producer Dick Wolf, leading to her breakthrough role as Detective Monique Jeffries in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Post-”SVU,” Hurd continued to build her television career with roles in popular series like “Charmed,” “The O.C.,” “According to Jim,” and “Bones.” Her portrayal of Colleen Manus in “The Glades” (2010–2013) and Linda Bates Emery in “Ash vs Evil Dead” (2016) showcased her range across different genres.

In 2019, Hurd took on the role of Raffi Musiker in “Star Trek: Picard,” a character that has significantly impacted her career and resonated deeply with fans. Her performance in the series earned her praise for bringing complexity and depth to the role. Reflecting on her time in “Star Trek,” Hurd has often highlighted the supportive and inclusive nature of the Trek family and the positive impact the role has had on her personal and professional life.

Beyond “Star Trek,” Hurd’s television work includes recurring roles in “Bosch,” “Daredevil,” “Blindspot,” and “Lethal Weapon.” Her film credits span from early roles in “Rude Awakening” (1989) to more recent appearances in “Bad Hair” (2020) and “Anyone but You” (2023).

Hurd’s commitment to activism is deeply rooted in her family’s history. Her father was involved in civil rights activities, marching with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and raising funds for the movement. This legacy of activism has influenced Hurd’s career and personal life. She actively supports various social causes and serves on the National Board and Chair of the National Sexual Harassment Prevention committee.

In 2007, Hurd married actor Garret Dillahunt. The couple’s partnership extends to their professional lives, having worked together in several theatre productions. Hurd’s family remains a cornerstone of her life. Her sisters, Adrienne and Elizabeth, are also deeply involved in the arts, with Adrienne working as a master Horton teacher at the Alvin Ailey School and Denise as a stage combat choreographer and intimacy coordinator.

Michelle Hurd’s career is a testament to her versatility, resilience, and dedication to her craft. From theatre stages to television screens, her performances have left an indelible mark on audiences and the industry. Her advocacy for social justice and labor rights continues to inspire, making her a respected and influential figure in Hollywood. As Hurd’s journey evolves, her contributions to the arts and society remain impactful, embodying the essence of an actor and activist dedicated to her vocation.

Yitzi: Michelle, it’s so nice to meet you. Before we dive in deep, our readers would love to learn about your personal origin story. Can you share the story of your childhood and how you grew up?

Michelle: Yes, absolutely. I grew up in Greenwich Village, New York, in Westbeth Artist Housing. I am the child of artists and activists. My parents met on stage together in a play, which is actually how I met my husband as well. I went to a progressive school called St. Ann’s in Brooklyn Heights for 12 years, myself and my two sisters. Then I went to Boston University School for Theater Arts to study my arts. As soon as I graduated college and went back to New York, I earned a living solely through acting, through the arts. I’ve never held any other kind of job but in the arts.

I also really attribute that to my father. After the three girls were born — I’m the baby — my mom realized that somebody needed to have a steady income, so she started working for Head Start for Health and Education for Children in New York City, and my father stayed as an actor. Through him, I realized that as much as I love the arts, it’s a show business. It is a business, and we have to think of ourselves in a professional manner. This isn’t a hobby. This is my vocation. So I was really conscientious of how to do the work that I love and get paid for it.

I started in theater in New York with no paying theater gigs. I actually started doing extra work, then voiceover work and commercial work, and then onto television series, films, and all that. But I’m super proud to be surrounded by a family of artists. I’m the baby. My middle sister, Adrienne, is the master Horton teacher at Alvin Ailey. She also choreographs dance pieces for other companies. My eldest sister is a stage combat choreographer as well as an ICDNID, which is Intimacy Coordinator and Intimacy Director, and she teaches at City College Theater. So we are in the arts. We love the arts.

And just on a side note, which is not a side note, a huge part of my life is my father started back in the day with Maya Angelou and Godfrey Cambridge and created something called Matinee for Freedom, where they would raise money for Dr. King. He marched with Dr. King, so I have inherited the activist part as well. I like to say that I’m an actor and an activist.

Yitzi: Unbelievable. So you probably have so many amazing stories from your long career. Can you share with the readers one or two of your favorite memories or anecdotes from your professional life?

Michelle: Well, it’s funny because there are decades of stories, but some of the most memorable ones are from Star Trek. It’s probably one of the most amazing roles I’ve ever gotten, and I appreciate it so much more now, having such a complex character at this stage in my life. After 30 years in this industry, having this role is a gift I cherish.

I remember my first day on set working with Sir Patrick Stewart. It’s a dream for many actors, and I was so nervous I think I could hear my knees shaking. But Patrick was just wonderful. He welcomed me with open arms, was kind, generous, loving, and put me at ease immediately. I’ve been spoiled with Star Trek because my first season I worked so much with Patrick, and my second season I worked a lot with Jeri Ryan, the one and only Seven of Nine. Jeri and I are like two peas in a pod. We just adore each other and work so well together. I love that woman so much. In my third season, I got to work with Michael Dorn, the one and only Worf. I always say Michael Dorn is the quintessential gentleman because he truly is.

Maybe it’s because it’s so recent in my world, but Star Trek has had such a positive impact on my life. Jonathan Frakes told me that not only is the role incredible, but what comes with it is this amazing Trek family. They are so loyal, wonderful, diverse, and inclusive. If you’re a Trekkie, you believe in the hope for a better tomorrow.

One of the most humbling and grounding things for me is that my character, Rafi, is an addict. People come to me and say, “I’m an addict too,” and share their stories. I also have my relationship with Seven of Nine, so people who come to me at Comic-Cons are often in recovery or have battled those demons. I hold their space so sacred. The LGBTQ community also thanks me for championing them. I always wear my rainbow shoelaces and have my little rainbow Star Trek shirt here for Pride Month.

I could talk about being on stage doing “Dog in the Manger” at Shakespeare and Company or so many other projects, but Star Trek has really made an impact on my life. I’m grateful for it, and I guess it will never go away.

Yitzi: I’m really so happy that you brought that up because I became familiar with your work from Star Trek. The truth is that I’ve always been a Next Generation fan, particularly Next Generation, and watching the third series of Picard was so nostalgic. It was like I was filled with dopamine and endorphins from the nostalgia, and your scenes with Worf are the funniest Star Trek scenes ever.

Michelle: I love working with him. He’s amazing, and I have to give a lot of props to Terry Matalas, our showrunner. By the way, his first day working on any Star Trek thing was as a PA on Voyager. He was there the first day Jeri Ryan played Seven of Nine. They have been friends since then, and he has gone through these decades and then was given the opportunity to give this gift to our Trek fans with the third season. He felt that Next Gen really deserved another chapter. I’m so glad and grateful that you saw that and that it had that kind of impact, because I think that’s exactly what it was supposed to be.

Yitzi: Yeah, really. It was like the best Star Trek convention, you know, bringing hearts together. So cool. So fun. It’s the best. Amazing. So it’s been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting and the lesson that you learned from it?

Michelle: When I was first starting, I remember coming out of college and going in for my first commercial auditions. I had just finished a university training program that stressed transformational acting, being on stage, and using your full voice. I remember going into an audition room with the camera and the mic there, and I went in with a full voice, like, “My name is Michelle Hurd!” They were like, “It’s okay. You can take it down. We have mics. This is television.” That adjustment was a real eye-opener — oh, right, it’s TV. There’s mics. I don’t have to use my full stage voice.

I have to say, any other sort of happy mistake is really…like, I know I keep referring back to Star Trek, but one of the things I love about Raffi is that she’s perfectly imperfect. There’s nothing perfect about her, but it’s perfect that way. Whenever there are mistakes, they’re happy mistakes. As an actor, if you go to a set or an audition with a set plan, be careful because you made that plan just by yourself. There’s a whole bunch of other people in the scene, not just in the scene but also the crew creating the scene. So your plan might need to be amended, and that’s the best part, right? You start thinking, “This is what I thought I was going to do,” but then there’s someone else in the scene doing something, causing a different reaction. You say your line differently, feel a different emotion, and those are incredibly valuable.

To tell a funny story, I did a play called “Concrete Conquering Thursday.” I played this sort of poetess, a woman who philosophizes and speaks to an audience. We were in the second act, intermission had just ended, and the light came on me alone on stage. I started my speech, and two words came into my head at the same time. I didn’t know which word to say, so I stood there, and what came out wasn’t a word at all. It was more like a “blah.” I’m by myself with a spotlight on me, darkness everywhere else, and I could see the spittle shoot off into the silhouette of the lights. My whole body went into a cold freak-out, but you just have to roll with it. So, apparently, her first word was “blah,” and then she continued on. It was a crazy moment, but you just have to pick yourself up and keep going.

Yitzi: That’s great. None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Do you have a story about a person who went out of their way to open a door or did a kindness that had a lasting impact on your professional career?

Michelle: Yeah, those are interesting. You know, I know that a lot of actors have had people who championed them early in their careers, like casting directors or directors. I have to say, I didn’t really have anyone who did that. I’m really grateful for my managers, Tina Thor and Ian Ames from TMT. I met Tina when I was probably 21 or 22, and we just connected. She believed in me, and she’s still with me to this day. We’ve been together for a long time. So, she absolutely championed me.

But I will say that my family has been my most steadfast champions. I’m black and white — my father’s black, and my mother’s white. When they got together, it wasn’t cool or acceptable in many places. In fact, when my eldest sister was born, there were still states where it would have been illegal for her to be born. Both of their families had problems with their relationship, so they were really on their own, just the five of us. I always think of the five of us like the five fingers of a fist — we were so strong and are still very tight. We used to joke that if you cut your finger, you’d get four phone calls from the rest of us checking in to see if everything was okay.

So, really, my family has been the well I go to when I need help, guidance, inspiration, and support. And I’m good with that. I feel good about that. Later in my career, I’ve had casting directors who now know me really well, like Ricky Masler and others, who reach out because they know I’m solid. But in the beginning, it was my manager and my family who were my champions, and I’m grateful for them.

Yitzi: So, Michelle, you have so much impressive work. Can you share with our readers what you’re excited and proud to be working on now, and maybe what you’ll be working on in the near future?

Michelle: Absolutely. Right now, I’ve got a little recurring role on the Netflix series “You,” in its fifth season, which is really fun. Honestly, I did this because I really enjoy the show and I think Penn is a really intriguing actor. I was so giddy to work with him. I’m obsessed with true crime — my favorite thing to do when I’m at home is watch forensic files and cold case shows. This probably comes from my origins of starting with “Law and Order.” I still feel connected to that cop sort of world.

Currently, I’m in Montana shooting a wonderful movie called “Where the Wind Blows” by Carolyn Fyffe. It’s based on a series of books about pioneer women. I play Ms. Hollyhock, and I’m having a great time. I’ve never done a Western before, so this is super fun. We get to shoot on the Yellowstone set, which is like a town built to look like it’s from that time period. It’s really fun.

After this, I get to play a very fun character in a movie called “25 Miles to Normal.” I’m excited about this one because I got my nephew to play my son. It’s just a little thing, but it’s so fun because I’m all about family. I love him so much, and to have the opportunity to have him on set with me and play this role together is really special. He’s in acting school and thinking about this journey for his life as well. So, those are my two gigs, or three gigs, happening right now.

“Inheritance” is a film, a glorious film. It really is beautiful. I was so moved by it when I got to see it at the Dances With Films Festival last week. I’m part of the SAG-AFTRA national board and was on the negotiating committee. This was during our seven-month strike, which was incredibly painful for everyone. Our industry is yet to recover. We’re all just starting to get back to work, and I’m hoping we find some kind of new normal soon. It pains me to think about our crews — only about 20% of crews are working right now. It was a really painful strike for everybody.

During the negotiations, my dear friend Austin Highsmith reached out to me. I had done one of her films before, called “Plus One,” that she co-wrote. We’ve maintained our friendship, and she reached out and said, “I’m doing this film in Bainbridge, Washington. I got this little part for you. It will just take a week. Would you like to come out and do this?” We were in the midst of this ugly strike, and I thought, I could take this one week to go off and do this. It was just an absolute gift. Everybody on that set was so committed and grateful to do this piece of art about these two sisters and their complicated relationship and the loss of their father. Anyone who has a parent or sibling can relate to aspects of this film. To go away and do a week of art with people who love art really gave my heart a second beat. It uplifted me and reminded me of what we were striking for.

At the end of the day, and I know I sound a bit sentimental, but this sacred art form of storytelling is what connects us as humans. It’s what will keep humanity alive. Centuries ago, in a cave, there were stick figures running away from a wooly mammoth, and that’s part of that sacred art form of storytelling. It really is the universal language — whether it’s acting, singing, dancing, sculpture, painting, or music. This is what unites us as human beings, and it’s glorious. Shooting this movie amplified that for me. To see it on the screen and witness the amazing performances by Austin, Rachel, and Wes, I was absolutely blown away. Chris, too. To just be a part of such a beautiful story, I’m again grateful and honored.

Yitzi: Let’s go back to Raffi for a minute. How is your personal character, Michelle, similar to and different from the character you play, Raffi?

Michelle: Yeah. I mean, I love Raffi. I feel like I’ve probably learned more about myself and society through Raffi. And again, I have to give that credit to my Trekkie Family. It feels weird to say fans. I always say family because they’re more like family. We’re all on the same page. Hearing the stories people come up and tell me really hits my heart. I get to walk their path, empathize with their struggles, and celebrate their successes. It’s been an amazing lesson for me.

I’m probably not as stressed as Raffi all the time. There was one point where I joked with the writers, asking if Raffi ever laughs anymore because she’s under so much stress. But I’d like to think that she and I are more similar than different. I’m not perfect, and I love the journey of life and the lessons it brings. I want to learn something new every day. If I can learn something new about myself and do better, I’m grateful for that. I try to hold space for other people, have grace, and find a middle ground where we can communicate.

Raffi has opened up more empathy, patience, and kindness in me. I have a t-shirt that my friend Raymond Litster made as part of a campaign called “Be Kind.” I love wearing these t-shirts. I have one that says “Be Kind” and another that says “Kindness is Power.” I wear these not just for others to read, but to remind myself that kindness is the easiest and most powerful, priceless thing you can do for someone. Just saying hi, complimenting someone, holding the door, picking something up for someone, or giving up your seat can have a big impact. You never know how it can help someone get through their day.

Raffi has given me a new journey in life to seek out these moments and be more attentive to others. I talk about this at panels all the time. Our neurodiverse community is incredibly important and they are gifts to us. I’m dyslexic, and for me to read something, it’s not linear or clear. I have to go around the block, down an escalator, up an elevator, do a dance, and then get to the same point. It may take longer, but I am richer for it because of the journey.

When we interact with someone who is neurodiverse, it’s not about making them hurry up and get on our level. It’s about slowing down and getting on their rhythm to help communicate. Our neurodiverse community is desperately trying to communicate with us and be part of our community. It’s the neurotypical people who need to acknowledge this and make the effort to change. Take time and change for them because they are gifts. Anyone with a neurodiverse person in their family will tell you they are a gift.

Yitzi: This is our signature question that we ask in all of our interviews. So, Michelle, you’ve been blessed with a lot of success. Looking back to when you first started, can you share with our readers five things you need to make it in TV and film?

Michelle: Yes. Do the work, be prepared, believe in yourself like nobody else, be your biggest fan. Understand that this is the business of show business and enjoy every minute of this beautiful journey.

Yitzi: This is our aspirational question, and we’re almost done. Michelle, because of the great work you’ve done and the platform you’ve built, you’re a person of enormous influence. If you could spread an idea or inspire movements that would bring the most good to the most people, what would that be?

Michelle: I think I’d go back to the neurodiverse community. This gets me a little emotional, sorry. I hope we can all find love, understanding, and patience with each other, find common ground, be kind, and support each other. We’re all on this tiny planet for such a short time. Time is so precious. Life is so precious. If we could just take a moment to love each other a little more boldly and bravely, this world would be a powerful place.

Yitzi: So beautiful. So perfectly put. How can our readers continue to follow your work? How can they watch all of your films? How can they support your work in any way possible?

Michelle: Oh, that’s kind of you. I guess you can follow me on Instagram. I will say that I get very passionate and activist-driven there, so it’s not always just about my work. But I’m always encouraging people to show up. My handles on Instagram and Facebook, is @realmichellehurd. I think it’s the same for X (formerly Twitter), though I don’t go on there very much anymore.

You can also just Google my name to see what’s up. I do what I can for the community, which is why I’m on the SAG-AFTRA board. Union work is really important to me. I’d love for people to get involved in their local communities and larger projects that impact their community. Standing by unions and labor rights is crucial. We need to counteract corporate greed so people can make a living doing what they love.

I’ll keep doing what I do, and as long as people want to show up and see it, I’m grateful. There are a couple of indie films out right now: “Kemba” on BET Plus, which is a true story about Kmba Smith and the maximum minimum sentencing in the 90’s, and “Somewhere in Montana,” which will be out in October. It’s a beautiful piece with Graham McTavish.

If you’re on a plane or at home, you can watch “Anyone But You” with Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. It’s a fun, classic rom-com directed and written by Will Gluck. So, I’m trying to do all I can and be out there. Just Google my name and see what I’m up to.

Yitzi: Thank you so much for talking with us. It’s really been an honor and a real delight to meet you. I wish you continued success and blessings. I hope we can do this again next year.

Michelle: Oh, absolutely. I look forward to it, my friend. It was really lovely meeting and talking to you.

Yitzi: Thank you so much.