Ishka
| Ishka | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek: Deep Space Nine character | |
| First appearance | "Family Business" |
| Last appearance | "The Dogs of War" |
| Portrayed by |
Andrea Martin Cecily Adams |
| Information | |
| Nickname(s) | Moogie |
| Species | Ferengi |
| Significant other(s) | Zek |
| Children | Quark, Rom |
Ishka is a fictional character from the science fiction television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (DS9). A female Ferengi, she is the mother of Quark (Armin Shimerman) and Rom (Max Grodénchik). Ishka appears in five canon episodes of DS9, and also features in the non-canon Star Trek novels Doors Into Chaos, Dawn of the Eagles, and Lust's Latinum Lost (and Found).
Conceptualized as a feminist character, Ishka was played by Andrea Martin once and Cecily Adams four times. Both actresses suffered under a lot of makeup, protheses, and costuming. Adams loved the character, and was stunned by the positive fan reaction to Ishka.
Ishka was conceived as a Ferengi "women's libber" that Robert Hewitt Wolfe described as transcending the stereotypical protestor. Ishka did not want to end the Ferengi profit-making way of life, but wanted Ferengi females to be able to take part in it. It was immediately after Ishka's introduction in "Family Business" the idea of bringing her together with Grand Nagus Zek came about.René Auberjonois (Odo) even anticipated the coupling in an interview with Starlog for their January 1996 issue.
Director David Livingston recalled that they had a difficult time finding somebody to play Ishka; at one point, he even made the unpopular suggestion that Wallace Shawn (Grand Nagus Zek) appear in drag as Quark and Rom's mother.Andrea Martin was cast at the suggestion of episode director René Auberjonois (Odo), who felt the actress could manage the right balance of comedy and good acting that was missing from the applicants he had seen thus far. Showrunner Ira Steven Behr agreed with Auberjonois on the casting, later saying he loved her on Second City Television. Martin was offered the role without even having to audition. Ira Behr, Robert Hewitt Wolfe, and David Livingston all had good things to say about the casting of Martin as Ishka.
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