Majel’s voice would ultimately provide inspiration to the tech teams developing early AI projects that would emerge over subsequent years — indeed, Amazon’s early Alexa model was code-named “Majel.” Even before her passing, says Rod, “Someone approached her to be the voice of their upcoming computer thing, and she had said no. And I was like, ‘What, are you crazy?’” He nevertheless had his mother professionally record her voice and, working with the company OTOY, has created a working model he’d hopes to make available free to fans.

“I would love to somehow get her voice out there. My intention was never to profit off it, for it to just get out there,” he says. “I wouldn’t be giving them the voice of the computer. I’d be giving them a voice of Majel Roddenberry.”

Excellent.

That was a good read, it’s nice to have both her acting peers’ as well as Rod Roddenberry’s perspectives on her. I’m not sure I’ve read more than the equivalent of her Wikipedia entry before. Polite secondhand info, that is.

I’ve always enjoyed watching Majel whenever she’s on Trek. The first Number One, Nurse Chapel, Lwaxanna… and all the while, also the voice of the Enterprise. Geez, Gene may have been the mind behind the show, but she probably embodied it more than anybody outside of the main cast(s) 🤩