As one of the most colorful figures in Federation diplomacy, the Betazoid ambassador Lwaxana Troi has led a life of both flamboyance and tragedy. Natively, she is the daughter of Betazed's Fifth House, holder of the sacred Chalice of Rixx and heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed. Lwaxana's life has been marked by a succession of romances and marriages, her first being to a good friend of fellow Betazoid diplomat Rheittan Grax; she actually bore a son with the latest, to the Tavnian Jeyal, but faked a second lover to escape the marriage and the Tavnian child-rearing custom of separation of genders.

By far it was her marriage to human Starfleet Lt. Comdr. Ian Andrew Troi in 2328 that was most rewarding and stable, with the birth of a daughter Kestra a year later and a second, Deanna, in 2336. But Kestra accidentally drowned later that year, and Lwaxana's grief drove her to delete all memory of her from her personal writings and then from her Betazed metaconscious as well. When her husband died in 2343, Lwaxana took on a wild, flirtatious lifestyle that masked her pain while increasingly annoying and isolating her daughter, whom she also over-protected. Before Ian's death, the parents had Deanna genetically bonded in the Betazoid arranged marriage process to a human boy Wyatt Miller, but a reunion among the families in 2364 found her feuding with Mrs. Miller well before the wedding was called off.

To her adult daughter's eternal embarrassment, Lwaxana has flirted and chased after Deanna's commander and one-time lover, Jean-Luc Picard and Wil Riker - especially during her time of quadrupled sex drive known as the Phase in 2365 - but they were only two of her failed romances. Aside from falling for a holographic bartender, some of her interests over the years included Kaelon IV scientist Dr. Timicin, a sight-unseen engagement to Minister Campio of Kostolain, security chief Odo at DS9, and another one that led her on the rebound to Jeyal. Although later affairs were piqued by mutual interest, she admitted that some were prompted by a fear of aging and loneliness.

Lwaxana helped outwit the lustful Ferengi, DaiMon Tog, who kidnapped her, Deanna and Riker in 2366. She is served by a mostly mute servant, Mr. Homn. He was unknown to Deanna, who was more familiar with his predecessor Mr. Xelo, who was dismissed for his misplaced flirtations with Lwaxana.
 

MAJEL BARRETT

Majel Lee Hudec was born in Cleveland, Ohio, where she grew up. When she was ten, she enrolled in an acting workshop. She continued her interest in acting at Shaker Heights High School but went to college with the intent of becoming a legal clerk. Majel attended law school for a year, but after receiving an 'F' in contract law, she moved to New York and landed parts in, "Models By Season," which was staged in Boston. Then she did a nine month run in "The Solid Gold Cadillac," which toured New Orleans, Texas, Oklahoma and San Francisco, California.
Deciding the competition was too stiff in New York, Majel moved to California and the Pasadena Playhouse. There she got a role in, "All for Mary." In the late fifties, she worked in various Paramount films, including, "Black Orchid," "As Young as We Are," and "The Buccaneer." Then she decided that the real progress was happening in television and that's where she wanted to be.

In 1964, when she was no longer under exclusive contract, Majel accepted a guest role on the new MGM series, The Lieutenant, produced by Gene Roddenberry. Majel became good friends with Gene and ultimately, years later, became his wife.

Later in 1964, Roddenberry cast her in a co-starring role in "The Cage," the pilot for his science fiction series, Star Trek. She played 'Number One,' second in command on a fictitious starship. However, the character's strength and authority in the Star Trek universe was unsettling to NBC and they ordered a second pilot made, without the woman, Number One.

When Roddenberry sold his second Star Trek pilot to the network, he remembered Majel's work in "The Cage" and hired her as Nurse Christine Chapel. Instead of the dark-haired M. Leigh Hudec that they had disliked in the other pilot, she now used the name Majel Barrett and wore a blond wig as Chapel. Majel remains the only actor to have contributed to every facet of the Star Trek phenomenon.

On August 6, 1969, Majel married Gene Roddenberry in Japan, in a traditional Buddhist-Shinto ceremony. On February 5th, 1974, Majel gave birth to a healthy boy, Eugene Wesley Roddenberry, Jr., known affectionately as "Rod."

On Star Trek: The Next Generation, she created the role of Deanna Troi's mother, Lwaxana Troi. She is loud and bossy and as far away from Christine Chapel as anything could be. Majel has carried that role over to Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Majel can also be heard as the voice of the ship computer on Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Biographies derived and edited from the Official Site.