(written from a Production point of view)
Ana Marlene Forte Machado (born 5 July 1961; age 62), known simply as Marlene Forte, is the Cuban-American actress portrayed the transporter chief of the USS Enterprise in 2009's Star Trek, directed and produced by J.J. Abrams. [1] Forte first worked for Abrams (and for producers Bryan Burk and Damon Lindelof) on a 2007 episode of the hit ABC television series Lost, co-created by Abrams and Lindelof.
Hailing from Havana, Cuba, Forte starred in title role in the 1997 independent film Lena's Dreams, which she also co-produced. Her other film credits include Our Song (2000), The Love Machine (2000), Real Women Have Curves (2002), Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah Emcee (2005), and Adrift in Manhattan (2007).
Forte has been seen on such television series as Law & Order, Judging Amy (with Roger Aaron Brown), Family Law (starring Christopher McDonald and Julie Warner), The West Wing (with David Clennon and Stephen Root), The Unit (starring Abby Brammell), CSI (with Wallace Langham), and ER (with David Clennon and Leland Orser). She also had a recurring role on the NBC series Crossing Jordan (starring Miguel Ferrer) and has been featured in the pilots of such shows as Nip/Tuck and Jericho. From 2012 to 2014, Forte played the recurring role of Carmen Ramos in the TNT revival of the series Dallas opposite TNG guest Brenda Strong.