Christine Chapel
| Christine Chapel | |
|---|---|
| Star Trek character | |
 Promotional image of Majel Barrett as Christine Chapel in Star Trek: The Original Series | |
First appearance | |
| Created by | Gene Roddenberry |
| Portrayed by | Majel Barrett (1966–1986) Jess Bush (2022–present) |
| Voiced by | Majel Barrett (Star Trek: The Animated Series) Jess Bush ("Those Old Scientists") |
| In-universe information | |
| Full name | Christine Chapel |
| Species | Human |
| Title(s) | Nurse Doctor Commander |
| Affiliation | United Federation of Planets Starfleet |
Significant others | Roger Korby (ex-fiancé; deceased) Spock (love interest) |
| Origin | Earth |
Christine Chapel is a fictional Starfleet nurse and later physician in the Star Trek franchise. Originally portrayed by Majel Barrett and later by Jess Bush, she appears in all three seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series, Star Trek: The Animated Series, the films Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Bush portrays a younger version of the character in Strange New Worlds, where Chapel has a substantially expanded role.
In The Original Series, Chapel serves as the head nurse of the Starfleet starship USS Enterprise under Dr. Leonard McCoy. She joins Starfleet while searching for her missing fiancé, Dr. Roger Korby, and develops unrequited feelings for Spock. By the time of The Motion Picture, she has become a Starfleet physician, and in The Voyage Home she is assigned to Starfleet Command. In Strange New Worlds, Chapel is depicted earlier in her career as an ambitious nurse and veteran of the Klingon War.
Barrett was originally cast by series creator Gene Roddenberry as Number One in the rejected Star Trek pilot "The Cage". After she was dropped from the second pilot, Roddenberry created the role of Christine Chapel, allowing Barrett to return as a recurring cast member while also voicing the Enterprise computer. Bush assumed the role when the character returned for Strange New Worlds in 2022.
The character has received mixed critical and fan responses. Barrett's portrayal and Chapel's unrequited love for Spock drew criticism from some writers and reviewers, who regarded the character as underdeveloped and constrained by gender stereotypes, while her promotion to doctor and Bush's portrayal in Strange New Worlds have been praised.