Shanta Payne

Shanta N. Payne is an actress, host, and filmmaker who appeared as a holographic Starfleet officer in the Star Trek: Voyager episode. She received no credit for this appearance and was identified by the call sheet of the day of filming. Payne shot her scenes on location at the Warner Brothers backlot on.

Payne earned her B.A. in Liberal Arts from the Howard University and studied acting, singing, dance, and voice under coaches such as Phylicia Rashad, Al Guarino, Mike Pointer, and at the Harlem Theatre Company. She worked as host for television programs including the shows Life's Too Short, The Key to the Highway of Health, and Eye on Beauty.

She worked as a featured actress on the 2003 comedy Sweet Oranges before she served as casting director on the short thriller Martyr (2006) and the short film Changing Blossoms (2006). The following years she worked in front of the camera and behind as producer, production manager, casting director/associate, and first assistant director on the short projects The Game (2007), Natural Beauty (2008), Think Twice (2009), Layla (2009, with stuntmen Scott Leva and Steve Rizzo), Hurricane in the Rose Garden (2009), Whiskey Neat (2009), and Mayhem (2009). Also in 2009 Payne worked as director, writer, producer, casting director, and lead actress on the short drama Blue Midnight. More recently she co-wrote the story for the short action film Nose Candy (2010, with visual effects artist Amy D'Alessandro and stunt coordinator LaFaye Baker).