Beth Toussaint Elizabeth " Beth " Toussaint is the actress who portrayed Ishara Yar , in the fourth season episode in . Director Robert Scheerer suggested Toussaint for the role of Ishara Yar , having previously worked with the actress on an episode of . ( " " ) Two of her costumes from " Legacy " were sold off on the It ' s A Wrap ! sale and auction on eBay . Personal . Toussaint has been married to actor since 1996 and is also known as Beth Toussaint Coleman . The couple has one daughter , Tess , born in 1999 . Toussaint is the older sister of playwright and theater critic . She studied acting at the Brian Reese Studios and under acting coaches Diana Bellamy and Lilyan Chauvin . The 1980s . Prior to her television and film career , Toussaint appeared in several music videos throughout the 1980s , including videos for artists such as , , , and . Her film debut was the 1987 horror film " Berserker " , followed by the action film " Dead Heat " ( 1988 , with Joe Piscopo , Keye Luke , Robert Picardo , Chip Heller , Monty Cox , Gene LeBell , and Dick Miller ) , an episode of " Monsters " ( 1988 , written by Michael Reaves ) , and a recurring role as Tracey Lawton in the twelfth season of the soap opera " Dallas " ( 1988 - 1989 , with Joshua Harris , William Smithers , Gerrit Graham , Sherman Howard , Cliff Potts , Ken Jenkins , Christopher Neame and Robert O ' Reilly ) . Following her work on " Dallas " , Toussaint had guest parts in episodes of " Growing Pains " ( 1989 , with William Denis and Carlos LaCamara ) and " Booker " ( 1989 , with Brian Bonsall ) and appeared on " The Arsenio Hall Show " ( 1989 , with Dean Stockwell and Chuck Borden ) . The 1990s . In the 1990s , Toussaint appeared in an episode of " Matlock " ( 1990 , with Gregg Daniel and David Froman ) which was directed by Robert Scheerer who suggested her for the part of Ishara Yar on " Star Trek : The Next Generation " . Further television credits include episodes of " MacGyver " ( 1991 , with Kaj - Erik Eriksen ) , " 21 Jump Street " ( 1991 ) , " Cheers " ( 1991 , with Kirstie Alley , Kelsey Grammer , Bebe Neuwirth , and Paul Willson ) , " Nightmare Cafe " ( 1992 , with her future husband Jack Coleman ) , " Mann & Machine " ( 1992 , starring David Andrews and written by Morgan Gendel ) , " Matlock " ( 1992 , with Daniel Roebuck and Lee Spencer ) , " Melrose Place " ( 1992 , with Fran Bennett ) , and " The Commish " ( 1993 , directed by James Whitmore , Jr . ) . She portrayed Charlene in the 1991 television thriller " Blackmail " and Karen in the 1992 television horror film " Danger Island " on which she worked with Lisa Banes , Richard Beymer , Gary Graham , Christopher Pettiet , Nikki Cox , and Joni Avery before she was cast as Venus Maria in the television mini series " Lady Boss " ( 1992 , with Phil Morris , Georgann Johnson , Jake Dengel , Nick Tate , Eugenie Bondurant , Marty Rackham , and Jeff Austin ) . Following a leading role as Laurie Webber in the science fiction sequel " Project Shadowchaser II " ( 1994 ) , Toussaint appeared in the television drama " Green Dolphin Beat " ( 1994 , with Melanie Smith , Allan Royal , and John Vargas ) , the television thriller " Breach of Conduct " ( 1994 , with Gregg Daniel ) , the television special " The Return of Hunter " ( 1995 , with Miguel Ferrer , Barry Lynch , and Brian Keith ) , and episodes of " Fortune Hunter " ( 1994 ) , " Marker " ( 1995 , with Gates McFadden , Keone Young , John Vargas , and Stanley Kamel ) , and " Legend " ( 1995 , with John de Lancie , Bruce Gray , and Patrick Kilpatrick ) . Toussaint also portrayed Anna Sheridan , the late wife of ' s character , in the episode " Revelations " ( 1996 , written and created by J . Michael Straczynski and with Bill Mumy , Mary Kay Adams , Andreas Katsulas , and David L . Crowley ) . Between 1996 and 1997 Toussaint portrayed Veronica Kozlowski in ' s drama series " Savannah " on which she worked with fellow regular Ray Wise . Further guest roles include episodes of " Deadly Games " ( 1997 , with Christopher Lloyd ) , " Martial Law " ( 1998 , with Tom Wright and Tim de Zarn ) , and " Any Day Now " ( 1999 ) as well as the action thriller " Hijack " ( 1999 , with Patrick Kilpatrick , Robert Miano , Rosalind Allen , and Tom Poster ) . The 2000s . Following the birth of her daughter in 1999 Toussaint only appeared in a few projects . She lent her voice to ' s horror sequel " Scream 3 " in 2000 ( with Josh Pais ) , portrayed Karen Brennick in the science fiction sequel " Fortress 2 " ( 2000 ) , and Lydie Keefe in ' s thriller " Red Eye " ( 2005 , with Angela Paton , Suzie Plakson , Robert Pine , and Scott Leva ) . In 2006 Toussaint had a recurring role as Hope Adams Wilson in nine episodes of the daily soap " The Young and the Restless " . Throughout the 2000s she was a prominent guest at several award shows including several Emmy Awards going along with her husband who received several nominations for his work on the television series " Heroes " . Toussaint and her husband also attended the 2009 Los Angeles premiere .