Syfy's Battlestar Galactica reimagined the classic series from Glen A. Larson, and it included tweaks of a few twists, but in order to have some form of affiliation to the original show, one character returned in a major role in the 2004 version. Starring Edward James Olmos as Admiral Adama, Jamie Bamber as Lee Adama, Mary McDonnell as Laura Roslyn, and Katee Sackhoff as Kara Thrace, Battlestar Galactica ran for four seasons and became one of the most beloved sci-fi shows of the 21st century.
The most recent Battlestar Galactica adaptation began as a miniseries, similar to Larson's original version, but then it expanded on the concept and produced years' worth of content for fans. Spanning five years, Battlestar Galactica told stories of survival, faith, prejudice, love, politics, and economic strife - and all that only scratched the surface. While the core story was always focused on the four aformentioned characters and their parts in finding Earth, Battlestar Galactica still found time to highlight other characters and their roles too. One of them happened to be Tom Zarek.
Zarek was a political extremist in the Twelve Colonies, and he was imprisoned aboard one of the ships in Galactica's fleet. He eventually took on a prominent role in the government, working in tandem with Roslyn and then later with James Callis' Gaius Baltar as vice president. Zarek also had a unique relationship with Bamber's Adama, which is interesting because Richard Hatch, who played Zarek, also portrayed Captain Apollo (Lee's call sign) in Larson's original series.
Unfortunately, none of the other main stars from the original Battlestar Galactica show returned for the reboot, partly because many had retired from acting or never took on other major roles and partly because some had, sadly, passed away by the time the reimagining got going. For Hatch, he's now known for two roles in the Battlestar Galactica franchise, and can be recognized for playing both, depending on the person. While his role in the 2004 show wasn't as significant as his role in the original show, he still played a vital part in the overarching story.
With another Battlestar Galactica reboot on the way, this time coming to Peacock from Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, it's possible other actors from the 2004 series can return and play new roles. But regrettably, Hatch passed away in 2017. It would've been amazing to see him return for a third time and potentially play a third character in the franchise. He already has the rare honor of appearing in two versions of the story so far, and a three-peat would've made that honor even greater.