Quinto: Trek Honors Original
Zachary Quinto, who takes over the role of Spock in J.J. Abrams’ upcoming Star Trek film, told SCI FI Wire that the rebooted version honors the original television series that spawned the franchise.
“It was done with real heart and real respect and a real effort to honor the origins of this franchise, while at the same time sort of re-imagining those origins,” Quinto said in an interview. “People have been enormously supportive of me playing this role and of our making this movie. We’re all really excited about it.”
While Quinto is appreciative of the support he’s received from fans of the series, he said that the most important thing to the filmmakers was to make a good movie.
“I feel strongly that we’ve done really good work as a group, as a cast, as a crew,” he said. “And I don’t really feel like any of us can or do concern ourselves with anything other than making the best project that we can possibly make. And the response that people have to that is neither in our control nor can it be a concern, because then what are we making it for? The reality is, if we make what we know is in our hearts, then hopefully people will respond to that, and they’ll respond to the fact that it was done with integrity and imagination and creative vitality.”
Quinto first gained notoriety for his performance as the villainous Sylar on NBC’s Heroes. He acknowledged that the show was directly responsible for his winning the role of Spock, originated by Leonard Nimoy in the 1960s series and subsequent feature films.
“I don’t think I would have gotten the movie if I hadn’t already been on the show,” he said. “It sort of really helped me in that regard, as well. I think it made me sort of a bankable commodity. Like, having never really done a movie before, I think being a part of a show as successful as this one gave the studio the confidence to get behind me as the choice for the role. Also, I’m sure J.J.’s and Leonard’s support helped.”
Quinto is not the only connection between the show and the Star Trek franchise. Heroes has also featured guest appearances by former Star Trek cast members George Takei and Nichelle Nichols.
“I think it really started as sort of an inside joke,” Quinto said. “It started in the writer’s room, like the license plate on [Takei's character's] limousine was the call letters of the Enterprise, and that sort of fostered some buzz, and then with the casting choices, then that sort of continued. I think they were all just happy coincidences. I don’t think anybody set out to intentionally draw those parallels. It just so happened that they made themselves available, and opportunities were seized. And then, with me doing the movie, I think it was just a happy stroke of serendipity.”
Quinto nearly went on to describe the process as “logical,” but stopped himself before uttering the word because of its close association with the character of Spock.
“I always do that,” he said. “When I’m going to say the word ‘logical,’ and then I stop myself. There are certain things that I can no longer do with as much ease as I used to. Using the word logical is one of them.” Star Trek is set to open on May 8, 2009. Heroes returns to NBC on on Sept. 22 with a one-hour clip show at 8 p.m. ET/PT and a two-hour season premiere at 9. (NBC is owned by NBC Universal, which also owns SCIFI.COM.) –Cindy White
