The greatest sighting at the big Hollywood premiere for the highly anticipated Star Trek premiere was not the hordes of fans or the all star new cast it, but it was an actual Spock sighting as Leonard Nimoy attended in Los Angeles, California on Thursday.
After a 19-year absence, Nimoy reprises his iconic role as Mr. Spock and he gives all credit to director JJ Abrams that he said re-awakened his passion Star Trek.
"I went to a meeting first with the director JJ. Abrams and the writers, a couple of the producers that work for him, we had a very good conversation in which they aroused and re-awakened the passion in me that I used to have about Star Trek. Because I think they really understand what it can be at its best and particularly good appreciation for the Spock character I said I will read the script. When the script was done I said 'I think it's wonderful let's do this.'"
Star Trek studio Paramount Pictures is already preparing a sequel to the highly anticipated sci-fi franchise and Leonard Nimoy says he would be onboard for more but it is all a bit bittersweet that none of the other original 1966 Star Trek cast joined him.
"Exactly so many people are gone. DeForest Kelly is gone, Majel Roddenberry is gone, Mark Lenard who played my father is gone, Jimmy (James) Doohan who played Scotty is gone. Very emotional for me watching these young people replace them but they do such a wonderful job it brings back wonderful memories."
The 78 year old actor says he and William Shatner are still good friends. The original James T. Kirk doesn't appear in the new voyage. Nimoy said Shatner told him "now we're even" in regard to appearing in the Trek prequel after Shatner's cameo without Nimoy in 1994's Star Trek: Generations, which featured the death of Kirk.
Taking on Shatner's role is Chris Pine who says he felt safe around Nimoy on set.
"He walks on and you kind of expect for everyone to genuflect in front of the Star Trek deity that is Mr. Nimoy. But he is so unassuming and he walks on set and it was kind of like having a chaperone for prom or something. He was nicely and quietly and gently I felt kind of giving the mantle over to the new cast and it was really moving and really profound experience for everyone."
Actor Leonard Nimoy reprises his iconic role in the new Star Trek prequel opposite Zachary Quinto who stars as a younger version of the half-Vulcan, half-human science officer.
"I mean when I met Leonard that kind of takes the cake. Because we were on an elevator and we were just meeting for the first time as they were announcing that I would be playing the role at Comic-Con and he was there to say he would be in the movie. The elevator doors open, and we had just met each other, and just looked at me and goes 'you have no idea what you are in for kid' then he was off. I was like?(Speechless) "
Both leads Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and director JJ Abrams were bigger Star Wars fans than Star Trek.
Abrams said he was immediately drawn to the script and explained that his secret weapon where Nimoy is concerned is?. Coffee ice cream.
"We had to first of all come up with a story that he would finally say yes to. He said no so many times. Secondly, we had to talk it through and think how we were going to do it. Then we had to get him coffee ice cream because he loves coffee ice cream. We had to promise him we would always have coffee ice cream. Well the coffee ice cream part is honest. "
Star Trek opens across New Zealand theatres Thursday May 7, 2009.
APTN