Leonard Nimoy Open To More 'Star Trek'

LOS ANGELES — Leonard Nimoy says he would be onboard for more "Star Trek."

After a 19-year absence, Nimoy reprises his iconic role as Mr. Spock in director J.J. Abrams' new "Star Trek" prequel opposite Zachary Quinto, who stars as a younger version of the half-Vulcan, half-human science officer.

"Star Trek" studio Paramount Pictures is already preparing a sequel to the highly anticipated sci-fi franchise reboot set to premiere May 8.

"If J.J. Abrams calls me, I answer the phone," Nimoy said during a recent interview. "I don't say 'never' anymore."

Nimoy, 78, chuckled when asked about possibly reuniting on-screen with William Shatner, the original James T. Kirk actor who 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 cameoed without Nimoy in 1994's "Star Trek: Generations," which featured the death of Kirk.

Still, Nimoy insisted it was "too early to speculate" about possibly donning Spock's pointy ears once again.

"The character is much more relaxed about who he is and what his life should be about whereas (younger Spock) is just beginning to find himself," said Nimoy of the movie's mature Spock. "It works extremely well. The character I portray in this film is much more like who I am today, personally. I am as close as possible to the character as I could ever be."

Nimoy will next appear as Massive Dynamic founder William Bell in the May 12 season finale of Fox's "Fringe."

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Fox is a unit of News Corp. Paramount is a division of Viacom Inc.

Comments

[randyw]

First I must admit that I loved Star Trek for most of my life but have some reservations about the whole ball of wax....people wanted Trek back as a revived TV seris all thru the 70s without success...but once Star Wars became the overwhelming money maker that it was suddenly Paramount could see the dollar signs and went the movie route...once the movies were a sure bet they opted for a new seris ...after 6 successful movies someone got the bright idea to put the Next Generation on the big screen...and of course they would need another TV seris to take its place....well Deep Space 9 did'nt carry the TV trek well enough so they needed still another TV seris so Voyager was born for better or worse....funny how they got 6 movies outa the oringinal crew and were so eager to kill them off to get Next Generation to the movies then only got 4 movies out of them....then here we are full circle,,,right back to the oringinal idea...reborn but yet the original charactors none the less....sounds like Trek has been pretty much lost in space without Roddenberr­y,,,hopefu­lly someday Paramount will get it right...one can only hope!

[jnutlfam2]

Star Trek was a great show. Loved it!

[JLRoberson]

Love this man. I'm no Trekkie but I did spend the first ten years of my life in the 70s, so I was the generation that grew up with the first wave of reruns. So there's a sentimentality about the old show and its characters I have, though that never translated into "fandom" as such. (I did have quite a bit of the toys when I was 6, though) The kind you have for "That Show That Was On At 5 PM Every Day After School." For some my age it was the Brady Bunch. But those people are sick.

As far as this new franchise outing, I'm not sure I'd want to bother.

[PepeLepew]

He must be in his early 80s by now.
I thought he did a great job directing Star Trek IV.

[icastico]

I will reserve judgment, but it seems that Star Trek needs to move forward rather than back. Why recycle the old characters? Keep the basic premise/universe and move forward. I think a section 31 movie, for instance, might be a nice way to come at things from a different angle.

I will second the praise for Deep Space Nine.

[1sparrow]

i saw nimoy on an old "get smart "episode-- way b-4 star trek.

[Solex]

Wasn't he only in that The Man From U.N.C.L.E. episode 'The Streigas Affair' with Bill Shatner?

[Quotidien]

Nimoy is the coolest dude ever

[PresidentRobertBooth]

Deep Space Nine was the last outstanding Star Trek incarnation.

Since it ended in 1999, Star Trek has declined greatly with lame movies like "Insurrection" and "Nemesis" and on TV with the awful "Voyager" and "Enterprise", all due mainly to producer Rick Berman and his bland view of how Trek should be, taking no risks and offering no message or meaning.

This new movie suggests that that dull period in Trek's history is now over thankfully. A great chance for a fresh approach using classic Trek motifs both material (warp drive, transporters, Starfleet, etc....) and symbolic (hopeful positive message, optimism towards the future etc....).

I think TV and movies in particular NEEDS Star Trek. It's a refreshing meaningful antidote to the tiresome array of cop/crime/legal shows that fill the TV schedules, and the obnoxious "Frat Pack" movies being released.

[wm1066]

I liked the last couple of seasons of Voyager, it had its moments. Deep space nine was okay until it went into the constant war theme. And then Enterprise was good until after 911 then the episodes went into that constant war theme. Berman was into that warcrap and I didn't like it, it was a cheap way to make a series, you didn't really need a fresh script each week , it was just war 24/7.

[Karag1]

I love, love, love Leonard Nimoy.

[DGarr]

Spock was always my favorite character. Nimoy played him perfectly.

[leeman79]

Mr Spock, please stick with the reruns. I want to remember you the way you were.

[Milash]

I wish there was still a Star Trek series on the air. The world just isn't right without one.

[lwaxanatroi]

Since we're on a Trek thread, did anyone see the original CSI episode with a murder at an "Astro Quest" convention? If not, do go find it. Hilarious--and done with a pretty fair knowledge of the old formula. Got my doubts about this prequel, but I will say one thing as a student and teacher of pop culture: now that Kirk and Spock are roles being played by actors other than the originals, they have definitively morphed into myth. This is great for the future of Trek, long may it live and prosper.

[kevmo]

That CSI was great fun. The spot-on parodies of the original series were hilarious, and the "homage" to Battlestar Galactica" including the Kate Vernon guest shot and cameos from Ron Moore and Grace Park.

One thing i noted (and maybe it's just me): Liz Vassey, who plays Wendy on CSI, is a very attractive woman, but in some of those "Trek" outfits she looked positively skinny!

You are right, though: Trek is definitely part of the culture now.

[petphotos]

Great person and great actor

[HLL]

Love this man. He is such a superb actor. HIs one man show about Vincent Van Gogh was shattering. Brilliant. Keep on living long and prospering, Mr. Nimoy.

[madbonger618]

There sure was a different outlook on the possibilities for Earth's future in the 1960's. Hopefully that will come back in the next few years.