Bruce Greenwood Is Pike

Last week TrekMovie.com reported that Paramount was ‘close’ to signing their new Chris Pike, and now they have. According to the Hollywood Reporter the role of Captain Christopher Pike in J.J. Abrams new Star Trek has gone to Bruce Greenwood. Although he is not necessarily a ‘big name,’ the 51 year-old Canadian actor is well known with 90 TV and film credits to his name. He most recently starred in the HBO series John from Cincinnati. Pike was originally played by the late Jeffrey Hunter in the un-aired first Original Series pilot “The Cage.” After Hunter declined to return for the second pilot, William Shatner came on board as Captain Kirk. “The Cage” was later reworked into the 2-part episode “The Menagerie” as a series of flashbacks. Although the character of Pike only appeared that episode, as the captain of the Enterprise before Kirk he will have an important role in the new prequel.

Command Experience
Greenwood will be playing the Captain of the Enterprise and the commanding officer of younger Spock (Zachary Quinto). A look at just the last decade of Greenwood’s career shows he has plenty of ‘leadership experience.’ He was the CEO of US Robotics in the sci-fi hit I, Robot. He has played a US President twice (Thirteen Days & National Treasure: Book of Secrets). He commanded a submarine in Below, a machine drilling to the center of the Earth in The Core and an Antarctic Expedition in Eight Below. And if the time-travel rumors are true, then Greenwood should be ready for that as he played an FBI agent heading up a team using time travel to solve crimes in Deja Vu.


Hunter and Greenwood…the original and new Pikes

More on Pike: Memory Alpha   |  StarTrek.com

More on Greenwood: IMDB Page  |  Wiki Page  |  Fan Site

 

Greenwood on Video

Trailer for ‘Below’

clip from ‘The Core’

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wow…..good choice!!!

Now this thinking out of the box in a definite good way. I would’ve never thought of casting him as Pike, but I think he is awesome and is a charismatic and serious actor. Sure he doesn’t look like Jeff Hunter but it’s nowhere near as bad as the other casting.

Long Live Nowhere Man!

He was great as JFK in the movie “Thirteen Days.”

Wait until you guys here who else is gonna show up in this movie!!!

Bruce’s last roll was as surfer dad Mitch Yost, in HBO:John From Cincinnati.

Terrific actor. Definitely not a physical match, though.

Never heard of him

Very cool!!! Thanks for sharing Anthony.

#6

You will be hearing him and seeing a lot of him now….

STAR TREK HAS ITS NEW CAPTAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel mixed about this.

I’m disappointed that Pike is not a bigger star, like Hanks or even Liotta.

On the other hand, I do really love Bruce Greenwood. He was fantastic in Nowhere Man.

Great choice. I can EASILY overlook the lack of resemblance when it’s an actor as solid as this.

This guy is perfect, very good actor and I can see the Pike in him for sure. He’s done some great work, always solid. He’s also had a few parts where he’s played real life people, like JFK and I think he played Dennis Wilson in a Beach Boys bio pic. His resume is solid from what i know. Plus, we finally get another Canadian cast as the Captain of the Enterprise! ;)

Hey Lightyearmodels@yahoo.com,
What do you mean in post #3 about “wait until you guys hear who else is going show up in this movie!!!”? Do you have information regarding another addition to the film or did you just mean you expect more great casting? I was just curious! I love surprises!

Excellent choice. Definitely has the acting chops for it. Totally unexpected but I love it.

good actor, but seems old to me… still i dont know how old pike was supposed to be. well, i guess its better that he be a good actor.

In Thirteen Days, we had Steven Culp and Bruce Greenwood playing the Kennedys. The future Captain of the Enterprise, and the future MACO of the Enterprise (as well as a deleted scenes existence as the future first officer).

Great casting, Greenwood is an excellent choice.

Somehow, Bruce Greenwood seems like a great choice for Pike. And he’s at the right age for Pike at the end of his Enterprise command/start of Kirk’s.

I haven’t been this excited about Trek since the debut of TNG! Before that, it was the premiere of Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I’m worried they’ll ruin it, but I’m optimistic that I’ll at least get an honest effort at a good Star Trek.

15. Actually, if the film takes place considerably later in Pike’s command than “The Cage”, Greenwood could be a good match. Figure, Pike was probably in his mid-30s in 2254 for “The Cage”. If “Star Trek” (2008) is closer to the time when Pike ends his tenure as Enterprise CO (say the 2260-2263 period), then Pike would be in his mid-40s, and Greenwood could work out quite nicely.

I simply cannot believe this..I think paramount need’s to try harder.

Bruce is a great actor “knowhere man” was a great show ,he looks like Pike but he is 20 years too old.

Fantastic choice!

Always nice to have a Canadian actor as the Captain of the Enterprise! :)

Wow. First time I’m not excited. He is a great actor but…
TOO OLD.

I’ll try to take Spock’s advice to Valeris in ST6 “You must have faith that the universe will unfold as it should.”

This one’s tough to swallow though.

It’s a good thing the only thing most of you people can do is complain.

Although i’ve also preferred a bigger name for the role, he seems to be an excellent choice for a captain of a starship. And that’s the most important thing!

Well, I think he’s alright…

I hope they will have Samuel L. Jackson for Benjamin Sisko, if there will bi any Deep Space Nine Movie(s) LOL

Loved him in Nowhere Man and always hoped he’d end up in Star Trek in some capacity. I always thought he’d make a great Starfleet captain but I never imagined him as Pike. Still a little disappointed at the fact that there are no A-list actors involved.

He was good in 13 days, did a decent portrayal of JFK, but as Pike, well well wait and see.

Good choice.

I’m excited to see what he does with the role.

With all of the youngsters in the cast, it’s good that they’ll have a veteran in there to set the bar and show’em how it’s done.

#28

Right, someone has to show them how it’s done. That’s probably the reason for the long run-up.

I like the actor. However, it seems very rushed!! I hope he can pull this one off! There is no comparison to Hunter at all in him!! Pike rode horses, at least implying he has some sort of physique and also ssaid he loved gthe outdoors. Perhaps the actor can carry Pike’s emotional turmoil very well. I dont know! we got to wait and see. The Scotty role seemed like a mistake going to Pegg ,and Pike, How could they???

I’m sure he’ll make a very good older Chris Pike.

Looking forward to seeing what the team will give us!

If Pike has an important role in this movie it’s better not to have an A-list actor, because he could steal the show from Kirk and Spock.

I think A-list actors would be a better choice for little roles in this movie, perhaps Tom Hanks as an admiral, something like that.

Wow. As many have said, this is a bit of a suprise, but what a fantastic choice. He’s not an “A-lister” but, then again, not all “A-listers” are there based on talent. Mr. Greenwood has quality acting ability(as evidenced by his LOOONG resume). And I, personally, think his demeanor and character will be a perfect fit.

I like Bruce Greenwood. He was really cool in the SF series “Nowhere Man”. And he has been in many SF movies, like “I, Robot”, “The Core”.

And he is going to be good as Pike.

good choice

he was awesome in 13 days as JFK

29. Iowagirl –

Just between you and me, I’ve been a bit worried about the film coming off too much like Dawson’s Trek.

I’m just glad it didn’t turn out to be Josh Lucas…or some too-distracting ‘A-lister’ like Tom Hanks either…

This Movie shouldn’t need ‘megastars’ to be popular, but instead needs to stand out in other departments, and end up a ‘star-making’ vehicle in it’s own right… Bruce wouldn’t have been my first or second choice, but it could have been a lot worse, and he’s a decent choice I think.

And he will inject some much needed ‘older’ gravitas ( along with Leonard ) among some of the ‘younglings’ cast in this so far. I hope he gets a big share of screentime.

I loved “Nowhere Man” & I think he’s an excellent choice for Pike.

I wonder if this will be right before the accident when Pike is put in the Electric Beep Chair and if we will see it? Wouldnt that be something if the Romulans secretly caused the baffle plating to rupture. We don know how long from Kirk was in Command of the Enterprise before it happened. Was it weeks or months on subspace chatter Mendez said to Kirk?

As long as they do a little something with his hair he’ll be perfect :) Good choice.

By the way Anthony,

has your Mom stopped coming to your site now?…as some of the recent ads here are getting decidedly dodgy…

‘Anna Nicole Lesbian Sex Video’ indeed…

Hey, I’m only here for some Star Trek news… ;)

hammering out the age factor: kirk, at 31, became the youngest starfleet captain. assume pike is three years older when he becomes a captain. he commanded the enterprise for at least 11, possibly up to 13 years. so he’s probably at least 45-47 when kirk takes command. so at 51, greenwood is not really a stretch.

He’s too old, he’s 10 years older than Jeffrey Hunter was.

Sorry I don’t like this choice.

Wow – excellent choice! Bruce Greenwood is an excellent actor – loved him in Nowhere Man.

And his casting keeps the Canadian connection alive that existed in the original series with Shatner and Doohan.

Greenwood’s casting feels right on every level.

To repeat, excellent choice!

Hmmm… not nearly as handsome as Hunter, though.

Wow that is surprise, Bruce Greenwood is okey actor but i cant see him playing big role. If Pike part is substantial they would have casted bigger name then Greenwood. So I have a feeling we are going to see Pike give Kirk his command as Captain of the Enterprise. His age seems to point that too as he is too old to still be captain of the Enterprise.
Admiral Pike is more likely

Would’ve never thought of Greenwood, but I like him too.

This is a very safe choice. Solid veteran actor to anchor the cast. I actually prefer Greenwood as a heavy like in “I Robot”, but there is no denying that he has a certain intensity that will work well for Pike.

I would love a movie with just Greenwood as a starship captain! This is a great actor with an excellent screen presence. Well done, team.

I agree with #43 — so far. I reserve the right to change my mind if he’s really good in the role. He doesn’t look much like Jeffrey Hunter.

I don’t know the man’s work so I am admittedly at a disadvantage right now.