Star Trek’s new villain, Eric Bana called into to an Australian morning radio show to talk about his new movies and of course things got around to talking about his upcoming stint as Nero. The actor portrayed his Trek role as “a cameo as the bad guy,” but when asked what kind of alien make-up he will be in the actor would only say “you will have to wait and see.” Bana also spoke about director JJ Abrams and then had some fun with some ‘spoilers.’ Details and audio clip below.
The Nova 96.9 radio hosts Merrick and Rosso pestered Bana for plot details and the former comedy skit performer decided to give them what they wanted…well not really. Bana’s description of the plot: [ALMOST CERTAINLY NOT SPOILERS]
Here is what happens. They got this ship right? And it is flying through the air really fast, OK? It lands and these dudes get out, OK? And then there are these other dudes, right? And some of ’em got ears and some of ’em haven’t. And they get into a bit of a fight. And there are heaps of bullets flying and then one of the ships has trouble taking off and then they fix that ship. And then there are a couple of other guys flying around… And then this other guy turns up and he has had some problems with his missus…
It is good to see the actor hasn’t lost his sense of humor. He did get a bit more serious when talking about director JJ Abrams, and what it will be like when he gets to the set of Star Trek:
By complete coincidence we actually share an agent so I have met JJ a few times. He is a hilarious guy and he’s scarily kind of genius. So I think it is going to be a lot of fun. They have been shooting for months, but I have the plum gig of coming in at the end for a little while. ….be one of those annoying actors who turns up fresh while everyone else is ready to die.
You can listen to the entire Bana interview at the Nova 969 website
Eric Bana’s comedy background
Listening to Bana it is clear he is quite the jokester. Before Bana became a leading man he had a career in comedy. In the early 90s he was a regular on the Australian sketch comedy show Full Frontal and in 1997 he had his own sketch show, Eric. Although Bana has played it straight and serious in many roles, like his recent lead in Spielberg’s Munich, it will be interesting to see if there is a bit of humor in his Nero.
Here are a couple of Bana sketches.
Bana as ‘Vulcan’
Bana as Schwarzenegger (and interviewer)
cool guy!
-Hmmm..nothing new for me….
first !!! finally !!!
Good clips, liked the”Vulcan” one.
SUBJECT: STAR TREK
Top secret-
till summer
I like him. ;)
He is an amuzing fella. Who knew that he would once day be getting “jews all over the world laid ‘cos of Munich”.
#6 – fail to see even the most subtle humor in that quip. Great reflection on your character, that.
Read that first quote and imagine Braga talking to Berman… :-D
#6 – one more for you… I guess good old Leonard Nimoy’s libido is in full swing again now thanks to Bana?
I was amazed to learn that Bana was a comic actor in his early career which I first learned here at trekmovie.com. But after seeing these clips I see that he really wasn’t. Yikes.
Stick with drama, Eric baby.
A versatile actor, with a career in comedy, will portray the villain.
OMG, I hope this won’t ask too much of the public.
#7 GO
Don’t quite see how I offended you. I was doing nothing more sinister than quoting Seth Rogen in “Knocked Up”. Did you not realise that? Or do you find that movie offensive too?
7- I think he was quoting the film Superbad, in which a group of Jewish characters remark on that. I’m Jewish. I think it’s funny.
11# Christopher Loyd was a comedic actor (taxi) before star trek III. he is the best klingon by far
This may have already been reported, but there’s a complete listing of the cast & crew at the IMDb website, including stunt doubles for Chris Pine, John Cho and Faran Tahir, who I’ve nevered heard announced as a Trek actor.
Funny stuff- didn’t realize Bana was so versatile.
Hmm…I’ll wait and see. So far I like everything I’ve seen or heard about the new film…with the exception of Mr. Bana. I just can’t picture him as a villain. I haven’t seen much of his work beyond The Hulk and that didn’t impress me much. Don’t care much for the comedy bits either. I’m sure he’ll deliver, but for now I can’t see it beyond him having the ears.
Speaking of the ears, I pray to God that’s ALL they do with Romulan make-up. Please, PLEASE, PLEASE absolutely NO fake foreheads. I HATED that garbage that was done starting with TNG. I don’t get what the deal is with the funky foreheads on the Romulans on there or DS9 or any of those other Berman produced shows. They didn’t have them to begin with on TOS or later in The Undiscovered Country (thank GOD!!!), so please, J.J., no fake Romulan foreheads. Please….
Oh, and what’s the deal with the poll questions especially this one? What business is it of anyone’s what level of education any of us have? It’s like we’re all applying for a job here or something. What’s next? Ethnicity? Religion? Hey, trekmovie people, NUNYA.
13 – happy for you you enjoyed the quote.
6 – I just found it distasteful, is all. Munich remains a fairly traumatic experience for all of us here in Israel. Guess I’m just sensitive that way.
#8 LMFAO! Sounds like a meeting before a script write.
#14 robin alexander
I like Eric Bana, and after his sympathetic turns in the likes of ‘Troy’, I’d rather he wasn’t cast as a ‘villain’ in this…just like I didn’t care for the likeable Christopher Lloyd to be cast as a villain in ‘Star Trek III:Search for Spock’… Just my own opinion, but I’d rather Eric had been more favourably cast in this.
#17 Captain Amazing!!!
Absolutely agree. I sure hope we’ve seen the last of ‘bumpy foreheaded’ humanoids, and I think this practise was probably inspired by the ‘Klingons’ of ‘Star Trek:TMP’ onwards…
Bleeeaaach! Keep ’em well away till a future sequel if they must, say I.
#18. Apologies. No offence was intended. I was referencing Knocked Up and its reference of Eric Bana’s good looks, – particularly in that movie. No slur was intended and I am sorry you felt you needed to doubt my character,
#21. All’s cool. Point made. Let’s get back to the wondrous, harmonious, warm & fuzzy Trek future awaiting us all (unless, that is, Bana’s Nero has something to say about it…)
yes, no forehead aliens, please. the TNG romulans looked ridiculous. I’m like the only person ever who loved Lloyd’s Kruge — my favourite Klingon ever. Lloyd was also excellent in Munich – his best part since Back to the Future.
15. Why no. I didn’t know Faran Tahir was in the new movie. What’s that you say? He has a stunt double! And so does Chris Pine & John Cho! My goodness, maybe that mean’s they’re having a fight. Could be.
Hellloooo. ..iIs anyone listening? C’mon, Anthony, give us the lowdown.
thank god he dosent remind me of shinzon..or his clone patrick stewart..”I can barely tell them apart” Right paramount? huh?.. I couldnt resist! :)
to # 17 : tng was much much better than tos , you like tos..just because is the oldest..tos was great but now is just dusted..i hate this tos “beeps”..
Let TOS go …i hate TOS
#11
Do some research before you make uninformed sarcastic comments about the casting. Eric Bana is one of the few members of the cast who has actually proven that he can deliver an effective dramatic performance in a major film; Munich, Troy, and Black Hawk Down to name just three.
Don’t worry about Bana. Save your comments for the unproven actors who are playing more significant roles such as Kirk, Scotty, etc. They are the real concern.
Well that certainly sounds like a canon-inspired plot if I ever heard one :-) ……….is it December yet? This waiting is killing me!
Lookin’ groovy.
#14, 28
I was being ironic, but I was referring to Abrams’ most recent “distraction” statement and was actually posting in favour of Bana. I think that an actor who is able to deliver drama and comedy likewise, i. e. a versatile actor, is a good and admirable thing and I know that Bana falls in that category. But it has been suggested on this board that actors who are being recognized for their comedy roles might ask too much of the public if they portray a “serious” role.
That’s what my comment was about. Sorry for the confusion.
cugel the clever, my comment may have been mistakable and I’ll gladly apologize for it, but I don’t see any reason for your exaggeratedly aggressive tone.
Well, now we know the plot, and all I can say is, it violates canon in a way that canon doesn’t like being violated.
Iowagirl, I’m on your side here. I thought your comment (11) was quite easy to understand. Perhaps the poll should have had a category for those who could not follow your train of thought–like, “Would still be in high school but now over 40.”
I am most intrigued by the cameo remark. Are we being toyed with or is it really a small role? In 323 days we will know.
#32–No. We do not know the plot. All we have are vague and possibly misleading rumors.
Your fears about canon are irrational, since “canon” is a figment of your imagination to begin with. If canon does not like to be violated, I am afraid it has been violated since the very first episode of TOS, so it is pretty used to it by now.
It is pretty clear that the first season of TOS did not begin to establish any sort of canon history until halfway through the first season. The timeframe is not even confirmed as the 23rd Century until TWOK, and even within that movie, it is contradicted before the film is even over.
If rumors of alternate timelines are legitimate plot leaks and not disinformation or wrong information, then there are NO potential canon violations to concern yourself with.
Just curious, but since you have read the script and know the plot, would you mind sharing it with the rest of us?
Captain Dunsel, thanks.
#27–There are 20-25 episodes of TOS that I would stack against anything ever done in the history of television. Another 10-15 episodes are pretty good. Despite only running for 3 seasons, I cannot say as much about that many episodes of any other Trek incarnation done since.
#17: “Oh, and what’s the deal with the poll questions especially this one? What business is it of anyone’s what level of education any of us have? It’s like we’re all applying for a job here or something. What’s next? Ethnicity? Religion? Hey, trekmovie people, NUNYA.”
I see nothing wrong with knowing who TREK’s audience is. Heck, perhaps when Paramounts sees who we are they might be less likely to dismiss us so easily like NBC did back in 1969.
Space…the final frontier…and it’s in people’s heads, Good grief, Charlie Brown, I GIVE UP!
#17: “Oh, and what’s the deal with the poll questions especially this one? What business is it of anyone’s what level of education any of us have? It’s like we’re all applying for a job here or something. What’s next? Ethnicity? Religion? Hey, trekmovie people, NUNYA.”
Chill out. :-D Hey, I see nothing wrong with Paramount knowing who we fans are. Perhaps they’ll be less likely to dismiss us like NBC did back in 1969.
grrrr. my first posting didn’t show up so I reposted.
dammit Jim, I’m a writer not a computer internet whiz!
;-D
Nova is actually 93.7 not 96.9 =)
Poll questions
actually it was just curiousity. John Tenuto, who writes for the site and is a sociologist has given me a lot of data on his research on various fan groups, including Trek fans. I wanted to see how visitors to this site varied from his data…What I am seeing is that visitors here skew more male and younger than Trek fans in general.
knowning who is visiting this site helps me going forward plan how I do new things to make it better. Polls are voluntary and anonymous, but the goal is to best serve the visitors.
41. Judas Savior – February 6, 2008
Nova is actually 93.7 not 96.9 =)
Actually in Sydney it IS Nova 96.9! :)
#42–Knowing your audience, your client base, your readers—it’s all the same. My company does alot to keep tabs on that as well. I need to know where to spend advertising dollars, which and how much product to keep in stock, etc. There is always a great deal you can get out of that kind of information, beyond satisfying mere curiosity. I have to admit that it answered some questions about the group that I had as well. Keep up the good work.
Just a question – why do these comments always have to turn into soap box rants about why people wither like or dislike TNG, DS9 or any other Berman style aliens? Most decision on costume or make up designs were made at the time due to budget constraints or available technology (or lack there of) at the time of production. I often think of bumpy headed or wierd facial prosthetics as another example of “camp” trek style fun. It was kind of funny to see that else they would come up with for the “alien of the week.”
Berman’s reign has passed, so lets move on.
While I know that all are entitled to their opinions, I prefer to err on the side of optimism concerning what JJ, cast and crew will deliver – after all, isn’t that the philosophy behind Gene Roddenberry’s vision for the future of humanity – optimism?
It’s also unfair to comment on the quality of the work being produced before actually seeing it.
OK, i’ll get off my own “soap box” now. :)
umm.. hate to say it, but here goes because I’m fairly sure its just a typo. Lord knows I’ve had my share.
;-)
The poll title has “you” instead of “your” and I can’t be the only one that sees irony and humor in that..
#46. LOL! I missed that!
You have to love Merick, Rosso and Kate Richie when you are driving to work!!!! Damn Sydney traffic is almost tolerable when you are tuned into 96.9!
Full Frontal was a great show, I really miss Bana’s comedy stuff. His impersonations of Ray Martin (the interviewer in the second clip) are spot on. Hilarious.
…and lets not forget the quintesential Aussie movie – The Castle. Bana was brilliant in that.