Greg Grunberg Wants Recurring Star Trek Role – Should He Be New Harry Mudd?

Heroes Actor Greg Grunberg is a life-long friend of Star Trek producer/director JJ Abrams and has appeared one way or another in almost every JJ Abrams production, including an audio cameo in the 2009 Star Trek movie. Now the actor says he has bigger aspirations for Star Trek’s future.

 

Grunberg wants a recurring Star Trek role

Greg Grunberg is like JJ Abrams’ good luck charm. After schedule conflicts kept him from appearing on screen in the 2009 Star Trek movie, JJ still worked him into the film as the voice of Kirk’s stepdad (in the Corvette scene). But Grunny wants more for the Trek sequel (and apparently beyond). Here is what he said about his Star Trek hopes in a new podcast interview with Video ETA:

We constantly run ideas by each other like friends do. I talk to him every day. I always say "oh cool, is there a role for a big Jew in that movie? maybe something?" I am always trying to stick myself in there somewhere. I was supposed to play Olsen in Star Trek, the red shirt who doesn’t pull his cord and dies. I am actually glad. The actor who did that did a good job, but I would love to play something that could re-occur. So it was good that my face wasn’t on screen. So hopefully I can play something. But it is up to them.

So what role could Greg play. Last year I talked to Grunberg and he said that he would "absolutely love" to play Harry Mudd, even with the big mustache and the earring. The lovable rogue Harcourt Fenton Mudd (originally played in two episodes of the original Star Trek by character actor Roger C. Carmel) would be a fun classic character to bring into this new universe. And of course there are other classic roles for Grunberg, or possibly a new role.


Grunberg wants a recurring role in Star Trek
– maybe as the new Harry Mudd

POLL: Greg Grunberg as new Harry Mudd?

What do you think of the Grunny as Mudd idea?

[poll=610]

 

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MUD WAS AWSOME

Harry Mudd is way overrated in my opinion. He is too much a character of the 60’s. I just don’t see how Greg Grunberg (or anyone else for that matter) can play him convincingly without resorting to a Jack Black impression. And I don’t want to see Grunberg in any Trek movie. He’s an overrated actor in my opinion.

Good God no. this actor is terrible.

I’d love to see Grunny in the next movie- and I don’t care what role it is- even a really lucky ‘red-shirt’.

That would rock…

Dear JJ,

Just give him the red-shirt role in the sequel, so you can kill him and not have him bug you again.

-jas_montreal

He could be Captain Nepotism!

I want Harry Mudd, but I would much rather see him played by someone else.

He would be absolutely perfect for Harry Mudd. He’s got the size and the sense of humor. Now, who would play his nagging wife (if featured)? I vote Lili Taylor.

Mudd… was… in… THREE Episodes!

Mudd’s Women
I, Mudd
Mudd’s Passion

(And yes, I already know that Roddenberry asked people to NOT treat “the animated Trek as “canon”.)

I don’t mind if he’s in a new role, but let’s try to keep from drawing on old characters. New timeline, new ship, new crew, new adventures!

CHRIS PINE: Look, man, I won’t have any of your foolishness around here.

SPOCK: He’s never broken the law, at least not severely.

ELMER FUDD: I just want to get that wascilly wabbit!

CHRIS PINE: Then why do you have all these hot chicks enslaved?

ELMER FUDD: Oh, I just get so lonely… I have to dwug them since women don’t weally like me because of my widiculous way of speaking.

SPOCK: It’s the 24th Century. We can cure speech impediments.

CHEKOV: Keptin- the woman may be wery, wery beautiful but they have taken the keys to my Wolwo! I still have payments to make on that Swedish wessel.

Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…

@2, how about if they cast Jack Black as Mudd?

Seriously though, I don’t see Mudd as fitting in with Abrams group. At least not the Mudd like was in TOS.

Jack Black I could see as Mudd. I could see Robert Downey Jr. as Mudd.

#12

Not really a big Jack Black fan, though he was great in “School Of Rock” and “Peter Jackson’s King Kong”. He was also good in that old “X-Files” episode. But I find his acting to be bad when he goes the over-the-top Chris Farley route.

And as I said earlier, Harry Mudd is a product of the 60’s. He reflects the 60’s, with his “hipiness” and somewhat sexist attitude towards women.
That is why I don’t like the character. It is why the character SHOULD NOT be brought back. If he is brought back, the writers would have to write him differently to appeal to the new crowd. Those changes would make Mudd too different of a character, thus making the whole excercise moot. They might as well bring back different characters from TOS. I’d rather see Janice Rand, Number One, Nurse Chapel, Gary Mitchell, Kor, Kang, Koloth, the Gorn, Tholians, Andorians, etc. in the sequel. Those characters don’t need too much updating. They are timeless. Harry Mudd is not. He is outdated and not needed.

I like Grunberg, but Harry Mudd is a weak character. Give him something better to do.

I get nervous when random celebrities say that they want to take a turn in a Trek movie. To me it sounds like, “Hey, I’d like to play the nostalgia game too.” Trek doesn’t need celebrity actors playing dress up, but actors committed to creating (and participating in) a character.

If the new Trek were on TV, I wouldn’t mind, because you can always make a better episode next week. When you only get one film every 3 or 4 years, however, every aspect of the film has to be solid – no room for “do my buddy a favor” roles tacked on.

I don’t wanna sling any Mudd (nayuck-yuck) but here’s a novel idea—how about some NEW characters for this NEW universe? Dunno, just seems strange to go to all the trouble of getting an aquarium just like the neighbor’s’ and then putting the same kind of fish in it. At least put a rubber ducky in there or a castle and a diver figurine with a little seaweed shrubbery around it… uh… hmm, well, there was supposed to be a point in there somewhere… ;)

A big “Yes” from me !!

:oD

No more Grunberg. If he absolutely has to be in the movie, just make him a red shirt and have him do something stupid and get himself killed. Maybe he’ll be the “I’ll go check if the coast is clear” guy and get shot in the chest.

I don’t know about Grunberg. I don’t care if he plays something, but I honestly think PAUL GIAMATTI would be a wonderfully devious Harry Mudd!

No, not Harry Mudd.
Probably a new character. But, really, um… Grunberg isn’t the most charismatic actor. I know he’s JJ’s friend, but… uh…

14, Mudd was a lot of things, con man, thief, loudmouth, cheater, bootlegger…and many many more I’m sure, .but he was never a hippie. Not quite sure where you got that impression..

Harry Mudd could probably be a terrific villain! Here we have a man who is the antithesis of the Roddenberry “evolved” human being! He’s greedy, he’s a liar, a seller of women, a drug pusher, a smuggler… Knock the cheese factor down a few notches, let him be funny without being a total bafoon… And don’t make him the main villain. Make him a middle man, a glorified goon to someone truly dangerous. Oh, and did I say PAUL GIAMATTI as MUDD? COME ON, Supreme Court! You know it would be awesome!

Paul Giamatti would be great…as would Penn, of Penn and Teller.

But no Grunberg, he’s a nice guy but he just doesn’t have the acting chops to go as broad as it would take to play Harry Mudd.

If there is going to be no Khan than there should definitely be NO HARRY MUDD!

Mudd was the worst character from the original series. NO room for him now. Keep moving forward with new stories and new characters.

I thought the point of the reboot was to REBOOT the franchise? I don’t see how redoing past characters would do that. Though it does avoid the work of the writers having to invent new characters to challenge the crew of Enterprise. And if we know one thing about Hollywood..they don’t do anything that challenges the mind.

I don’t get all the fond memories of Harry Mudd.

For my money “I, Mudd” was the single worst hour of TOS that was ever produced. It is an absolutely dreadful episode.

Andy Richter for Harry Mudd.

I believe Grunberg’s acting skills are perfectly commensurate with the current creative team’s writing skills.

How’s THAT for diplomatic? Boo-yah :)

Even having Grunberg as Mudd in the brig for a short scene would be a hilarious send-up

How about no Harry Mudd at all….

I’m so sick of hearing about this guy. Didn’t he even say at one point that he wanted to play Spock?? (not a chance)

And, I wish everyone would stop talking about Harry Mudd.. LAME!!!! You’ve got to be kidding me.

Harry Mudd? *Sigh* Next!

Can a role be “recurring” if he shows up in one, maybe two movies?

These actors are gonna be moving on after the next movie, possibly it’s sequel which probably won’t be out for 5 years. Assuming booming careers, Trek is probably going to eventually take the backseat for some of the cast. Conflicts will arise – characters cut, recast. Just look at X-Men. James Marsden left X-Men 3 to take a role that was smaller than what his “Cyclops” role was and probably would have been.

Bit of a tangent, but recurring? Only if they make a TV show – with the obvious recasting. So… reboot #2?

Mr. Grunberg, I grew up watching Roger C. Carmel, I admired Roger C. Carmel, we all enjoyed the character of Harry Mudd being played by Roger C. Carmel.

You, sir, are no Roger C. Carmel!

If not Harry Mudd, how about Cyrano Jones? (Before you answer, keep in mind that I’ve sniffed a lot of glue today.)

I’d rather see Harry Ballz than Harry Mudd :-)

#36

I hope you haven’t been sniffing Krazy Glue. Because that makes people go Krazy! :-)

37

Or how about my cousin, Muddy Ballz? He likes sitting in mud puddles!

Nothing against the casting, but I was just never a big fan of the Harry Mudd character. I think Greg Grunberg is a very talented actor, and his ‘vocal cameo’ in Star Trek 09 was very funny. But I just don’t think that he and the preposterous, over-the-top Harry Mudd character are such a good fit.

And all the same, but I really don’t want to pay $10 to see “The Wrath of Mudd.”

No. Beacause there will be no new Harry Mudd! Mudd was a fun, but ulimately very hokey character.

I have to agree with those who say that Mudd wouldn’t be right for the next movie. The way Carmel played him, it would be really hard to see anyone else in the role. That said, I wouldn’t want to see him brought back, because he’s so smarmy and bizarre. He’s just a really weird and frankly slimy character, the sort of person with whom you wouldn’t want to be left alone in the same room.

#38

I hear “Mudd” is good for Ballz!

Wouldn’t it be preferable not to retread past characters wherever possible? There is no reason why the Enterprise crew should run into Harry Mudd in this timeline.

I’d be beyond disappointed if they went for Mudd. First off, time for something new, and I never saw Mudd as a serious character, just kinda something funny added to the show. I hate to say this, but I’d rather even Khan than Mudd, at least Khan was serious. But either way, do something new for the love of god.

To everyone who wants to see entirely new characters/alien races for the sequel: Remember “Insurrection”? We got the Son’a and Bak’u who were never seen before, and never seen again. They were not interesting. At least the Son’a weren’t. The Bak’u might have worked better if it were the Jem’Hadar who were trying to relocate/exterminate them.

A good mix of familiar and the not-so-familiar would work best, in my opinion.

This would work.

I’d rather see Robert Downey Jr. as Cyrano Jones. Maybe he could be a bad Bounty Hunter out for Kirk’s head this time around or something different?

44 – the movie wasn’t bad because it had new alien races, but because the writing was logically flawed. It was correct to interfere with the Ba’ku, since they could’ve helped countless other Federation planets, and Picard was wrong to insist on the PD.

TOS had interesting aliens of the week all the time (whatever happened to “explore strange, new worlds?”) You just need a pure science fiction mind to write them, meaning their motivations should be unique enough to function as the classic SF “what if” device, which can then be followed through with all the implications.

46 – but why? Why stretch the alternate timeline concept any more than we have to? Isn’t it more likely that Cyrano Jones led exactly the same life as before, and that Kirk wouldn’t run into him?

I wouldn’t mind a cameo of Grunny as Mudd, but I think it would be more interesting (and more fun for Abrams) for him do some heavy prosthetic work.

…Perhaps a Klingon.

That way, was can again play spot the lucky Grunny!