A couple weeks ago Eric Bana, Star Trek’s villain Nero, stated that his role in the film was a ‘cameo.’ At the time TrekMovie.com noted that Bana’s usage of ‘cameo’ wasn’t in the traditional sense and that he had more than just a quick scene in the film. At a press junket today for his latest film The Other Boleyn Girl, the actor clarified his comment to assure people that he was still indeed the main villain in the film. Details below
Various sites are reporting on the junket, but Cinematical asked the question regarding if Nero was the main villain. Bana replied:
Well, I guess he kind of is, but I guess what I mean is that in the context of the roles I usually do, the weight is firmly on other areas, you know what I mean? It’s not one of those roles where you’re carrying the movie, is what I’m saying. I feel like I’m very much in a supporting role, not one of the main guys. So ‘cameo’ is a way of saying I don’t feel like, as I am in this film or some other films, where you’re clearly carrying a lot of the film. It’s a luxury to not be in that position. It’s nice to be offered a part like that.
On whether or not he is a Trek fan, Bana said that he liked TOS as a kid, but that isn’t why he signed on (from Cinemablend):
Even if I was crazy about the original series that wouldn’t have been enough to make me sign on to a film I didn’t want to do. I read the script and I went, ‘That is an awesome script.’ It was a very easy decision.
Bana tells MTV that he knows about Trek’s famous villains (like the Borg an Khan) and hopes he can make the grade:
I think that if I get compared to any of them [by the fans], I’ll be doing well.
The Other Boleyn Girl starring Eric Bana opens February 29, more at the official site.
Most excellent. He’s a great actor, too.
I’ve seen Bana in other roles and wasn’t that excited by his acting. Let’s hope he’s got the “right stuff” for this film!
I wonder if there will many ‘NEROS’ in the film… a young one, old one, dead one, etc. Perhaps Shatnet could be one of them.
cool!
#3 “Shatnet”
Uh, oh………don’t let the Shat hear that hybrid word, “shatnet”.
If he does he’ll probably create his own internet with every site you click on taking you to a scroll of his full bio and some live feed of him being interviewed by the latest wanker cyberkid! All Shat, all the time! Yowza!
I think he is a pretty good actor and I’m sure he’ll be fine. If he’s not lying about liking the script, then that’s good news. If he is, that’s not so good.
If I speculated on his role, which I’m doing right now, I would say that he shows up when you least expect it and does his thing, and then, phflumppt, he’s gone. Except when he dies, as I surmise.
The Shatnet would be awesome though!
#3 lol
I’m still uneasy over the whole Romulan thing. And the name Nero seems awfully uninspired–could they have gone with something not quite so easy? My main concern is that the first Romulan war allowed no visual contact between the two sides (according to canon). Where does that leave us?
I know I am one who keeps saying “Trust JJ” but they will have to be better at scriptwriting than what they showed me in Transformers. I sure hope so.
You want to see good Bana acting? Watch Chopper. Also, those other two clips in the other Bana post were far from his best or funniest. Try not to rely on the Hulk as your one example :)
He will be great, don’t worry. :)
Greets from Perth
#3, Sorry, but it looks like your typo is going to take a life of its own. Hold on, I’ve got a Kirk IM comin’ in….
Nero is a sneaky Romulan
So far, that’s the gameplan
He tries to kill off Kirk
Without even a smirk
If anyone can kill him, Nero can!
#12
Argh.
There once was a thing called the Shatnet
Every Trekker surfed through it, you bet
All they got was an overdose of Shat info
Not even one decent picture of a nympho
Clicking off from it, they were filled with regret!
The “Shatnet” is Great!! After this I’m gonna get Music From “Shatwire” and then check out my Buddies on “ShatSpace” , later!!
The Shatnet already exists… it’s the official William Shatner Myspace page:
http://www.myspace.com/williamshatner
I hope they gave Bana some great, memorable, one liners .
“Time is a luxury you don’t have”
“From hell’s heart I stab at thee”
“KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!!!!!”
oopsy that last one was a Kirk line .
give him some good ones too .
#15
And don’t forget their web-based retail division for clothing….
I bought my new slacks by simply clicking on Shat-my-pants!
#10. quite right – his performance in chopper is incredible. i thought he was excellent in ‘munich’ too. he was even one of the better things about ‘troy’
I have no concerns about his casting, and tend to take him at his word if he says the script is excellent.
a good villain doesn’t need excessive screen time to make an impact.
In Silence of the Lambs, Anthony Hopkins’ screen time in the entire film is just over 16 minutes.
#19
Yeah, well, Anthony Hopkins is a GIANT talent who can do AMAZING things in 16 minutes of acting. Bana may need 16 minutes just to warm up!
Bana certainly has the potential to be another Khan, if the writing is strong enough.
Hell, he’s ALREADY a huge step up from Soran, Ru’afo, and Shinzon, and he probably hasn’t even shot one scene yet.
Bana has the look and the acting chopps to play a Romulan, I think he will impress alot of people in this role. I do wish his part could be more then a cameo role.
9. Captain Dunsel I agree Abrams will find a way around this stick point concerning the Romulans.
As long as Nero doesn’t look like the Hulk, we’ll be just fine.
Green Romulan Ale anyone?
OK, I am beginning to see what I’ll call “Yellow Flags” as opposed to the “Red” variety. Why is it lately that whenever I am reading something about the new film in recent days there is some variation of the quote, ” I read the script and I went, ‘That is an awesome script.”?
Seems like “talking points” have gone out and all interviewed have to say something with a positive spin on the new Star Trek movie script.
Romulan ale should be blue.
I’m wondering if Nero has a son that looks like Spock.
24- Maybe, just maybe, it is actually a good script.
Just a thought …
Excellent excellent actor.
Yes, everyone who’s even remotely worried about him should watch “Chopper.”
And #24 Mickey MET — I had the *exact* opposite reaction to reading his comments. I thought, “Heck, if everyone involved from Nimoy to Bana to the cleaning guy says the script is terrific, then the script must be pretty darn close to terrific.”
Call me an optimist.
#27. . . There is nothing in the world wrong with being optimistic! I too am holding out hope that it’s gonna be good! But with the plethora of the comments mentioning the script . . . . And that it’s “good”!
Perhaps I’m just too consipiracy minded these days. . . . .
#5
planet shatner :D
#9
primes lips?
not using the cabover truck?
#17 – no matter how much or little screen time Bana gets, the quality of the ‘lines’ he is given, or how well he delivers them, it’ll also depend on how much the plot focuses on him as the true antagonist. I look at ST VI as a prime example – Christopher Plummer is easily the equal of Ricarbo Montalban as an actor, and he was given some really memorable lines to deliver as General Chang, but between the threads of espionage, treason, assassination, double agents, etc., his role got lost in the mix a little, and I think it was diminished in the end by finding subversives not only within the Kilingon delegation, but also the Romulan diplomatic corps, Star Fleet Command, and aboard the Enterprise itself. (And having the Excelsior get it’s licks in didn’t help – since when has Kirk ever needed backup going into a brawl?) The role of Khan was cut-and-dried, as was the script; The Undiscovered Country read like a Robert Ludlum novel. Still, though, I’d take either one, head-to-head, against any other bad guy in the Trek movies, Kruge included. As far as the rest of them go, Sybok was little more than a public nuisance, Klaa was just a little Scut Farkus bully who got the woodshedding he deserved, and my mama could pop the top on a can o’ whoopass with any of those TNG lightweights. ;-)
actually I think the only two actors who saw the whole script before signing up are bana and nimoy…and they are the only two who have talked about it in the last couple weeks…not exactly a ‘talking point’ conspiracy.
In fact, neither of these guys needed the work and the fact that they both took the role is significant. For Nimoy to come out of retirement after rejecting previous trek work shows that these guys get Trek. For Bana to do a small role in a trek film when he really isnt a big trek fan (and when he is now a leading man type) shows that he was impressed with the script
Agreed. There must be something overarching with (and between) those two characters that makes it more than a ‘villain of the week’ role, and I, for one, really hope Bana delivers a performance that can go toe-to-toe with what Montalban did.
2 and 6 had the best villans, of course 4 was famous for having no villan as such.
Speaking of 6 ( and slightly off topic ) you guys see John Alvin died this week? One of the best ST movie designs of the lot.
http://www.aintitcool.com/images2007/JAtrek6.jpg
“I’ve seen Bana in other roles and wasn’t that excited by his acting. Let’s hope he’s got the “right stuff” for this film!”
Have you seen Munich?
I mean…come on!
Here’s a question. If the character’s name is Nero, does this mean the movie will finally explain the weird Roman Empire of Earth name scheme that the Romulans picked up somewhere? (Or have I already missed that?)
#33 I know I am probably going to get in trouble on this, But My Favorite Trek Film Was Star Trek The Undiscovered Country. I think on the whole it was best of all the trek films. Story wise the film had perfect Balance. besides who could resist Christopher Plumme’rs awesome Shakespeare spouting Villian General Chang ” Cry Havoc and Release the Dogs of War” ! This film a had wonderfulsense of humor as well.. And we got to see Sulu as Captain of the Excelsior. Which Paramount should have made into a series, I am still miffed about that one!!
There is an over-abundance of Roman references in Star Trek. . . . Even Kirk’s middle name! Has the Tiberious for “T” in James T Kirk ever been canonized?
Chang used his middle name ‘Tiberius’ in the court scene in ST VI.
#37
Of course, in that piece of crap known as The Undiscovered Country!
37 Micky do you remember the novelizations that James Blish did of the early episodes?They came out in the early 70’s and were printed and reprinted for a long time. well if I remember correctly In Where No man has Gone Before Kirks middle initial was R not T. At least I think it was, its been decades since I have seen any of the Blish Star Trek Books
#37 – yes, in Star Trek VI, at his trial on Kronos – Chang referred to him by name as James Tiberius Kirk. Those of us here have canonized him as St. James, Patron Saint of Asskickers. ;-)
39 Your calling the undiscovered country a piece of crap?.Give me break that film rocked! The best written best acted of any trek film both old generation and next generation. That was also Shatners best acting work as Kirk. as Kirk.
#40 – Yes, as a matter of fact, I still have the whole James Blish series, even the last one that I think his wife finished for him after he died.
I do think you’re correct that Mitchell did put an “R” as a middle intial on his tombstone. But the series has him undisputedly saying his name is “Captain James T. Kirk of the Federation Starship Enterprise” or a version thereof more than a few times. The apologetics crowd chimed in years ago, that it just showed that Gary Mitchell wasn’t an omnipotent god because he didn’t even know his friends middle name (and that he died!). . . . To me, I liked that excuse and kept it as valid. But I absolutely brain farted the court scene in ST:VI. . . .
#9 agree! Nero sounds worse than Shinzon.
Let’s hope that’s the only ill-concieved name
in this film.
Garovorkin
to each their own, but, to me, The Undiscovered Country was merely a Murder She Wrote episode in space……The last few movies with TOS actors should have been EPIC in scope with a tremendous story arc……instead we got reheated pablum………….ah, what could have been………and wasn’t!
I rather liked Soran in Generations. McDowell gave a suitably interesting performance. Pretty credible mad scientist. Granted, the details of the film surrounding his performance weren’t the greatest, but I quite liked his “time is the fire in which we burn” speech in the 2nd act.
Okay Harry as you say each their own. but lets go down the list shall we?
Star Trek The Motion Picture, Visually Stunning and epiclly slow
Wrath of Khan very good film ona budget, one or two story
inconsistancies like Khan and Chekov never having met.and why would scotty bring his critically injured nephew to the bridge rather then sick Bay
Search for Spock decent film if a little muddled at times
The Voyage home who ecological message was save the Whale, not great but entertaining no the less.
Star trek The Final Fronter a film that is bad for alot of reasons
As for the Next Generation films the only one that is worth Mentioning is Star Trek First Contact. which though far from perfect had entertainment value.
Which of those do you think better then The Undiscovered Country.
I haven’t really been worried. Star Trek’s villains are always hit and miss in the movies. Khan was cool, but never should have done that well against Kirk. James T. really should have raised those shields. Guess he was a little rusty.
Christopher Lloyd was miscast as a Klingon. I wasn’t impressed by his performance.
I don’t even want to talk about Sybok and God, so I won’t. I pretend that movie never existed.
Christopher Plummer was dynamic, but very poorly written.
Soran was so-so, but he never should have been able to beat Picard. Jean-Luc looked especially ineffectual in that fight. Hard to believe an old flabby Kirk could pack more punch…
The Borg Queen was pretty cool. The last two flims were wretched and had wretched villains.
While I’m at it, how come the Klingon commanders are always played by white guys, when most of the Klingons are played by those of a more African ancestry?
#46 – agreed that McDowell can always give a good performance, but his delivery and stature in roles like that are part Hannibal Lecter, part Nutty Professor. He’s believable in his intentions, but you just wanna mama-slap him upside the head and yell, “Now, you STOP that!” ;-)
One Point that I will bring up with regard to the next Generation. The first film Star Trek Generations was god awful. The first Next Generations movie should have been Based on Perter Davids excellant Star Trek Novel Vendetta. Still one of best Star Trek novels ever Written Soran and the Nexus lame stupid concept. Can someone explain to me How a human Being can enter the Nexus without getting shreded when ships made of metal get torn apart by the energy that made no sense whatsoever. What was the Nexus? little more then a glorified Holodeck experience