Chris Pine, Star Trek’s new Kirk, is talking some more Trek while promoting his new movie Unstoppable. The latest excerpts below have Chris talking about Star Trek changing his life, his level of input into the sequel, his hopes for the future of Kirk, his thoughts on Shatner…and why he needed vodka at the Oscars.
Chris Pine talks Kirk, Shatner, Star Trek effect on career, sequel input
First up are comments Chris made to Collider in their Unstoppable interview about how Star Trek has changed his life and his input to the Star Trek sequel.
Chris, you obviously must be dealing with offers on a different scale after Star Trek. How are you choosing roles now, at this point?
PINE: I’ve just been very blessed. It’s such a shock to me that people seem very interested in who I am and what I do, and that I get to work with people that I’ve watched since I was a kid. Star Trek has really afforded me the luxury of choice and being able to cherry pick, for I don’t know how long. I’m in a time right now where I can at least say yes and no to certain things. I think the guiding principal for me is working with people who I want to work with. Because I don’t know how long it’s going to last, I want to seize the moment. I’ve been very lucky.Are you getting any input into the development of Star Trek 2?
PINE: Nope.
Pine looks forward to surprises for his Capt. Kirk
Pine also talked to the official Star Trek website, including comments on the development of his role and William Shatner. first up what he wants for Kirk:
Audiences met your Kirk in the first Star Trek movie. As you move forward now and make the character your own, in what ways do you hope to see the character evolve?
Pine: I don’t know. I look forward to his development and bringing to light all his idiosyncrasies and thinking up new ways to surprise people with this character. I just trust Damon (Lindelof) and Bob (Orci) and Alex (Kurtzman) and J.J. (Abrams) and everybody behind it to create (another) good story, because they’ve already done it. I appreciate Kirk’s humor and I think that’s a legacy from Shatner’s Kirk, from the original and only Kirk, which I would love to bring into the future incarnation.
Chris on William Shatner
Zachary Quinto got his shot at working with Leonard Nimoy in the first film. What are your thoughts on having Shatner on board for the next film? Is it a great idea or too much of a stretch since they’d just done something similar with Nimoy?
Pine: It just isn’t, quite honestly, my decision to make. I think Mr. Shatner will forever be Captain Kirk. I think it would be, certainly, an interesting thing to bring him back. I don’t know if he necessarily wants to at this point or not. But it’s not my decision.
Pine also went on to say that Bill "was a lovely guy, really complimentary and very nice" when they met at his charity 2009, as seen in this charity video:
More from Chris on Unstoppable and his other new projects at StarTrek.com.
Chris’ vodka courage for the Oscars
Earlier this year Chris Pine presented at the Academy Awards, and apparently he needed some liquid courage. Chris is quoted by Showbizspy saying:
The Oscars were absolutely terrifying. Awesome. But petrifying. I was a presenter and I was downing vodkas in the back praying to God I wouldn’t f**k up.
Chris presenting at Oscars (and fortified by vodka)
I’m really looking forward to what surprises await us… but I still question the staying power of TREK on the big screen.
I loved Urban, Quinto and Pine as the big three, but does anyone expect them to stay with the franchise on a long term basis? I don’t relish the thought of rebooting the franchise every four or five films.
That said, I look forward to seeing how the three grow into the roles of Kirk, Spock and McCoy.
The man did good by me in his interpretation of Kirk. I look forward to seeing him flesh this version out. Can’t wait to see more of these guys.
Chris Pine is very gracious in his remarks concerning Shatner. Good for him!
dITTO…That was cool footage of NUKIRK meeting KIRKPRIME with his Cowboy hat on….too bad we couldnt hear what they were saying to each other better….
yeh we can all only hope that Trek is still a hit each new movie..its not a sure thing….and that this great cast stays with it as long as they can….
Hopefully they will know how great it is and stay with it past 3 movies..at least 6 or 7
I know they wont break the six movies of the tos cast but we can hope…
The first paragraph of this Trekmovie.com story above says:
“Chris Pine, Star Trek’s new Kirk, is talking some more Star Trek in his promotion for Unbreakable”
Excellent! I realize that only 10 years have passed, but I think we are all ready for a reboot of the M. Night Shyamalan classic, “Unbreakable,” originally starring Bruce Willis and Samuel M. Jackson.
LOL
It says Unstoppable, not Unbreakable.
i fixed it actually
I love how after all of this time he still refers to him as “Mr. Shatner”. It just shows that he has a level of respect and class, something I actually think all of the new cast has.
8.
His momma raised him right!
Shat should interview Pine on Raw Nerve.
Chris Pine was perfect in the role as young James T Kirk that’s all I have to say:)
Haven’t they also met more recently for Shatner’s documentary project??? Or was Pine left out of ‘Captains’? I thought I’d read that he was going to be in it.
We are blessed to have Star Trek continue and really can’t wait to see the sequel on the big screen. Lucky to have the hottest and most talented folks behind the reboot.
# 3
Yes Chris is very gentle with Mr. Shatner! HAHAHAH … … and he should thank God for not having the responsibility to put Mr. Shatner in “Star Trek Sequel! .. LOL!
And about CP’s mother…. she taught acting classes at UCLA for many years….and according to CP’s father( Robert Pine) in an interview….. she is now the coach of Chris!
Sounds like he has a good head on his shoulders. I thought his portrayal of Kirk was excellent. No he was not Shatner but that would not be possible. I did however feel a certain familiarity with Pines Kirk and i think referring to Kirks humor nails it.
Pine seems like a down to Earth guy that really appreciates what he’s accomplished. I’m happy for him :)
And it seems Bill was equally gracious to Chris, Harry! But you didn’t notice that buddy! Or at least chose to ignore it. :-D
Chris Pine sounds like a nice guy – although even he admitted Shatner is the one and “only Kirk.”
He just was ill-suited to play Kirk. I wish him the best of luck in the rest of his career.
Pine was great as Kirk, but I still would like to see Shatner and Nimoy involved in some fashion.
The door is wide open if the story truly is about the Telosians(I fully understand that it is nothing but speculation at this point) or somehow involves returning Spock Prime to his proper universe…By the way Mr. Nimoy is already out of his self imposed retirement and working on Fringe and is rumored to be involved with “The Hobbit” http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000559/
@19 Ill-suited? I presume you’re speaking for yourself.
I feel Chris was perfect as the 12 years before we’d ever seen him Kirk.
This Kirk had to grow out of his father’s legacy and his father’s shadow. So did Chris Pine from his father Robert Pine’s career. Plus, both young previously unseen Kirk and young Chris Pine have a loving, involved, and supportive mother. How it turned out was an example of perfect casting along type.
singing the theme tune presumably? :-D
#22 I was referring to #20!
Yeah, CP doesn’t know anything about the next ST movie so why is this really important?
I am happy he is dealing with the Shatner question so well. :D
Chris Pine is the perfect new Kirk. He did the character justice in the first film. Hopefully, Pine’s Kirk will get to show his skills and abilities as captain in the sequel. I know Chris is up to the challenge!
“I don’t know if he necessarily wants to at this point or not.”
Oh ye of little internet knowledge…
Chris Pine is a class act. And Day-yam! he looks hot in that tx!
Uh… “tux”
about the Oscars and vodka:
I saw CP presenting the film District 9 on the night of the Oscars! … He was gorgeous as ever and seemingly very well! … Then this story about “vodkas” …. most probably an exaggeration of CP in interviews, again!
And of course CP is AWESOME as the young Captain Kirk!
And you know what? … I love the nonsense CP speaks on interviews! .. LOL! … I also speak a lot on the Internet! … …..because I’m too serious you know? … HAHAHAHAHA!
Life is short on planet Earth!… How nice it would be like T’Pring! …LOL!….LOL!
I love still image of Chris Pine as Kirk . I am going to give it try as a desktop background .
Before I forget! … I’ve seen several reviews of the movie “Unstoppable” .. and .. most have been very good! … highlighting the great action scenes! … and good performance from Denzel Washington and Chris Pine!
I’ll definitely see this movie!
I’m ready for a Captain Harriman movie.
I’m so looking forward to Star Trek 2012. Chris Pine is awesome as Captain Kirk! His new movie “Unstoppable” looks exciting and enjoyable also.
However, I’ve been a Conductor for the Southern Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads for over 37 years and what the studio/film is depicting could not or would not happen like that. The safety precautions in place on our nations railroads would prevent a runaway train as depicted in this film!
That said, the performance of Chris Pine and Denzel Washington look fantastic. I will definitely rent this movie when it comes out on DVD.
Steve
33
Funny you should say that. According to the Haynes Manual, Captain Harriman was replaced after the Enterprise B returned to spacedock following the nexus incident. William George took over for awhile. Eventually, Demora Sulu got promoted to captain but she was replaced as well. And aparently the Enterprise B eventually disappeared without a trace. Possibly due to an outbreak.
Of course, this isn’t at all canon…….
He’s awesome
I think the Pine/Shatner encounter would’ve been better if after Pine said, “Hi, I’m Chris Pine” Bill gave him a chop and the kirk dropkick. Then looking down on him while still wearing his cowboy hat said, “you get your ass kicked everytime you play me…”
Bill Shatner IS the REAL Captain Kirk. Pine isn’t. Every time I see the movie he seems like a kid playing at being kirk. Nothing else. Even the guy who played George Kirk was a better JTK then him. (although I like Chris Pine in other stuff)
35
I prefer the storyline in the comic book that revealed the hard lesson he had learned from the mistake on B’s maiden. A certain old doctor helped him mature a bit. The “Of God’s and Men” version of Harriman was pretty good as well. That character was the high point of an otherwise dismal Trek homage. The ships were pretty cool too. Like the big guns and red trim.
18 – Right on! Loves ya, Harry, but this man’s got a point. I have actually read a few gracious comments about Pine from Shatner. They both seem to be gentlemen, albeit from different generations and eras.
3. Harry Ballz – November 8, 2010
Really what else could he say without getting ripped to shreds on the message boards. The guy seems to have a good enough head on his shoulders to know that the New Kirk vs Old Kirk debate is one to be avoided at all costs…
That picture of the bridge…..I just remembered……
the bridge is soo bad…
…it’s just ………..bad
Chris Pine sounds like a nice guy. I did like him as Kirk but to me William Shatner will always be the REAL Kirk.
I love the comments he has for Shatner.
“Bill Shatner IS the REAL Captain Kirk. Pine isn’t. Every time I see the movie he seems like a kid playing at being kirk. Nothing else. Even the guy who played George Kirk was a better JTK then him. (although I like Chris Pine in other stuff)”
SMH at folks like this, I think he (Pine) may have been joking and willingly put that out there given how many of Shatner’s “gracious fans” have been towards chris on the net when the movie first came out and even now, when all they do is say something like the aformentioned quoted above mine and I’m surprised captain neill and TOS purist or Shat fan prime didn’t join in on david pease’s “insightful” fun, they ususally do whenever Chris is brought up.
I mean it’s as if the comment was/is supposed to hurt his feelings or something, that he can’t replace a d*mn role (no not actual science related matters) but a fictional, albeit lovable role. SMH
and I agree with #40 Phil, what else could he say, I get that he respectfully (and cuz of the fact that Pine knows the man paved the way for him in the first place) held back, I mean he would probably like for him to be in the new one but given the rumors on how Bill has his “ways” behind the scenes (I’m not even talking about the ones that came from other Trek castmates) all I could say is that Marlon Brando never died in a sense, he got replaced, but what can you do lol
Suprise!! Kirk dies five minutes into the next flick when he gots blown out an airlock. Betcha didn’t see that one coming!!
@44 You could get a job writing for letterman. His jokes are never funny either yet someone takes home a cheque for giving him those lines.
Just messing dude.
Though some clown does get paid for writing for Letterman, go figure.
43
To me Shatner will always be Captain Kirk to me, but that is because I grew up loving TOS and Shatner’s performance as Kirk. To me Shatner became my icon because of Kirk.
To be honest I loved Chris Pine in the new movie as Kirk, his take on an alternate Kirk turned out better than I thought, When I heard he was basing his performance on Han Solo I cringed, but when I saw the movie I like his performance.
Just think Shatner will always be my Kirk as he defined the role.
But I was always going to prefer the originals, is that a crime on this site?
I like Chris Pine in other things and perhaps when he auditioned he was best able to capture Kirk’s mannerisms, speech patterns, etc. But physically I can’t relate to him since the Kirk I relate to looks more like Joshua Jackson.
In TOS Kirk was my favorite character but in ST 2009 I like McCoy and Scott best.
@20: Obviously you don’t get it–Bill Shatner IS NOT coming back as Captain Kirk!!!
His time in the role is through, as is Nimoy’s; there’s not much more either can bring to the franchise. Having Shatner as Kirk in the next movie would just smack of overkill, and you know it. If you need to see Shatner and Nimoy that badly, you can always rent or buy the DVD’s of TOS and watch them until your eyes bleed.
Other than that, please just accept and let the new franchise be, okay?
Well the good thing is that Chris realises that people will like Shatner’s Kirk more and that Shatner will always be Captain Kirk that’s what I love about Chris Pine he’s honest.
Captain_Neill Stop thinking that is a crime it’s getting tiresome and repetitive.