On Tuesday. Ben Cross, who portrayed Sarek in the 2009 Star Trek film, passed away at the age of 72. The actor died in Vienna following a short illness, according to his agent.
Cross’ career spans decades. Besides his role in Star Trek. he may be best known for starring in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire. Cross has continued to work to this year, and according to Variety just wrapped production last week for his last role as Cardinal Mathews in Lionsgate’s The Devil’s Light.
On the day of his passing, TrekMovie reported on his death and expressed our condolences via our social media channels, but we are following up today to share the thoughts of Cross’ Star Trek co-star Zachary Quinto, who played Spock, Sarek’s son.
Quinto took to Instagram to describe what it was like to work with Cross:
So sorry to hear of the passing of Ben Cross. he played Spock’s fatherSarek in our first Trek movie (among many other indelible roles) and he was always so incredibly thoughtful and generous and engaging. It being my first film I always felt considered and cared for by him in our scenes together. He was a real gentleman and a true talent. Sending him and his family much love and light. Rest in peace dear Ben.
You can see the full Instagram post below.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEFKZO3p6Mb/?igshid=mvkjoolcktv0
More recently. Cross appeared in a recurring role on the CW sci-fi series Pandora, working with executive producer Mark Altman. Altman, who is also the co-author of The Fifty-Year Mission: The Complete, Uncensored, Unauthorized Oral History of Star Trek and co-host of the Inglorious Treksperts podcast, shared his thoughts on social media.
We just lost a member of our @seriespandora family. Ben was an incredible actor and a delight to work with. He will be greatly missed by all of us. #BenCross #pandoraCW https://t.co/VUKTEaYxIK
— Mark A. Altman (@markaaltman) August 18, 2020
The TrekMovie team again expresses our condolences to the family and friends of Ben Cross.
Sadly I’ve never seen this actor in anything other than the first Kelvin film. But I really liked him as Sarek and was disappointed he never came back for any of the sequels. I wish they established his relationship to Spock a lot more closer as they did in the first film.
May he rest in peace.
Zachary Quinto is a pro.
chariots of fire is def recommended… it’s not scifi (not even close) but it does have the borg queen herself alice krige and as a bonus father vito cornelius (5th element_ and the android from alien… ian holm
And the composer of Blade Runner, Vangelis.
As a period film set in 1924, it still feels fresh and new, and Vangelis’ soundtrack helps make it feel timeless.
Also features a wonderful performance by the great Ian Charleson (who died far too young).
Chariots of Fire a SyFy film? Then Wagner’s The Ring Cycle is Star Trek on Opera, but definitely the Federation side, rather than Klingon, in consideration the many and varied Captains of all filmed ships in Star Trek’s history.
A real-pro. That’s what I’ve heard spoken about him when I’ve met people who have worked with him. Totally reliable and got along with everyone around him, both in front of the camera and on stage. Crew’s on film & theatre productions remarked he never caused delays or ego problems with anyone. His performances were impeccable. I’m thankful for the dignity he brought to Trek. I hope many of the kind words about him will reach his family & friends in this time of loss. We all have his great performances to enjoy time and time again. Rest In Peace great spirit.
This was sad, like we need more sad things these days. 72 is pretty young – I never saw him in anything but the 09′ film, but he made the role of Sarek his own. To his credit, he didn’t channel Mark Lenard in the role at all, he made that little piece of Trek lore his own, imo. Condolences.
Ben Cross starred in a MGM Television production of Dark Shadows. A 12 episode mini-series produced in 1991. He played the iconic lead character of Barnabas Collins the reluctant vampire. He took that character from the 1960’s Gothic soap opera, making it fresh and his own. Others in the cast of that mini-series include Roy Thinnes, Jean Simmons, Joseph Gordon-Levitt (when he was 10-years old) and Adrian Paul. You can watch it free with an Amazon Prime subscription. It involves time travel with actors playing multiple parts in the past and present. All dealing with how Barnabas became a vampire and the search for his one true love, Josette.
Nice, thank you Iconian. My wife is a Dark Shadows fan, and a good vampire story is always welcome.
Thanks, let’s us know what you think of it. I started watching it again last night. I hadn’t seen it in decades. It really moved along and has held up nicely. It was jarring to see Joseph Gordon-Levitt 10 years old. Especially considering what a big name star he is today.
Ben Cross is wonderful as Barnabas Collins in Dark Shadows.
Zachary Quinto is my favorite Spock actor. The newer films introduced me to Star Trek. It started a fire in my heart for this franchise. A burning passion that lasts forever.
Yeah, he was a class actor and I enjoyed his performance of Sarek much more than Frain’s performance in Discovery. Part of me wished he could have come back for the role in Discovery. May he Rest in Peace.
When I heard about his death here in the uk the other day, I didn’t realise he was the guy who played Spocks father. RIP
Wow… I didn’t even realize we’d lost him. Really sorry to hear. Rest in peace Ben.
Ben Cross was a very good Sarek, bringing a more understated but still thoughtful approach to his relatively limited time in the role. I remember also being really impressed with his work as Barnabas Collins in the short lived Dark Shadows remake from the early 1990s. Really sad to read of his passing.
Ben was excellent as Sarek in the first trek firm. He died much too young, 72.
What I remember most from his performance in 2009’s Star Trek is in the transporter room, after Amanda has died, he says to Spock, “You once asked why I married your mother. It was because I loved her.” SAREK said that and I believed. Rest in Peace Ben, you were a Gem.
I remember him from the TV movie “Hannibal” where Star Trek veteran Alexander Siddig played the famous cartagian conqueror. So two Star trek actors in the same movie, but that was before Trek 09.
Also Ben Cross appeared in one of the better Dolph Lundgren action movies called The Mechanik a.k.a The Russian specialist, where Ben Cross was sort of Dolphs sidekick in it.
One of my favorite Ben Cross performances was as Captain Nemo in a TV production of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea from the late 1990’s.