Articles by Anthony Pascale

Ben Cross Is Sarek

TrekMovie.com first reported that Spock’s father Sarek would appear in the new Star Trek and now we can report who will be playing him. After receiving a tip, TrekMovie.com has confirmed with a trusted source that 59 year-old English actor Ben Cross will be playing Sarek. Cross himself has seemingly confirmed it as well, as Star Trek is listed on his official site. Spock’s Vulcan father was originally played by the late Mark Lenard. Cross may be best known for his his starring role in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. More recently the actor has seen in Exorcist: The Beginning and the BBC mini-series Nuremberg: Nazis on Trial. Cross will be playing across the 36 year-old Winona Ryder who is portraying Spock’s human mother Amanda Grayson.


Quinto Talks Parallels With Heroes and Trek

Zachary Quinto has finally donned his ears and is currently at work portraying Spock in new Star Trek movie. In a interview with Cult Times the actor talks about the similarities between Trek and his regular gig with NBC’s Heroes: The consciousness of these projects is something that is overwhelmingly optimistic and hopeful and leads people towards finding our potential. It’s hard to articulate, but it’s the human condition. It’s what we can create and what we can accomplish. That’s what we need to be reminded of right now.


Abrams & Lindelof Lament Effect Of Strike On ‘Star Trek’ + Trek Loses XMas 08 Competitor

As reported before, Star Trek producers JJ Abrams and Damon Lindelof planned ahead to ensure that the script for the new movie was ready to go in time for the WGA strike. Even though both are currently at work shooting the new film, they also are supporting their fellow WGA members (including walking the picket lines). Friend and fellow writer John August joined the pair outside Paramount this week and reported on his blog that they have felt the sting of the strike while shooting the film.


Greenwood Compares Playing Pike to JFK

Bruce Greenwood, the new Captain Pike, is getting ready to dive into the pond that is Trek fandom. In an interview with Blackfilm.com, the actor stated that taking on the role of Pike is a “similar dilemma” to his role as President John F. Kennedy in Thirteen Days, noting “No matter who you are playing or what you are playing. You do a movie and people criticize it.” But when asked which role he thinks would be harder, Greenwood said Pike was “riskier” than JFK because “the Trekkies are more likely to have expectations that are cut marble.” Read the rest at Blackfilm.com


Nimoy Responds To Shatner’s Recent Comments

As recently as August Leonard Nimoy was still saying that he thought the new Star Trek movie would be better off with William Shatner in it. However, The New York Times is reporting that Nimoy is ‘not sympathetic’ to Shatner’s latest complaints about the film. In the Times ‘Arts, Briefly’ section Nimoy is also quoted as saying: I know he’s upset, but his character died three movies ago, so it would have been very difficult to get him into this one.


Morrison As ‘Number One’? [UPDATED: Or Maybe Kirk’s Mom?]

UPDATED. Although J.J. Abrams has confirmed that House’s Jennifer Morrison is in Star Trek, he didn’t confirm her part beyond saying it is not Yeoman Rand. Speculation has focused on a number of known Trek characters, such as Carol Marcus, Kirk’s mother and ‘Number One.’ Now there are two competing rumors ‘confirming’ who she will playing. SyFy Portal is reporting a rumor that Morrison will play “Number One,” the first officer to Captain Pike (played by Bruce Greenwood). While IESB is reporting that Morrison will play a ‘pregnant’ Winona Kirk opposite Chris Hemsworth’s George Kirk Sr.





Hundreds Attend Trek Casting Call

Hundreds of would-be Trek stars showed up Saturday at the open casting call for Star Trek. Casting officials would only refer to the project by the code name “Corporate Headquarters,” but did acknowledge that it was a big (but not unprecedented) turnout. More pics and video below


Greenwood Talks Pike and Uniforms

The new Captain Pike is now talking Star Trek. While out doing media related to his role in the Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There, Bruce Greenwood answered some Trek questions. The veteran actor told MTV “I am the second incarnation” of Chris Pike. [actually counting Sean Kenney, Greenwood would be the third] Greenwood said that he is due on the set in three weeks and that he already had his costume fitting, saying “I think there will be a certain nod to the 60s.” Although he remains as tight lipped as everyone in relation to the project, he did confirm the we would not see him in the famous ‘Pike Chair,’ telling MTV “that’s been done.”


TOS Remastered Producers On New HD-DVDs

The latest Starburst Magazine has an interview with the TOS Remastered producers David Rossi, Mike Okuda and Denise Okuda. They talk about the project and the new Season One HD-DVDs coming out November 20th. Rossi enthuses about one of the special features for the box set: In many cases you’ll get the fun opportunity to have side – by – side references of the original shots and what we have done with the re-mastering process. I think that’s going to be very cool for people to watch.




Winona Ryder is Amanda Grayson

Last week TrekMovie.com revealed that Spock’s parents will be appearing in the new Star Trek movie. And now Variety is reporting that Winona Ryder has landed the part of Spock’s human mother Amanda Grayson, a role originally played by the late Jane Wyatt. The Oscar-nominated veteran of dozens of films may be the best known member of the Star Trek cast so far. At 36, Ryder is only six years older than Zachary Quinto who plays Spock. It is possible that Ryder (and perhaps the actor playing Spock’s father Sarek) will be seen in some sort of flashback to Spock’s childhood or adolescence.




Shatner Talks ‘Star Trek’ Flap + Announces Free Vegas Trip Promotion

In the Last couple of weeks William Shatner’s comments about not yet being asked to be in the new Star Trek have been all over the news. Shatner called in to the Howard Stern show this morning [listen to audio below] and right off the bat Stern dug in, telling him he was “carrying on like a crazy man.” Shatner defended himself saying that he only answers questions when asked and that “they blow it up.” The original Captain Kirk went on to say he “doesn’t care” about not being in the movie, but again stated that asking Nimoy to be in the film without himself was a “stupid business decision.” When asked what he felt about new young actors taking over the roles, Shat seemed OK with it stating “time marches on.”


Bruce Greenwood Is Pike

Last week TrekMovie.com reported that Paramount was ‘close’ to signing their new Chris Pike, and now they have. According to the Hollywood Reporter the role of Captain Christopher Pike in J.J. Abrams new Star Trek has gone to Bruce Greenwood. Although he is not necessarily a ‘big name,’ the 51 year-old Canadian actor is well known with 90 TV and film credits to his name. He most recently starred in the HBO series John from Cincinnati. Pike was originally played by the late Jeffrey Hunter in the un-aired first Original Series pilot “The Cage.” After Hunter declined to return for the second pilot, William Shatner came on board as Captain Kirk. “The Cage” was later reworked into the 2-part episode “The Menagerie” as a series of flashbacks. Although the character of Pike only appeared that episode, as the captain of the Enterprise before Kirk he will have an important role in the new prequel.



Rachel Nichols Talks ‘Star Trek’

Rachel Nichols has seemingly confirmed the rumor that will be in the Star Trek movie. In an interview with the Toronto Sun the 27 year old actress said “I’m very restricted on what I’m allowed to say, but yes, there’s a good chance you’ll see my shining face in the new Star Trek.” Nichols said she did not even know the name of her character and even her mom didn’t know about it until she saw the rumor reports online. As noted in the first report on Nichols, she has worked with Star Trek director J.J. Abrams before on his show Alias. The connection is not lost on Nichols who said “J.J.’s one of the most generous people I’ve ever met … He’s very, very loyal.”


‘Star Trek’ Begins Shooting Today

It has been two years, six months and two days since the last time actors have stood in front of a Paramount camera on a Star Trek production (for the finale of Star Trek Enterprise). It has been over five years since a Trek film was in production (the longest period since the movie franchise began in the 70s). Today J.J. Abrams will declare ‘action’ again as he begins shooting his re-invigoration of the Trek franchise, simply titled Star Trek. Sources tell TrekMovie.com that this week’s shooting will be on location (somewhere in Southern California), with the first shots on the Paramount lot scheduled next week.


HD-DVD Giveaways + Australian “Menagerie” Screening

The release of Season One of the digitally remastered Star Trek: The Original Series is in two weeks (Nov. 20) and the promotions for it keep racking up. Firstly STARTREK.COM has a new contest with a grand prize of a Toshiba HD-DVD player and a TOSR Box Set, (DETAILS HERE). And if you live close to New York City and are one of the first in line to buy the box set at select Virgin mega-stores you will get a free Toshiba HD-DVD player and a ‘Star Trek goodie bag’ (DETAILS HERE). Lastly screenings of the HD version of “The Managerie” have been added in Australia (DETAILS HERE).


Star Trek Producers Join Picket Lines

The WGA strike kicked off on Monday with picket lines at all the major studios. The guild has ordered all of its members to do 20 hours of mandatory picket time per week. According to this morning’s Variety, Star Trek producer Damon Linedolof and producer-director J.J. Abrams (who are both guild members) hit the picket lines yesterday to show solidarity for their writing comrades. From the Variety article…


Chris Doohan Gets His Audition

James Doohan’s son Chris Doohan’s name first came up in relation to the new Star Trek film last February when he started a somewhat tongue-in-cheek campaign to land the role of Scotty. He has since gracefully endorsed the selection of Simon Pegg to fill his father’s shoes as the Enterprise’s engineer. That might have been the end of the story, but recently rumors arose that Doohan actually got an audition. TrekMovie.com contacted Chris and he confirmed that he recently read for an unnamed ‘minor speaking role.’ Doohan wouldn’t go into details, but stated:



Strike May Cut Heroes Season In Half + Lost and BSG Also Affected

TrekMovie.com recently reported that the new Star Trek movie should not be impacted by the WGA strike scheduled to start on Monday, but it appears that many TV shows are not so lucky. Heroes, the hit show featuring the new Spock (Zachary Quinto) along with recurring guest spots for a number of of other Trek veterans (Nichelle Nichols, George Takei and Dominic Keating) may only get 11 episodes this season. TV Guide is reporting that the Heroes production has shot an alternative ending to the show schedule to air on December 3rd which will allow it to act as a ‘season 2 finale’ instead of just the planned ‘volume 2 finale’ (Heroes’ 2nd season was originally planned to have 2 ‘volumes’).


Patrick Stewart Talks Trek Typecasting

Patrick Stewart is currently having his second go in life as a Shakespearean actor on the London stage. His current performances of Macbeth are getting him rave reviews. In a new interview with the London Times, TNG’s Picard talks about how he never expected the job commanding the starship Enterprise he took in 1987 to become such a big part of his life and his career: It came to a point where I had no idea where Picard began and I ended. We completely overlapped. His voice became my voice, and there were other elements of him that became me


Business Brief: Viacom Chief Talks Abrams, Trek, Transformers and Franchises

[WARNING: boring business article ahead] To all of us Star Trek is a hobby (or to some a way of life), but to CBS and Paramount/Viacom Trek is a ‘brand’ and a ‘franchise.’ The good news is that Trek is again getting the notice of the higher ups. In a conference call with Wall Street where he announced a big jump in profits, Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman talked up Paramount’s 2008 line-up with a shoutouts to J.J. Abrams and Star Trek…


Star Trek Teaser Trailer In The Works

Today Latino Review reported that there is a teaser for Star Trek in the works and that it will show the construction of the Enterprise. TrekMovie.com has confirmed this with multiple sources. In addition, one source revealed that parts of the teaser have already been shot. Dates for release are under discussion and two possibilities are for it to be shown with Cloverfield (Jan 18, 2008), or Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22, 2008).