ST09 Cast

We haven’t heard much from John Cho, but in a great new interview with Star Trek Magazine the new Sulu talks Trek. The actor reveals that he isn’t a hard core fan, but says he has “more than a casual association” with Trek. He has been reviewing DVDs, but feels that he should “let J.J. dictate” how he should approach the role. Although Cho didn’t reveal any plot points, some of his answers gave insights into the character of Sulu in the new Star Trek movie. (see below…minor spoilers)

We have heard a lot from Zachary Quinto since he was cast as the new Spock in Star Trek. We know about his DVD viewing habits (or lack thereof), his ear lobes fitting, his work on Heroes, and even where he went for his Thanksgiving holiday. But in a new interview with the official Star Trek Magazine, he delves into some detail into the how he sees the character of Spock and where we will see Spock in the new film. See below for quotes (minor spoilers):

In September TrekMovie.com broke the news that Stargate Atlantis’ Paul McGillion auditioned for the role of Scotty for the new Star Trek film, but of course in the end the role went to Simon Pegg. However it appears that wasn’t the end of the line for McGillion. TrekMovie.com has learned that the McGillion impressed the film makers with his audition and they found a different role for the actor. No details yet on his role, except that it is a small speaking part.

EW has a brief interview with Star Trek’s Spock, Zachary Quinto. Quinto told EW that we would know ‘within a matter of weeks’ if his Heroes co-star Greg Grunberg will be in the film. If Grunberg doesn’t make it into this latest project from his pal JJ, it would be a first. Quinto also showed off his new Vulcan eyebrows and revealed that it takes 3 hours a day to fit him with both the ear points and ear lobes to match the Nimoy’s Vulcan look. Of Nimoy Quinto states he has “the biggest earlobes you’ve ever seen. But it feels good to change it up, put on some pointy ears, and shave my eyebrows for the role.”

Chris Hemsworth has wrapped up his production work playing George Kirk on the new Star Trek. Kirk’s new dad is now back in his home country of Australia where he attended the AFIs eariler this week (and where Star Trek co-star Eric Bana picked up a couple of awards). Hemsworth tells news.com.au that he had to pinch himself the whole time he was in Hollywood. But the star of the soap Home and Away isn’t letting it go to his head, saying “I don’t know what to say. I got lucky, I guess – right place, right time.”

Star Trek’s villain, Eric Bana was named Best Actor at the Australian Film Industry Awards tonight for his role in Romulus, My Father.

Last night the new Scotty, Simon Pegg, picked up the Ronnie Barker Writers’ Guild Award at the British Comedy Awards (but his cop movie parody Hot Fuzz lost out to The Simpsons Movie for Best Comedy Film). Sky Showbiz also got the actor to talk a bit about the new Star Trek film. Apparently he hasn’t started shooting yet and doesn’t even have his own copy of the script.

Before John Cho is seen as the new Sulu in Star Trek next Christmas, the sequel to his 2004 hit Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle hits the screens April 25th. As the actor credited for coining the term MILF (in American Pie), Cho is known for R Rated humor and the new trailer for Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay is no exception. Trailers below

[Heroes Spoilers] When the WGA strike first started it was reported that the Heroes production reshot a new final scene for their ‘chapter finale’ which aired Monday night. This new scene featured Zachary Quinto’s Sylar getting his powers back. Originally the Heroes team had planned to write Quinto out of the show while he was shooting Star Trek. In a new interview with TV Guide, Heroes creator Tim Kring explains how the strike gave them a chance to keep Quinto around…

Once again TrekMovie.com has a Star Trek rumor to debunk. Today many Internet reports are popping up citing an article in the latest Starburst Magazine in the UK (issue 356) which states George Takei will appear in the new Star Trek movie, reprising his role as Hikaru Sulu. This ‘breaking news’ actually appears as just a sentence in the third paragraph of an article about the confirmed cast members for the film (such as Zachary Quinto, John Cho, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, and Leonard Nimoy). From the article:

The LA Times has an interesting new interview with the new Spock, Zachary Quinto. The actor reveals his thoughts about the writer’s strike, describing first the disappearance of the writing staff from the set of Heroes as an “unexpected, unwanted vacation for everybody.” Then his transition to Star Trek also seems to have been difficult: Compounding it is I ended on “Heroes” on Friday and started on “Star Trek” on Monday. To be working through this and to be required to work is also really strange. It’s a combination of feeling really fortunate and oddly awkward and guilty and weird.

Carnegie Mellon University has a new article about their famous alum Zachary Quinto. The new Spock gives advice to students and talks about his roles on Heroes and Star Trek. Regarding Trek, Quinto said that Nimoy warned him about taking on the role: I met Leonard Nimoy in the elevator the day they announced the movie. He turned to me and said, ‘You have no idea what you’re in store for’ and then walked away

The New Spock, Zachary Quinto will be gracing a cover of FHM in what they are calling “most limited edition FHM of all time!” It will not be on news stands, but the special January Quinto issue can be ordered at FHM.com. An excerpt from his interview is at Empire, where Quinto notes that he “never imagined science fiction would be a catalyst” for his career. But he seems to have embraced it, adding: There’s a core faith in the human condition that exists in a lot of science fiction, but in particular Star Trek and Heroes, and I don’t think there’s any mistake I’m aligned with that.

Anton Yelchin, Chekov in the new Star Trek, is really on a roll. In addition to Trek he will appear in 3 other 2008 films. And now it looks like he might move from his Starfleet uniform to some red tights. Superhero Hype is reporting that the 18 year-old actor is one of the up-and-comers attached to the Warner Brothers’ Justice League movie currently slated for 2009, playing the Flash (aka Wally West). For now it is just a rumor and a competing rumor puts Adam Brody in the role. Plus it is likely the WGA strike will cause a delay in the film. Regardless the future seems bright for the new Chekov.

Well the casting for Star Trek is pretty close to complete, so how about a story about people who were almost in it. In an interview with MTV, Deadwood star Timothy Olyphant revealed that he and director J.J. Abrams met about an unnamed part in the film which was followed up by “a series of conversations” and “lots of emails.” At 39 it seems a good guess that Olyphant was likely up for the role of Bones or maybe the villain Nero. In the end the actor says they made a mutual decision it wasn’t going to work out, but Olyphant remains a huge fan of Abrams and noted “I’m sure he got the best cast.”

More shots from Star Trek’s location shoot last week have shown up on a French website. Check out at Buzzline for 15 shots. If you missed it, the first shots are JFX Online

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.

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.

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

Khan had Joachim, Shinzon had his Viceroy, Goldfinger had Odd Job, and now Nero has Ayel. Trekmovie.com earlier reported that two of the central characters still to be cast for the new Star Trek movie were henchmen of the villain Nero, played by Eric Bana. Tonight Variety reports that Emmy-nominee Clifton Collins, Jr. has signed on to play Ayel, “the cohort and general to Nero.” Variety also confirmed the earlier story that 24-year-old Australian actor Chris Hemsworth will be playing Kirk’s father, George Kirk, Sr.

Three days ago, it was reported that House star Jennifer Morrison has a role in the new Star Trek movie. Today, J.J. Abrams himself told TV Guide “she is indeed in the movie, and she is most excellent!” There has been much speculation about who Morrison might be playing and Abrams still isn’t saying, but he did say the 28-year-old actress will not be playing Yeoman Janice Rand. In addition, Abrams again assures us that the script for Star Trek is “locked” and that the current writers’ strike will not affect production.

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

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.”

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.