The New Jim Kirk Talks TREK

"I think people will be surprised," said Chris Pine in a July 29th Beverly Hills interview, speaking of J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek reboot movie, in which he tackles the iconic role of Captain James Tiberius Kirk. "I think what J.J. has created--and what we've been a part of--is really the birth of these characters. Not only their individual journeys and how they all meet, [but also] the forging of those relationships and how it carries on to the five-year mission."

Pine (Smokin' Aces) promised that, thanks to Abrams and his regular writing team of Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci (M:I3), Star Trek will be as much a character picture as an FX blockbuster. He also credited his co-stars with helping to accomplish this difficult task.

"People will be blown away," said Pine of Zachary Quinto (Heroes), who plays the young Spock. "Between him and Karl Urban [of Pathfinder as McCoy] and the rest of the cast, they've really captured who these characters are."

But before he even attempted his role, Pine honored him by obtaining the blessing of the actor who'd so famously originated Kirk.

"I wrote him a letter in the beginning of the process and introduced myself, and said hello, just to make a connection, because I didn't know him at all," Pine said of William Shatner. "And he was very nice, and he was very gracious and sent me a letter back, and that's the only contact we've had. Except my father--in the first week I got the Star Trek project--did a Priceline commercial with William Shatner, so there was multi-generational contact with Mr. Shatner."

Star Trek warps into theaters on May 8, 2009.



[Original article by PATRICK LEE & STACI LAYNE WILSON. Captain Kirk poster by Drew Struzan.]