Nimoy Forgot How to Play Spock?

Nimoy Forgot How to Play Spock?

STAR TREK director J.J. Abrams said he was nervous directing Leonard Nimoy in playing Spock, but Nimoy admitted he needed the assistance.

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By bsprecher - Apr 27, 2009 01:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Star Trek

You would think that Leonard Nimory would know the intricacies of playing Spock like the back of his hand, considering he's been portraying the character for nearly forty years. But, Nimoy wasn't afraid to go to director J.J. Abrams for advice. Nimoy told Entertainment Weekly:

"It was clear [Abrams] was nervous, and I'm glad he got over it. Look, I had been away from the character for a long time. His input was important to me."

Star Trek opens May 8, 2009!


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LancerEvo
LancerEvo - 4/27/2009, 3:05 AM
How do you forget to portray that which made you so famous in the first place? That's like Wayne Gretzky forgetting how to play hockey... are old people developping Alzheimer's earlier in life now or something? :/
lowman
lowman - 4/27/2009, 4:36 AM
Who is Leonard Nimory?
spanky
spanky - 4/27/2009, 4:42 AM
ah! he's just don't the "your the director " and i know you know what to do. or maybe he's only been jacking it for so long, he's got a lot of camera rust. i mean when was the last time he was behind the camera?
Superman4
Superman4 - 4/27/2009, 4:57 AM
Sounds like he's rusty wouldn't really say he "forgot". He'll pick it back up. I'm sure he'll start hearing Spock in his head again (like in his books).
Supermike
Supermike - 4/27/2009, 6:34 AM
Come on people the last time he play the character was in 1998 give him a break do you all still know how to do things after you havent done them for 11 year Hell its not like Ledger and just play himself in every movie
loganoneil
loganoneil - 4/27/2009, 7:48 AM
It sounds like Mr. Nimoy was being the consumate professional. Seeing that Abrams was a bit nervous (this is an EPIC undertaking for one man to bear), he probably asked for input to ease the mind of the young director and set a working tone for on the set (Would 'The Shat' have been that nice?).
vonstallin
vonstallin - 4/27/2009, 8:02 AM
Like posted above..I think He wanted JJ's input since it is a relaunch and JJ might want a tad bit different spin.
Spok is very old in this film and things change so JJ's script might even say that.
Bijous
Bijous - 4/27/2009, 8:07 AM
Yea, I'm sure he just wanted to make the director comfortable. Or, maybe (if the rumors about Quinto's Spock are true), he wanted Spock to be a little more brutal and less cerebral. There's supposedly a big fight between Kirk and Spock.

Still...I miss Shatner...
Bijous
Bijous - 4/27/2009, 8:08 AM
@Brent: Where did you get that pic of Nimoy? I've never seen that costume before?
bsprecher
bsprecher - 4/27/2009, 8:23 AM
@Bijous: It's from a publicity still for the original Star Trek: The Movie, a costume that was never actually used in any of the films. I thought it was cool in a retro-modern sorta way...
NataliaRomanov
NataliaRomanov - 4/27/2009, 8:40 AM
Why wouldn't he just watch a couple of his old movies?
ThisFan
ThisFan - 4/27/2009, 8:46 AM
Well you have to remember its been many years since he played him so i would think that he would forget a little but not fully.
Betty
Betty - 4/27/2009, 9:16 AM
understandable
Deathlok
Deathlok - 4/27/2009, 10:12 AM
Bijous, Who is on your avatar pic? That is one weird lookin' dude!

I guess it has been a while for Spock to jump back in the saddle. Even though he played that character for so many years, it's still just a character. I'm sure there are many people who take it much more seriously than he does.

Personally I wish they would have made another Next Generation film to tie up the loose ends with Data/B4. I realize they did this in the prequel comics, but for fans who mostly followed the movies, it would have been nice to see a better finale for the TNG crew.
Spock
Spock - 4/27/2009, 11:11 AM
Mr. Nimoy has been out of action of playing Spock for a while. Everyone needs a little help every NOW & Then. Give the man a break!!!


@ Deathlok, there hasn't been anything on B4 since Star Trek Nemesis. No books or anything!!!
GUNSMITH
GUNSMITH - 4/27/2009, 11:32 AM
TRUE, HEY ITS BEEN FOREVER, ABRAMS HAS IMMERSED HIMSELF IN ALL THE STUFF TO PREPARE A RESPECTABLE VISION FOR THE TREKKIES...SO HIS IS THE BEST ADVICE.
Pierce_Highmen
Pierce_Highmen - 4/27/2009, 11:57 AM
OK, what the hell is going on? I figured he was coming back to play Spock's father. But, now he is playing Spock. I hope this movie is not like Lost, where you are jumping back and forth between time periods.

And, if youre gonna bring back the original Spock. Where is the original Kirk?

Abrams is a tool, this movie is gonna blow balls.
answer
answer - 4/27/2009, 12:12 PM
Pierce, He is spock from just after the end of the last trek movies who has gone back in time, also Original Kirk is dead.
Bijous
Bijous - 4/27/2009, 1:55 PM
@Deathlok: Just a weird character I created a long time ago called "Mad Marvel." He was a weirdo mutant pervert with superpowers.
bsprecher
bsprecher - 4/27/2009, 2:10 PM
One of the rumors circulating is that old Spock goes back to tell young Spock that he better learn to like Kirk for the sake of the future, since apparently young Spock thinks Kirk is a tool (or whatever the Vulcan equivalent term would be--anyone?).

And, remember...this film is about time travel. When time travel is a plot device, anything is possible. Heck, they could use Shatner as Kirk from any point in history before he croked. Or, they could do what they're doing in Terminator Salvation with Schwarzenegger and just CGI in some footage of young or middle-aged Shatner's Kirk.
Deathlok
Deathlok - 4/27/2009, 2:31 PM
@Bijous: That's awesome! I think Marvel needs to endorse Mad Marvel and give him his own comic book. He kind of reminds me of Cid from Final Fantasy IV.


@spock: I'm referring to Star Trek: Countdown. It's a four issue comic book series that was released as a prequel to the new Star Trek film. It involves the TNG crew and reveals what happened to B4 after the events in Nemesis.
NataliaRomanov
NataliaRomanov - 4/27/2009, 2:38 PM
I'm always going to see Sylar when I see Spock!
luv1138
luv1138 - 4/27/2009, 8:42 PM
Star Trek SUCKS!!!!!
Star Wars RULES!!!!!
Phinehas
Phinehas - 4/27/2009, 8:49 PM
Another thing to consider is that Nimoy understands that this is essentially a reboot of the franchise and what he offered to the role may have been altered to a new perspective. He may be inclined to know what that new generation's perspective of what Spock's character and personality is. Nimoy knows that Roddenberry is gone and Abrams will invoke his own vision. That also includes HOW Spock will be portrayed and conveyed by the actor's interpretation.
Pierce_Highmen
Pierce_Highmen - 4/28/2009, 1:31 PM
@TheAnswer.. This is starting to feel like Lost. I hope Abrams knows what he is doing.

If Kirk dies in the future, and Spock can timetravel. Shouldn't he travel back and save Kirk's life? Or, cant he go back to when OG Kirk is alive, and bring him to the future. Cant you see how lame this film is going to be. I was never a big fan of Star Trek, but what I did like was Shatner and he crazy acting. Without him, its not the same, they should have created an entire new crew like the other series.
Bijous
Bijous - 4/28/2009, 6:30 PM
@Deathlok: Thanks! Let's start a letter-writing campaign to Marvel!

@Pierce: KIRK WILL NEVER TRULY DIE...
bsprecher
bsprecher - 5/4/2009, 5:45 PM
@LuV1138: I hate to take sides on an issue as sensitive as this one, but...

You're right! STAR WARS RULES!
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