ROTTEN TOMATOES: Chris Pine Discusses Life as Captain Kirk

Chris Pine Discusses Life as Captain Kirk

Feeling no pressure to out-Shatner the master.

by Jeff Giles | January 24, 2008

Chris Pine went to Sundance to promote his new movie Bottle Shock -- but when you're the new Captain Kirk, that's really all anyone wants to talk about. Fortunately, Pine has proven himself willing to oblige.

Case in point: Entertainment Weekly's interview with the actor, which he opened by jokingly referring to Star Trek XI as "a small independent [film]...kind of like Star Wars and Spaceballs combined." Asked whether he felt any pressure to "evoke William Shatner," Pine responded:

"I actually feel the exact opposite. I think the biggest mistake I could ever do would be to try to re-create what Mr. Shatner did. There are certain qualities that Kirk has that are vital for someone who is a leader of men. And those qualities, I definitely wanted to take from what Mr. Shatner did in the original series. But my job is to take something new, to take that and build upon it, really do my own thing. I just feel no pressure when it comes to that."

This lack of pressure might be at least partially due to Pine's wise decision to stay away from Web forums where his casting in the new Trek might be greeted less than enthusiastically. Admitting that "the Internet is not my friend in this case," Pine went on to try and soothe Trekkies' fears:

I can understand, I don't have that many credits and people are very worried that their Kirk is going to be destroyed. But I can only say that we're having a great time. J.J. [Abrams, the director] has been wonderful and the cast is phenomenal. I think what we're doing is very special.

For more on Pine's thoughts regarding Star Trek XI -- including a rather spoilerish tidbit involving Leonard Nimoy -- follow the link below!

Source: Entertainment Weekly

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Movie:	Bottle Shock
Celeb:	Leonard Nimoy
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(1-17 of 17 posts) | Reply

Elixor writes:
on Jan 24 2008 05:59 AM

What a yawner of an interview.

(Reply to this)

LordVapor writes:
on Jan 24 2008 08:04 AM

Yeah, you can say that again Elixor.

I seen the cat in Smokin Aces, and he was really good in that. I know this isn't the same as portraying Captain Kirk, but I think he will do OK.

Wasn't much info in this though.... hehehhe

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jan 24 2008 08:24 AM

Lets get one thing straight. There's only one Capt Kirk and that's William Shatner. I'm not even a trekkie and I know that. Plus what would this kid know about "Life as Capt Kirk". The damn movie hasn't even been shown yet. At this point you sir are nothing but a side note in a possible history.

(Reply to this)

Eldorado writes:
on Jan 24 2008 10:41 AM

And you sir are a tool with those comments

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Rated_Xpert writes:
on Jan 24 2008 10:48 AM

Give Pine a chance. It might just work. Or it will crash and burn.

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Jan 24 2008 11:57 AM

Guys, really, as much as we all love Shatner as Kirk, you can't expect Shatner to return as young Kirk. Thus, there really is no point protesting their choice for the role.

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jan 24 2008 02:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#1516239)
Wow, you really got me there.

(Reply to this)

bigbrother writes:
on Jan 24 2008 02:14 PM

In reply to this comment (#1516311)
Obviously not, but this movie has a few things that worry me from the start. 1. The Star Trek franchise as a whole ran out of idea's around the middle of DS9.

2. JJ Abrams has never done anything that has ever wowed me, possibly excluding the marketing campaign for Cloverfield

3. Anytime an actor say's they think the movie is going to be something special before they've seen even a slightly edited cut it basically translate to "God, I think this movie is going to be a failure so I better start hyping it now so I at least get a big opening week"...not always, but very often anyway.

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sharpless writes:
on Jan 24 2008 02:33 PM

I think a bad Shatner impression would kill this. It's probably better that he just take the spirit of the character and play it his own way. And I'm sure there will be a few lighthearted nods to the original's Kirkisms.

(Reply to this)

cuteview writes:
on Jan 24 2008 05:22 PM

The TV shows sucked, the movies sucked and this interview sucked...

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Jan 24 2008 06:04 PM

I've been wondering if Pine was going to try and ape a Shatner impersonation. Of course Shatner eventually made Kirk into a characature in the the movies and that is quite a bit different from his original portrayal in the first episodes of the old series. Since this movie is a "first episode" then I'm looking forward to Pine's take on the character.

However, a little bit of humour here and there is still appropriate, yea even necesarry to successfully play Kirk.

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Jan 25 2008 04:51 AM

In reply to this comment (#1517303)
One wonders then, considering that you're clearly not a fan, why you even bother posting on this board.

(Reply to this)

Matanuki writes:
on Jan 25 2008 10:13 PM

Mr. Spock,.... please.... DO.... something.... about all the grief for this film.

(Reply to this)

rpboyer writes:
on Jan 30 2008 09:49 AM

I have enjoyed many of the Trek series and films over the years, but the choice to repeatedly return to the "history" of Trek with prequels such as Enterprise and this new film proves that those helming Trek are bereft of new ideas.

At it's best, Trek is a deeply human drama, and that has been the basis of Trek's greatest stories. The very mention of "Star Wars" and "Spaceballs" leads me to the conclusion that this film will be devoid of what has made Trek great in the past, and instead be nothing more than a ridiculous farce.

(Reply to this)

kROCK writes:
on Feb 03 2008 05:19 PM

In reply to this comment (#1540781)
He was joking, you know.

(Reply to this)

trekkie#4815162342 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:43 PM

I admit it...I saw Princess Diaries 2, and I thought he was really cute in that! It's not my fault, I was coerced by my friends! Anyway, I do know who Chris Pine is, and I approve!

(Reply to this)

trekkie#4815162342 writes:
on Feb 06 2008 10:46 PM

And I can be more critical than I sound in that post, but I just don't feel like it today...

(Reply to this)

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