Quinto Turns Back The Clock On Spock

"Star Trek" Actor Zachary Quinto Talks About His Challenging Role And Working With Director J.J. Abrams

(CBS)  The "Star Trek" franchise continues to live long and prosper as a relaunch of the series finally makes it's way to theaters tomorrow.

As the crew warps aboard the USS Enterprise, Zachary Quinto steps into the role of Mr. Spock.

Quinto sat down with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith to talk about his latest adventure.

Deciding to take on the role was a challenge because it could have gone either way - as the greatest idea of all time, or an absolute disaster.

"I think you walk the line for a minute when you're deciding about something like this," Quinto said. "But J.J., I mean, come on, you know. The only disasters that he's a part of are the ones that he creates. These epic stories. I think he's amazing. I think he's such a visionary."

Quinto says "Star Trek" director, J.J. Abrams, really drew him in more than anything else and he was fascinated by this character as well.

He admits that he wasn't a "Trekkie" as a kid.

"I wasn't. I was aware of it, but I wasn't really that immersed in it," he admitted. "I came up during the 'Star Wars' generation and that was sort of the thing I plugged into much more.

"It was a little before my time and I think it was sort of grappling with these intellectual ideas that were a little advanced for my young mind. At the time. But now I have a much deeper appreciation for it."

The movie, which delves into the back story of Spock, is getting phenomenal notice.

"It's really an origin story for all of the characters, I think. And I know as an audience member, that's always been really gratifying for me to see over the years different experiences, different versions of characters that you know," Quinto explained.

The Early Show caught up with Leonard Nimoy, who also has an impressive role in the movie as well.

"Zachary Quinto is a talented, great guy. I'm very proud of him. I think he's great in this movie," Nimoy said.

Quinto, who called Nimoy "the coolest man in so many ways," says that one of the biggest gifts he received from this experience has been getting to know him.

"He's incredible, very smart and full of life," he said. "Traveling all over the world all the time, every time I talk to him he's going to Greece to buy art - like this life that he's cultivated for himself is very impressive."

As Quinto embarks on this journey, he has realized the magnitude of the "Star Trek" culture.

"It comes with this whole history," he said.

"When they make the next one, which they will, and if you decide to do it, we'll have a very interesting conversation about what the journey has been like," Smith said.

"I know we will. Because you know for me it's been evolving for such a long time," Quinto said. "We shot the movie a year-and-a-half ago and now it's finally sort of able to be shared with the audience. So it's a really great time. We will continue our converasation."

[LizfromVA]

I've seen the movie a couple of times already. Zachary Quinto does a wonderful job as Spock. He brings Spock's calm brilliance and adds a rich helping of sexiness. Zachary and Zoe Saldana work so well together. Their scenes are very moving and beautiful. I'm so glad that intelligence and honor are cool again!

Chris Pine, who plays Captain Kirk, was also very good. He is a natural action star with great comic timing. I loved Karl Urban as McCoy. Too funny!

I can't wait for the next installment. I've been a Star Trek fan for most of my life and this is the best thing to happen to Star Trek since Patrick Stewart.

[sean7phil]

I liked the movie and enjoyed it.

But I thought the became over-complicated and convoluted when Spok senior showed up. I thought Leanord Nimoy himself made a great performance-- but he was asked to carry an overly complicated and too-quickly reeled out time traveling plot twist. It came off as uncelar, contrived and too rapidly dumped out.

I thought the characters where brilliant however-- the young Kirk, Sulu, Urura, Scotty and Bones were well rendered. As was Checov. Visually the film was a feast. But the Director and screenplay writers just tried to pack too much into too little space. They need to remember, or learn, that finding brilliant actors isn't enough unless you give them room to breath and more space to fill out by themselves. Action can be a lot of fun, but it is more fun and more powerful when balanced with spaciousness and not merely a rush out into space.

[ErrorInUse]

werewindle, are you on something?...LOL had it right...you just parroted what he or she said.

[suprmn06]

I watched Star trek on thursday. It was terrible. I felt like i was being made fun of by JJ Abrams. He just ripped off scenes from other star trek movies. A bald romulan with a big ship is trying to destroy earth? Wasn't that Nemesis? Kirk goes from ensign, to first officer, to captain, in one mission? Is abrams high?

[scorp79]

I became a fan of STNG. My love for that show, its characters and story lines, fueled a desire to watch the original series as well ad ds9 and voyager.

To me the order goes from best to worst like so:
1. STNG
2. Original
3. Ds9
4. Voyager
5. Enterprise

Now some trekkers might disagree on the exact order. But most will probably agree that the franchise began going down hill in Ds9.

As a loyal fan of the fanchise and its enduring messages, I applaud this 11th movie and the route JJ Abrams is taking to bring in some MUCH NEEDED revenue, as well as new trek enthusiasts. They can always manipulate the story lines to explain away any conflicts of where, when, or how first contact is achieved with the vulcans or romulans.

[werewindle]

LOLATCBS:

Hey, CBS proofreaders - the possessive form of "it" is "its." It's means "it is."

WRONG! "it's" means "it is"... the possessive form, "its", means that something belongs to or is a property of "it"

[werewindle]

I have said from the beginning that a "prequel" is not a good idea and that re-casting the TOS iconic characters will not work. I have also maintained that Paramount turning my beloved Star Trek over to such a horrible film maker as JJ Abrams is just bad policy.

What can I say? Right on all counts.

This movie has bad science and a ridiculous story. No doubt the Great Unwashed will flock to it and spend many millions of dollars, but this travesty is NOT Trek.

[aztecdakota]

Star Trek - - just - - goes ON! Mankind needs these kinds of shows. I am in my last years of glowing embers, and enjoy relaxing and watching such imaginative entertainment. Go ON!

[keithle1]

Excuse me, there is only ONE Spock. Who is this punk? This movie looks dull.

[summarex]

As a hard core Trek fan and in particular a fan of the old series I don't know what to say here. The movie violates the history of the Star Trek universe and it does so needlessly and blatantly.

According to Episode 14 Season 1 "Balance of Terror" Humans and Vulcans have never met or even seen Romulans. Go to wwwDOTcbs DOT com/classics/star_trek/ and look for balance of Terror to see what I mean.

But in this ST the two have already met. They could easily have used a renegade Vulcan instead of a Romulan and it would have been far more interesting to see the darker side of Vulcan. But the people who did this crap didn't care much about that sort of thing or about the fan base. They just figured they would make a few hundred million anyway they could and laugh all the way to the bank.

Also, the relationship between Kirk and Spock vis a vis Sulu Chekov and Uhura is all wrong. They are a different generation and are supposed to be about 12 years old when Kirk and Spock are at the Academy. Again, it shows a complete disregard for the history of Star Trek.

Finally, there's scene where they are about to be air dropped to a planet and they sound more like a team of navy seals about to go on a mission. I really don't want to see this kind of crap in Star Trek.

I don't know if I'll be seeing this thing. I'll probably review it at some point but I won't pay for it.