When it comes to playing Spock, nobody could do it better than Leonard Nimoy. The actor has made a mark on this world like no other and if there was one person who would stand out more than others in the entire Star Trek franchise, then it would be Nimoy. He played a character so unique and iconic, but that was what made him a great actor in the first place.
In his lengthy and successful, he has done roles both iconic and mediocre, but the influence that Spock had was extraordinary. Even with such fame and love, the character seemed a little too difficult for the actor, enough to make him almost quit playing Spock and give up on the loved franchise altogether.
Leonard Nimoy Wanted To Quit Star Trek
Leonard Nimoy was rather excited when he was first cast as Spock in Star Trek. However, when the first episode came to begin filming, things went southwards for the actor. He was immediately taken aback by how difficult Spock was to play. The lack of emotions that the character had was a problem he did not know how to tackle.
“He said, ‘How can I play a character without emotion? I don’t know how to do that. I’m going to be on one note throughout the entire series.’ I agreed with him… Leonard was ready to quit because he didn’t know how he was going to do it.”
The pressure Nimoy was facing was unbearable to the point where he was ready to quit the role for good. The first episode they got together for was The Corbomite Maneuver and it had been enough to make Nimoy wonder whether or not he was fit for the role at all.
Joseph Sargent Tried Changing Leonard Nimoy’s Character
Joseph Sargent, who was the director of the series, could understand why Leonard Nimoy was facing the problem and knew that a change had to be made to the character. The monotonous nature of Spock was not something the actor was ready to deal with.
“We worked like hell to give him some emotional context, but Gene [Roddenberry] said, ‘No way, the very nature of this character’s contribution is that he isn’t an earthling. As a Vulcan, he is intellect over emotion.'”
In order to get some form of change, Sargent tried altering his character as much as he could. However, Gene Roddenberry, screenwriter of the series; interfered and barred any changes that were being made on Spock. His vision of the character was of just how different he is from humans and adding emotions would have proven the exact opposite of that.
Also Read: Star Trek Legend Leonard Nimoy’s Last Words Before Death Were Hauntingly Vulcan
Source: The Fifty Year Mission – The First 25 Years
