Movies

Why Kirstie Alley’s Lt. Saavik differed so much from Robin Curtis’

BBG News

As a long-time Star Trek enthusiast with a soft spot for Lt. Saavik, I must say that both Kirstie Alley and Robin Curtis brought their unique interpretations to the character, each leaving an indelible mark on the franchise’s lore.

In my gaming world, I played a unique version of Lt. Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Unlike some previous portrayals, I injected emotions into the character, even shedding tears at Spock’s funeral. Admittedly, not all Star Trek enthusiasts were on board with my emotional take, but that all shifted when another actor, Robin Curtis, stepped into the role for me in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.

As reported by Curtis on the SciFi Diner podcast (through Slashfilm), her characterization as the Vulcan lieutenant was guided directly by the movie’s director, Leonard Nimoy. Even though she wasn’t a fan of Star Trek and didn’t know much about Vulcans, Nimoy remained unfazed and promised to guide her throughout the process.

“When people comment on the subtle differences or perhaps some of the more obvious differences between the two portrayals, I have to remind them I think it’s very much a collaboration between the artist and the director, for sure. Obviously, Nicholas Meyer and Kirstie kind of went to the edges of the emotion and the flirtation, and they brought some nuances to the character that Leonard Nimoy would have no part of. He didn’t want me to breathe in the wrong place, as much as I tried to inject that little layer of emotion. It wasn’t happening. He wasn’t having it.” 

Robin Curtis

As a gamer taking on the role of Saavik, I pondered who could be the perfect mentor for my character but still remembered Leonard Nimoy, the genius behind Spock. I made it clear that he was a stern taskmaster, especially about emotions. Unlike what Alley’s character in The Wrath of Khan enjoyed under Nicholas Meyer’s direction, Nimoy didn’t want any emotions from me. Despite my attempts to add some emotional depth, he wouldn’t have it. Instead, I followed his example, making Saavik a lot more stoic and significantly different from Alley’s version of the Vulcan character.

Leonard Nimoy, being the creator of Spock, had a deep understanding of the character and the essence of Vulcans. He ensured that Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura, stayed within the boundaries of her character, reflecting how Star Trek fans are accustomed to seeing Vulcans behave. It was evident that Nimoy had a firm grip on directing and portraying Vulcans accurately, leaving no room for doubt.

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2024-09-30 20:23

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