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Summary
William Shatner originated the iconic Captain James T. Kirk , but he ’s one of five actors to have played the role inStar Trek . Captain Kirk casts a farseeing shadow in the popular imagination when it comes toStar Trek . As a result , William Shatner ’s Kirk has been ripe for parody , whether it ’s Jim Carrey ’s portentous Kirk caricature fromIn Living Coloror Harry Shearer ’s sales talk - perfect Kirk inThe Simpsons . In the chronicle of Starfleet , the dangerous undertaking of Captain Kirk and theStar Trek : The Original Seriescastcontinue to define those of their 1990s and 2020s heir .
It ’s no surprisal then , that whenParamount characterisation relaunched theStar Trekmovie franchise in 2009 , they see Captain Kirk and the original Starship Enterprise gang as a huge box authority draw . Therefore , they made the potentially controversial decision to remould William Shatner as Captain Kirk . However , the cast ofChris Pine’sStar Trekmovieswas the strongest element of J.J. Abrams ' bring up dealership . More recently , Star Trek : Strange New Worlds , the prequel toStar Trek : The Original Series , has insert its own Kirk , as the show begins to tell the story of how theStar Trek : The Original Seriescrew came together .
On the legendary Captain James T. Kirk actor ’s 93rd natal day , here ’s a look at William Shatner ’s all - metre bang-up Star Trek moments .
7William Shatner Is Star Trek’s Original Captain Kirk
Star Trek: The Original Series (1966) to Star Trek Generations (1994)
When NBC originally choke on Gene Roddenberry’sStar Trekpilot and rejected Jeffrey Hunter in the role of Captain Christopher Pike , a novel Captain of the Enterprise was need . Rather than simply replacing Hunter with William Shatner as Pike , Roddenberry created a completely unexampled character , James T. Kirk , who would be the Enterprise Captain forthree season ofStar Trekbetween 1966 and 1969.Star Trek ’s cancelation in 1969was far from the end of Shatner ’s land tenure as Kirk , however . When the show proved popular in syndication , Captain Kirk was brought back , first forStar Trek : The alive Seriesand then for seven movies .
William Shatner ’s human relationship with hisStar Trekco - headliner was often complicated , but there ’s no abnegate that his Kirk , along with Leonard Nimoy ’s Mr. Spock , was central to the show ’s achiever . Shatner ’s Kirk was a swaggering , butch torpedo whose unorthodox approach is pretty at odds with the more by - the - Christian Bible maitre d' of 90sStar Trek . Shatner ’s execution as Kirk was inspired by Roddenberry ’s verbal description ofStar Trekas " Wagon Train to the Stars " . Captain Kirk is a infinite cowboy , cutting a wrapping through the raw frontier , memorise as he go . Shatner ’s unique combination of personal magnetism and machismo was perfect for such a character , and he will always be the definitive Captain James T. Kirk .
6Sandra Smith Played Kirk While In Janice Lester’s Body
Star Trek: The Original Series season 3, episode 24, “Turnabout Intruder”
Star Trek : The Original Series’final episode , " Turnabout Intruder " saw Sandra Smith play Captain Kirk in a torso barter story . One of Kirk ’s many former flames , Janice Lester ( Sandra Smith ) is pose as a virulent female scientist whose career option were restrict due to her being a woman . It ’s an curious plotline given Roddenberry ’s supposed visual sensation of a utopian society where all man ’s contemporaneous progeny have been figure out , but Lester inspire an elaborate plot to at last accomplish her dream of becoming a starship chieftain - using an alien gimmick to instigate a body swap with Captain Kirk .
While Shatner as Janice plays a more exaggerated variation of Kirk rooted in Lester ’s hatred of him , Sandra Smith takes a different tack .
Star Trek ’s final episode before cancelation might have been a well - signification but mishandled allegory about gender inequality , but Sandra Smith ’s carrying into action as both Jim and Janice deserves acclamation . While Shatner as Janice bring a more exaggerated version of Kirk steady down in Lester ’s hatred of him , Sandra Smith takes a different mainsheet . The essence of Kirk is trap inside Janice Lester ’s soundbox andSandra Smith absolutely captivate this by nab William Shatner ’s singular affectedness and deliveryin a precise and exacting performance .
James T. Kirk has a report as a ladies ' human race , and the Captain of the Enterprise had a lot of romances throughout Star Trek : The Original Series .
5Chris Pine Is Captain Kirk In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek Movies
Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013), and Star Trek Beyond (2016)
In 2009 , J.J. Abrams rebootedStar Trek ’s moviesby have an older Spock ( Leonard Nimoy ) and the Romulan baddie Nero ( Eric Bana ) set off a chain of mountains of events that lead to the last ofJames T. Kirk ’s Father-God , Lt . George Kirk ( Chris Hemsworth ) , on the USS Kelvin and the creation ofStar Trek ’s Kelvin timeline . The death of Kirk ’s father considerably changed the future Enterprise captain ’s bloodline story . While Pine ’s Kirk still has William Shatner ’s irregular approach to the Starfleet rulebook , it ’s rooted in a rebellious streak that began in his difficult childhood .
Chris Pine was spot - on casting as Kirk , as he replicated the swagger and machismo of Shatner ’s portrayal while making the character his own . Pine ’s Kirk exercise into the initiative captain ’s more vulnerable side , accent his want for a role model in the absence seizure of his father , and his need for a more by - the - Bible Starfleet officeholder like Zachary Quinto ’s Benjamin Spock to keep him in check . It ’s still hoped thatChris Pine could meet an erstwhile KirkinStar Trek 4 , but the 4th J.J. Abrams - producedStar Trekmovie remains in development inferno .
4Jimmy Bennett Played Young Kirk In J.J. Abrams' Star Trek
Star Trek (2009)
James T. Kirk ’s disruptive childhood is depict in an earlyStar Trek ( 2009)scene where he steals an antique railroad car and drive it off a drop-off to the sound of the Beastie Boys ' " Sabotage " . In the primeStar Trektimeline , Kirk was survive off - world with his parents before his teenage years . Therefore , the scenes of immature Kirk ’s miserable Earth - based upbringing subtly show the extent of J.J. Abrams ' Kelvin Timeline ’s changes . Jimmy Bennett get that devil may care position of the older Kirks , and his skinny - fateful recklessness is a neat callback toStar Trek V : The Final Frontier , when Kirk states he always think he ’d buy the farm alone .
3Paul Wesley Is James T. Kirk In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
Lt. James T. Kirk has a recurring role in Strange New Worlds.
Paul Wesley is the late actor to take on the purpose of James T. Kirk inStar Trek , act as a younger edition of the futureCaptain of the EnterpriseinStar Trek : Strange New Worlds . Paul Wesley ’s Kirk combines the same swagman as William Shatner and bring in the same youthful vulnerability as Chris Pine to the theatrical role . Wesley is recreate a younger Kirk who ’s at a crossroads in his life ; as he will shortly be forced to choose between settling down with his fiancée Carol Marcus , and following his aspiration to be a great starship captain .
The most remarkable thing about Paul Wesley ’s Kirk is that he embodies the Starfleet legend we cognize and be intimate .
Star Trek : Strange New Worlds ' provides a unused take onJames T. Kirk that yield Paul Wesleyample chance as an thespian . He ’s motor , and slimly ego - ask , but he can also seek out like - tending individuals like Ensign Nyota Uhura ( Celia Rose Gooding ) and Lt . Spock ( Ethan Peck ) , who will bring a big role in their future tense . However , the most remarkable affair about Paul Wesley ’s Kirk is that he embodies the Starfleet legend we know and love , while never overshadowingStrange New Worlds ' regular cast . Paul Wesley ’s Kirk is , therefore , an incredibly well - judge carrying into action by the wizard ofThe Vampire Diaries .
undivided : William Shatner is Star Trek ’s original Captain Kirk and he has high congratulations for the actors who now play Kirk , Chris Pine and Paul Wesley .
2Paul Wesley Played 2 Other Alternate Reality Kirks In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds
In Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - “A Quality of Mercy” and “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”.
Paul Wesley played two substitute realness version of Captain James T. Kirk inStar Trek : Strange New Worldsbefore debuting as the Prime Universe variant . InStrange New Worlds season 1 ’s finis , " A Quality of Mercy " , Wesley ’s Kirk was the Captain of the USS Farragut . “A Quality of Mercy " took place in an alternative timeline where Captain Christopher Pike ( Anson Mount ) remained in dictation of the USS Enterprise . Pike ’s vision of his future proved to him that Kirk was his arrant replacement , and convincedStar Trekfans that Paul Wesley could come in the footsteps of William Shatner and Chris Pine .
InStar Trek : foreign New Worldsseason 2 , sequence 3 , " Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”,Paul Wesley make for Captain James T. Kirk of the United Earth Fleet ship , Enterprise . This alternate UEF timeline was induce by the expiry of Kirk ’s next scourge , Khan Noonien Singh ( Ricardo Montalban ) as a child . Although this Kirk was from a darker timeline , Paul Wesley fetch bags of charm and wag , and demonstrated his ability to represent the romantic track opposite Christina Chong ’s Lt . La’an Noonien - Singh ; crucial aspects of Captain Kirk ’s character .
1William Shatner Almost Played Tiberius Kirk On Star Trek: Enterprise
With ratings flagging forStar Trek : endeavor , showrunner Manny Coto and executive manufacturer Rick Berman met with William Shatner to discussa different case of Captain Kirk comeback . Shatner proposed that theMirror Universe ’s Kirkhijack the Enterprise NX-01 in an attempt to bunk the pocket dimension in which he was put behind bars . The concept of Shatner playing an older , villainous Mirror Kirk , named Tiberius , is a tantalizingStar Trek"What if ? " scenario , but unluckily it was rejected for budgetary reasons .
William Shatner ’s melodic theme for the return of Mirror Kirk were adjust into the Mirror Universe trilogy ofStar Treknovels , starting withSpecterin 1998 .
To this daylight , William Shatner is still asked about returning to the role of Captain Kirk in a futureStar Trekmovie or boob tube show . While Shatner says that he ’s open to the idea , it feel like a no - winnings scenario . It feel like there ’s no OG Kirk riposte story that would satisfy every single sports fan . However , Captain Kirk does n’t believe in a no - win scenario , and withStar Trek ’s 60th day of remembrance fast approaching , William Shatner could get one last hooray .
Custom image by Mark Donaldson
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