[Warning: This story contains minor spoilers for Star Trek Beyond.]
Even in his absence, Leonard Nimoy managed to inspire some of the most impactful scenes in Star Trek Beyond.
Beyond, the first Trek film since the iconic actor’s death in February 2015, sees Zachary Quinto’s younger Spock mourn the death of Ambassador Spock (Nimoy). Later, during perhaps the biggest crowd-pleasing moment of the film, the younger Spock receives his elder counterpart’s personal effects, including a 1989-era photo of the original Star Trek cast — William Shatner, Nimoy, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols and George Takei.
Nimoy’s son Adam was in the audience for the film’s world premiere at Comic-Con Wednesday, and was particularly moved by both the tribute and the audience’s reaction.
“I loved it. It was so sweet to see dad there, still resonating. Still present,” Adam tells Heat Vision.
Adam, who in September will launch the documentary For the Love of Spock about his father’s life and work, says the elder Nimoy prided himself on his Spock being the only character who spanned the 1964 Trek pilot all the way through J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the series. Nimoy was a key part of the 2009 film and also appeared in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness.
“He was honored to be asked by JJ to be in this reformat of Star Trek,” says Adam. “My dad was so proud to have been in that original pilot, and now we’re at the bookend now. He was in everything. We did have [Gene Roddenberry’s wife] Majel Barrett in the original pilot, but she played a different character. There is no other character from the original pilot except for Leonard Nimoy as Spock.”
While members of the original cast have given their blessings to their successors, Adam says there was something particularly special about his father’s friendship with Quinto.
“They had a really, incredible bond, which was just phenomenal,” says Adam. “It’s kind of unheard of for the actor continuing the character to be able to connect with the guy who originated the role. It was a real passing of the torch I think, to the right guy, because Zac is so phenomenal in his own right.”
For the Love of Spock is now available for preorder and hits theaters and VOD on Sept. 9.
