Summary
- Leonard Nimoy's alleged desire to play both Spock and Sybok in Star Trek V led to a chilly on-set relationship with Laurence Luckinbill.
- Luckinbill got the part of Sybok after William Shatner rejected the idea of Nimoy playing both roles.
- The two actors became friends after the movie wrapped, with Nimoy inviting Luckinbill to his home for dinners.
Leonard Nimoy wanting to play both Spock and Sybok in William Shatner's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a rumor that Laurence Luckinbill thinks contributed to his getting the part as Spock's nefarious Vulcan brother. Luckinbill's lone appearance as Sybok in Star Trek V continues to be memorable, and a younger version of Spock's emotional half-brother has even appeared in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. However, Nimoy was far from brotherly towards Luckinbill on set, perhaps because Leonard wanted to the challenge of playing Spock and Sybok.
In an upcoming exclusive interview with Screen Rant to discuss his memoir, "Affective Memories: How Chance and the Theater Saved My Life", and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, Laurence Luckinbill was asked about his relationship with Leonard Nimoy. Luckinbill said Nimoy was cool to him on set, but he believes a longstanding rumor that Nimoy wanted to play both Spock and Sybok in Star Trek V contributed to Leonard's businesslike demeanor until the film wrapped. Read Luckinbill's quote below:
It was just business on the set, yes. And there is this thing that's been said that Leonard wanted to play both parts. I don't know if it's true. But Bill [Shatner] wasn’t gonna have that. So that's how I got the part. And Sean Connery didn't. [laughs] He was busy already. And so, we did our jobs. And it wasn't until the last few days when we were shooting the final scenes that Leonard and I really got together in a brotherly way. After the movie wrapped, Leonard and I became friends because that issue was gone. And so, we went to his house several times and had dinner and so on. So that was all to the good.
Sean Connery was originally the actor William Shatner hoped would play Sybok in Star Trek V , but he was already committed to Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
To Me, William Shatner’s Movie Star Trek V Is Great Comfort Food
William Shatner's Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is a comforting watch with enjoyable banter, a compelling villain in Sybok, and good intentions.
Why Leonard Nimoy Couldn't Play Sybok In Star Trek V
Sybok had to be a totally different character.
If the rumor that Leonard Nimoy wanted to play Spock and Sybok in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier is true, it couldn't have worked. Spock and Sybok are not twins; Sybok is the older brother and is his own distinct individual. Unlike Spock, Sybok is not half-human and he rejected Vulcan logic to pursue his ultimately misguided belief that God was speaking to him from the mythical world of Sha Ka Ree. Sybok had to be a completely separate character from Spock for very logical reasons.
Laurence Luckinbill thankfully did form a bond with Leonard Nimoy after Star Trek V: The Final Frontier wrapped filming.
Although it could have been fascinating to see Leonard Nimoy play his own emotional Vulcan brother, director William Shatner also had no intention of letting Nimoy play two parts in Star Trek V.Shatner had his own vision for Sybok, who he initially conceived as a holy man named Zar inspired by the televangelists of the 1980s. After Zar was reimagined as Spock's brother, Shatner envisioned Sean Connery as Sybok before choosing Laurence Luckinbill. Whether or not the rumor is true, Laurence Luckinbill thankfully did form a bond with Leonard Nimoy after Star Trek V: The Final Frontier wrapped filming.
