Kirstie Alley's Controversial Star Trek II Scene Made One Co-Star Furious
Looking back through the many stardates that have made up the plethora of adventures among the "Star Trek" universe, there's been a whole host of impressive talent that has made appearances before beaming off elsewhere. From Dwayne Johnson to Stephen Hawking, the small and big screen installments have had their fill of celebrities you forgot appeared on "Star Trek" and in "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan," the Enterprise was boarded by the late Kirstie Alley as Vulcan Starfleet officer Lieutenant Saavik. However, there was a moment in her performance that didn't land well with the acting captain at the time.
Speaking to People Magazine in 2022 following the actress' death, director Nicholas Meyer discussed Alley's impromptu reaction during the funeral of Spock (Leonard Nimoy) after his death in "The Wrath of Khan," which still stands as a moment that stunned audiences. Her reaction was one of raw emotion and became a topic of debate between the filmmaker and William Shatner.
As any "Trek" fan will tell you, Vulcans don't show emotion, and therefore, shedding a tear for Spock didn't line up. "I didn't instruct her to weep," Meyer recalled. "When I saw it happening, I remember Shatner came over to me and said, 'You're not going to let her do that, are you? Vulcans can't cry.'" The director instead saw it as an extra hard hit to an already heartbreaking moment, telling the "Star Trek," legend "That will make this so much more effective when she does.'"
Apparently even in her sleep, Kirstie Alley was dedicated to her role
Singing the praises of the late star following her death in 2022, Nicholas Meyer recalled how the search for Saavik came to a swift end thanks to Kirstie Alley's "terrific reading" for the role. "I don't think she was trying to be original, or as some might imprecisely call 'kooky,' but she nailed it," Meyer explained. "What was impressive about her reading was that she didn't inject her own, as I called it, 'merry personality' into it." Investing herself into a role that demanded more logic and less emotion seemingly appeared to be an easy task for the star, according to Meyer. "I don't know if she had enough experience, but she had enough intuition to do what the role called for."
From then on, she was fully dedicated to the role and what was demanded of her right up until her tearful goodbye to Spock. "She was so passionate or enthusiastic or entranced by the role — or she was an over sleeper — that she wore the ears to bed," Meyer joked. "She didn't take them off." Just another understandably human and totally logical reaction for a star that made a mark in a franchise that went where no one went before.