ROTTEN TOMATOES: Has J.J. Abrams Found His Uhura?

Has J.J. Abrams Found His Uhura?

Very female astronauts / Wait terrified and overwrought / To find what he will do.

by Jeff Giles | August 31, 2007

We've passed along plenty of the dish surrounding J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek reboot, including a whole lotta casting buzz -- but amidst all the Kirk, Spock, and Chekov gossip, there hasn't been much speculation regarding who might play one of the franchise's most iconic roles: Communications officer Uhura.

That all changed yesterday, when IGN Movies -- drawing on a post at TrekMovie -- reported that Abrams' Uhura might be none other than Zoe Saldana. Though she isn't widely known, Saldana seems poised to break out; after paying her dues with roles in films such as Get Over It and Britney Spears' Crossroads, she's lined up a number of high-profile projects for 2008 and beyond, including Vantage Point and James Cameron's Avatar.

It's Avatar that could prevent Saldana from signing on as the new Uhura, actually. According to TrekMovie:

"The deal is not yet final and one outstanding issue may be related to her schedule starring in the James Cameron sci-fi mega movie Avatar which is still in production. Sources indicate that Avatar will be doing location shooting starting in October and Star Trek is slated to start shooting in November."

The article goes on to point out that Saldana's appearance on the short-lived Abrams series Six Degrees could give her an inside track for the role. Like most of America, we never watched an episode of the show, so we can neither confirm nor deny.

Elsewhere in the IGN report, we find possible Star Trek XI plot details, spoiled by the gang at Ain't It Cool News. As always, we will refrain from sharing them here; suffice it to say the AICN crew claims to know how and why the film features two Spocks. If you simply can't help yourself from gorging on kinda-sorta vaguely spoiler-ish advance info, follow the link below!

Source: IGN Movies

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(1-16 of 16 posts) | Reply

dracus writes:
on Aug 31 2007 06:26 AM

Being attached to anything with Brittney Spears name on it doesn't exactly inspire confidence, regardless of what may lie ahead for this actress. Enough with the rumours RT; does us all a favor and only report back when you have something confirmed. RT is getting worse than ET with the rumours.

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Aug 31 2007 07:04 AM

I read the spoiler about Spock and it plays right into activities he was involved in during later seasons of ST:TNG. If that's the angle Abrams is taking then I give him two thumbs up for taking advantage of the full Star Trek universe to make an interesting story. For spoiler reasons I won't go into Spock's activities during ST:TNG but it's a story line that was never finished during ST:TNG and one I always wanted to see more about. This could be the way they are going to do it.

(Reply to this)

witherwings writes:
on Aug 31 2007 08:35 AM

I thought this was a prequel. Why are they bringing in the whole crew? I'd rather have 2-3 main characters with a focused story around them than trying to fit in the WHOLE crew through some cheesy highlights (like seeing Greedo in SW Episode 1--I was surprised they didn't try for Han). And if the story is about when the Enterprise first launches? Really, Abrams can do better than that. EVERY Star Trek movie is about that.

Isn't it about the Academy? Maybe they're all in the Academy at the same time. But they wouldn't all know each other. That's just ridiculous. And if they don't know each other, I'd rather not see them.

(Reply to this)

BUCK69 writes:
on Aug 31 2007 09:31 AM

In reply to this comment (#1087481)
I read it too. Its more of a set-up/explanation than a plot spoiler and I think its a damn good idea. It removes all of the continuity issues that surrounded "Enterprise" and it allows for a true, sci-fi fashioned reboot of the franchise. I'm looking forward to this!

(Reply to this)

Conehead2187 writes:
on Aug 31 2007 10:54 AM

Didn't she play Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean?

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Aug 31 2007 11:27 AM

Yeah she was in the first Pirates. I like her I think she's a good actress. I was one of the few to actually watch Six Degrees which is to bad it was a good show with a great cast.

(Reply to this)

Sputnik99 writes:
on Aug 31 2007 11:43 AM

Every movie is about the launching of the Enterprise? Let me see...
ST1: First Launch
ST2: Re-Launch just like ST1
ST3: Steal the Enterprise Launch. Not glorious but exciting.
ST4: New Enterprise does glorious blast to Warp Speed
ST5: Worst special effects of any movie. No big launch.
ST6: Big Launch that you don't see but feel. Good directing.
ST7-10: No big launches at all in TNG movies. Guess Berman doesn't like flash.

Good god, Witherwings, you're right! At least about TOS movies. Except #5.
I wouldn't mind another flashy launch, though. It's the old crew's style! Of course, it would be with Captain Pike...Oh well.

(Reply to this)

witherwings writes:
on Aug 31 2007 12:02 PM

See, I'm getting my series and movies confused. In TNG the launches are in episodes, flashbacks, specifically the finale episode (which in my opinion plays like a movie, and is better than any of the TNG movies combined). But yeah, every time I turn around Kirk is boldly going out of a docking bay.

I would mind another launch. I just have this vision. Of ... the mundane. Spock and Kirk doing the mundane, and that being awesome.

(Reply to this)

StarTrekIsDead writes:
on Aug 31 2007 02:41 PM

I just figured out a couple of connections which probably makes me even more of a nerd than I already am, but here goes. I remember in the movie "The Terminal" her character is a fan of Star Trek and goes to the conventions, and she even flashes the Vulcan "Live long and prosper" sign at some point in the flick.

And her name in that movie is Torres, which incidentally is the last name of one of the starring crew members on Star Trek: Voyager. Yes, I have WAY too much free time, but I just thought I'd show that my "geekiness" knows no bounds. So, maybe it's a sign she is to play Uhura?? Or not...

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Aug 31 2007 05:04 PM

In reply to this comment (#1087609)
Quote: witherwings writes:
on Aug 31 2007 08:35 AM

I thought this was a prequel. Why are they bringing in the whole crew? I'd rather have 2-3 main characters with a focused story around them than trying to fit in the WHOLE crew..... Isn't it about the Academy? Maybe they're all in the Academy at the same time. But they wouldn't all know each other. That's just ridiculous. And if they don't know each other, I'd rather not see them.
----------------------------------------------------

About 15-20 years ago I would have qualified as a master of ST trivia, especially with regard to the time line etc. Memory fades but as best I can recall, certain characters were already members of the Enterprise crew under Captain Pike, most notably Spock. I'm fairly certain Kirk did not know Spock until he became the youngest Captain in Star Fleet history at the age of 35 and took command of the Enterprise. Spock is quite a bit older than Kirk, although Vulcans age more slowly and don't look as old as they realy are, and went through the Academy long before Kirk did. The point is I think they all went through the Academy at different times, at least according to the original series.

But, since this is a reboot of the series, it won't surprise me if they do some tinkering with the time line as laid out in the original. For instance, I think they are going to have Chekov in this movie or at least there has been talk of it. In the original series Chekov did not become a member until the second or third season of the show.

At any rate, if they are going to remain some what faithful to the time line of the original series the only way to have Kirk, Spock and McCoy together is to have them on the Enterprise because that is where they first met.

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Aug 31 2007 05:08 PM

In reply to this comment (#1088490)
Hey StarTrekIsDead, I make a post and your Avatar changed from a pic of you to Vader. :) Also, I enjoyed the geek connections. :)

(Reply to this)

iakobos writes:
on Aug 31 2007 05:09 PM

Wait a minute now it's back to you. I'm loosing my mind.

(Reply to this)

Pedropiedrolar writes:
on Sep 24 2007 01:03 AM

Hello boys. I have found a new web. It has new images of Avtar of a desinger of Weta digital;

http://www.avatar-novedades.blogspot.com/

I hope that the new movie of Zemekis ...

(Reply to this)

Pedropiedrolar writes:
on Sep 24 2007 01:04 AM

Hello boys. I have found a new web. It has new images of Avtar of a desinger of Weta digital;

http://www.avatar-novedades.blogspot.com/

I hope that the new movie of Zemekis ...

(Reply to this)

Pedropiedrolar writes:
on Sep 24 2007 02:49 AM

Hello boys. I have found a new web. It has new images of Avtar of a desinger of Weta digital;

http://www.avatar-novedades.blogspot.com/

I hope that the new movie of Zemekis ...

(Reply to this)

jeanpaul writes:
on Oct 01 2007 04:21 PM

Since Uhura was mainly a "show of thick, long, shapely brown-toned legs" in the orignal series, I think J.J. Abrams could cast any black actress from the list, and it would be OK.
I never did get why all the male officers and occasionaly some of the female officers on the ENTERPRISE (who were not alien) wore long and opaque uniforms--- while the only, single black woman on board that starship, was kept naked from the waist down...
Kinky? Yes.
Stupid excuse for gratuitios-partial-(suggested) nudity? A big 'Yes' on that one.

(Reply to this)

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