A new Star Trek, a new Captain. Anton Yelchin tells us what it’s like be on the “Goddamn Enterprise” …
You’ve been to the bridge, what’s it like on the Enterprise?
“Oh, it’s pretty great. [When] we were shooting…you really just realize how epic it is. That word is so overused but it really is pretty epic. You just sit there and you’re like, ‘Goddamn, I’m on the Enterprise.’ Would I ever have thought that I’d be on the Enterprise? No. It’s pretty great. It’s a pretty different experience though.”
Will we see you replicating Walter Koenig‘s version of a Russian accent?
“The thing is about Walter Koenig was his accent was interesting. I think I’m just going to leave it at ‘interesting.’ It was sort of like all of us had to make the choice of what we wanted to take from the original and what we wanted to bring to it. There are certain things that I took from the fact that he replaced every V with a W which is weird. I don’t really know where that decision came from but regardless that’s the decision that he made and I thought it was important to bring that to the character.”
Chekov is quite the quirky character?
“Chekov is the weirdest guy. Watching the old show really makes you realize just how strange, how incredible it was that they brought, first of all, a Russian character on right smack in the middle of the Cold War. There’s one scene where they’re talking to Apollo or something, or the god that used to be Apollo in the old show. Apollo’s like, ‘I am Apollo!’ and Chekov is like, ‘And I am the czar of all Russias.’ That’s not how I choose to do the accent but they gave him these lines that he really is the weirdest, weirdest character so it’s a lot of fun.”
But you are Russian, right?
“Russia is very complicated. It is one of the most complicated histories. I could go on about this forever. It produces Dostoyevsky and Rachmaninoff and then it produces Stalins and Lenins. It is such a strange combination. Brooding, I feel like it has its origins in Russians. Just the nature of the word, to brood. Like it is some how instilled. It is weird it is instilled in about 2 or 3 percent of the population. I don’t know why that rant about Russia was necessary.”
What kind of cool alien life forms does Checkov encounter?
“No, Chekov is just on the Enterprise. A lot of it is green screen. I mean, the Enterprise itself, J.J.‘s trying to shoot as much of it as he can without green screen, but I think a lot of space is obviously green screen: What I’m looking at while seeing the Klingon warships.”
How much of a Trekkie are you?
“I love the old show. I really think the old show for what it was is really a great, great show. I watch it and really enjoy it. It’s so perfectly cheesy and B, and absolutely unapologetic for it and I think that’s what works. They shot this thing where they walk up to a cave that looks like it’s made out of Styrofoam and Spock says, ‘Oh, this is definitely advanced technology.’ You’re like, ‘Yes, yes, that is advanced technology.’ But it’s really fun. It’s a fun show to watch.”
Is this old school Star Trek?
“I talked to J.J. a lot about what he wanted. His thing was we’re not making something that’s supposed to be the old Star Trek. He’s making his own movie but I think people want to see what they love so we’re all trying to find things that will remind people of the old characters. So it’s been interesting picking up on little things.”
Any chance you get to play Chekov again in a prequel sequel?
“I think [I’m signed up for] three.”
More:
THE 2009 ULTIMATE SUMMER GUIDE
10 Must-See Action Flicks | The Best of the Rest | Celeb Flick Picks
Merchandise You Gotta Have | Quiz: Guess the Movie!
Summer Hotties | Action Stars of Tomorrow | Star Trek Timeline
