Star Trek (2009) helped relaunch the Star Trek franchise in the modern era and re-imagined the adventures of Captain Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise with a diverse cast of new faces. Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Trek (2009) was the first franchise project produced after the cancelation of Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005, and the 11th Star Trek movie overall. The film was followed by two sequels in 2013 and 2016, with a third sequel still in the works despite experiencing multiple delays and setbacks.
Star Trek (2009) explored an alternate history for Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise crew from Star Trek: The Original Series, set in an alternate reality split off from the franchise's main timeline. The split, which took place on the day of James T. Kirk's birth, was initiated by the film's Romulan villain Nero when he accidentally crossed from one reality to another, causing the destruction of the USS Kelvin and the death of Kirk's father. The movie then explored Kirk's entry into Starfleet Academy and his first mission with the Enterprise crew as a cadet during Nero's attack on Vulcan. Here's the full cast and character guide for Star Trek (2009).
Chris Pine As James T. Kirk 
Chris Pine plays James T. Kirk, a younger and more jaded version of the role originated by William Shatner in Star Trek: TOS. Because of his father's heroic death, Pine's Kirk initially has a chip on his shoulder about Starfleet, causing tension between him and the Enterprise crew, particularly Spock. Before Star Trek (2009), Chris Pine starred in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and has since become most well known for his roles in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Wonder Woman, Outlaw King, and Don't Worry Darling.
Zachary Quinto As Spock 
Zachary Quinto portrays Spock, Kirk's half-human, half-Vulcan First Officer who begins the film as a Commander while Kirk is still a cadet. Star Trek (2009) mostly explores Spock's struggle with his dual identity, framed around his initially antagonistic relationship with Kirk and the loss of his home planet of Vulcan after Nero's attack. Besides Star Trek, Zachary Quinto is best known for his roles in Heroes and American Horror Story.
Leonard Nimoy As Spock Prime 
Leonard Nimoy returned in Star Trek (2009) to portray Ambassador Spock AKA Spock Prime. In the film, it is revealed that Nimoy's Spock jumped universes through the same time portal as Nero after a failed attempt to save Romulus from a supernova. Nero held Spock responsible for Romulus's destruction, leading him to take revenge by destroying Vulcan. While playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise was Nimoy's most well-known role, the actor had numerous other credits including Mission: Impossible and Fringe, before passing away in 2015 at the age of 83.
