Star Trek casting update: 'Harold' is Sulu, 'Shaun' is Scotty

Posted Friday, October 12, 2007 at 12:33 PM Central

by Tim Briscoe

The bridge of Starship Enterprise is slowly filling with crew members as even more actors are cast in J.J. Abrams' 2008 Star Trek film. Today The Hollywood Reporter is indicating that British-born Simon Pegg has been cast as Scotty, the ship's engineer, and Korean John Cho as Sulu, the helmsman.

Pegg rose to stardom as the star and writer of Shaun of the Dead and this year's Hot Fuzz. John Cho is perhaps best known for his role as the reluctant stoner Harold in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Scotty and Sulu were originally played by James Doohan and George Takei respectively.

Earlier in the week it was announced that Eric Bana had signed on to play a villain in the film. The character is a new one named Nero. In case you don't recognize the name, Aussie Bana is a very established actor that starred in The Hulk, Troy, and Munich.

Perhaps the biggest news of the week is still just a rumor at this point. Actor Chris Pine has reportedly been offered the prime role of Captain Kirk. Pine played opposite Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck. He was also in Smokin' Aces. Of course he would be a fool to turn it down but we'll see.

I really like the direction J.J. Abrams is going with this cast. Specifically, I'm pleased to see the castings of Pegg and Cho. J.J. is definitely going for a group of actors who are hip and also well respected by the core Star Trek fans from their previous projects.

My interest in the project has definitely been piqued -- something that was nonexistent previously.