Simon Pegg Simon Pegg is the English actor , writer , and comedian who portrayed in , , and . Together with Doug Jung , Pegg also wrote the screenplay for " Star Trek Beyond " . He previously worked with J . J . Abrams and other members of " Star Trek " s production crew on Paramount Pictures ' " Mission : Impossible III " . Pegg is known for starring in and co - creating ( with ) the cult British situation comedy series " Spaced " and for starring in the British comedy films " Shaun of the Dead " and " Hot Fuzz " , both of which he co - wrote with director Edgar Wright . In 2009 , Pegg was part of the " Star Trek " ensemble which received a Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award nomination in the category Best Ensemble and won a Boston Society of Film Critics Award in the category Best Ensemble Cast . He shared these awards with Chris Pine , Zachary Quinto , Zoë Saldana , Karl Urban , Leonard Nimoy , John Cho , Anton Yelchin , Ben Cross , Eric Bana , Clifton Collins , Jr . , Bruce Greenwood , Jennifer Morrison , Chris Hemsworth , Winona Ryder , Faran Tahir , and Tyler Perry . In addition to his work on the " Trek " films , Pegg reprised his role and lent his voice to the video game " " in . Career . Early career and international success . Hailing from Gloucester , England , and educated at Bristol University , where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre , Pegg started his showbiz career as a stand - up comic before moving into film and television . He gained prominence as the co - creator , co - writer and star of " Spaced " , which ran from 1999 through 2001 . He was nominated for the Situation Comedy Award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for his work on " Spaced " and also received a British Comedy Award nomination as Best Male Comedy Newcomer for " Spaced " and the sketch series " Big Train " . Pegg , alongside " Spaced " colleagues Edgar Wright and , acquired international recognition for the " romantic zombie comedy " ( or " rom - zom - com " ) " Shaun of the Dead " , which was a critical and financial success in both the United Kingdom and the United States . They then followed " Shaun " with " Hot Fuzz " in 2007 , which enjoyed even greater success . These two films , along with the 2013 sci - fi comedy " The World ' s End " , comprise what is known as the . " Star Trek " . The announcement that Pegg had been cast as Scotty in 2009 ' s " Star Trek " came on . Pegg beat out numerous actors for the part , including fan favorite Paul McGillion , who was ultimately cast in the film in a different role . According to McGillion , J . J . Abrams explained to him that he always had Pegg in mind for the role . Pegg was reportedly " overjoyed " to have won the role of Scotty . According to Pegg , Abrams offered him the role of Scotty via e - mail . Pegg had just returned to England from filming " How to Lose Friends and Alienate People " in New York when he turned on his phone and found an e - mail from Abrams waiting for him that said " " Do you want to play Scotty ? " " Pegg called it the most shocking e - mail he ever received . He was initially hesitant since he was worried about being tied to a franchise for nine years , to which Abrams responded , " If the worst thing that happens is we get to hang out every three years and have fun , what ' s the problem ? " Pegg signed up shortly thereafter . Pegg has received blessings from the children of James Doohan , the actor who originally played the role of Scotty and died in . Doohan ' s daughter , Dierdre Doohan , found Pegg to be " a perfect choice " to play Scotty . Doohan ' s son , Chris , agreed , stating : " " He may not look like Scotty , but his Scottish accent is very good , with a slight Glaswegian flare and he ' s a great actor . . . . I believe that the casting of someone that is known more for comedic roles was a well thought out , smart decision . The character of Scotty was always good for a little comic relief . . . and Simon Pegg is very funny , with impeccable timing . " " In a letter to Chris Doohan , Pegg conveyed his joy at being cast as Scotty and promised to be faithful to James Doohan ' s original portrayal : " " I can ' t tell you what a thrill it is for me to be cast in this role . Believe me when I say my participation in this film will be a 100 % tribute to your Dad and a role that will forever belong to him . " " To prepare for the role of Scotty , Pegg sought the assistance of his Scottish wife , Maureen McCann , to hone his Scottish accent . He also darkened his hair from its usual blonde to a shade of brown . Pegg completed filming his scenes for the first film by , although he returned to the production a few weeks later for some effects shots . He completed his work on " Trek " on 24 March 2008 , having worked on the project for approximately five weeks . On January 21 , 2015 , it was announced the Pegg would co - write . Bryan Burk offered him the opportunity to write the film with Doug Jung , a prospect that Pegg called " terrifying " . Still , as quoted above , Pegg has cited this site and its contributors as an invaluable help in the preparation of the movie . Pictures of Pegg are also used for card # 53 , Outpost Engineer M . Scott , card # 80 , Lieutenant Commander M . Scott , and card # 97 , Chief Engineer M . Scott , of the virtual collectible card battle game " " . Pegg and odd - numbered " Star Trek " films . In the " Spaced " episode " Chaos " , written by Pegg and Jessica Stevenson , Pegg ' s character , Tim , says , speaking of sure things , " sure as every odd - numbered " Star Trek " movie is shit . " Pegg , of course , went on to star in the eleventh " Star Trek " film , an irony on which he has commented more than once . In 2008 , at Comic - Con , Pegg said : " " In " Spaced " there is a line where Tim says something about every odd number " Star Trek " movie being shit which is a huge irony considering I ' m starring in " Star Trek 11 " . So it is funny how those things come back to haunt you . Obviously the rule doesn ' t apply anymore . " " [ laughs ] And shortly before the release of " Star Trek " , Pegg said : " " I don ' t know how many people know this but in " Spaced " there ' s a line where I ' m talking about things that are sure in life and I say that every odd - numbered " Star Trek " film is shit . This was back when there were only seven or so and it was a widely held controversial geek ' s eye view of " Star Trek " . But that ' s not true anymore . That ' s most certainly been disproved by this movie . It ' s lovely to be a part of it . I am a self - professed fan of this kind of stuff and a geek , and to go from doing a sitcom about a guy whose life ends basically when " Star Wars : The Phantom Menace " comes out . . . I think if I was still doing " Spaced " now there would be an entire episode dedicated to how Tim Bisley , my character , would just be orgasmic about this movie . This is everything he wanted that film to be and wasn ' t . The irony of being part of that is not lost on me at all , I can assure you . " " Other projects . 2001 – 2008 . Pegg had a small role in HBO ' s acclaimed mini - series " Band of Brothers " with fellow " Trek " film actors Tom Hardy and Neal McDonough . Pegg later worked with Hardy in the 2003 film " The Reckoning " . He is one of two actors appearing in 2009 ' s " Star Trek " to have worked with Tom Hardy ; the other actor is Eric Bana . In addition , Pegg has participated in a number of " Doctor Who " productions , including the audio story " Invaders from Mars " and a guest spot as The Editor in a 2005 episode of " Doctor Who " entitled " The Long Game " . He has also narrated the entire 2005 season of the behind - the - scenes documentary series which the BBC airs after every new episode of " Doctor Who " . Pegg and " Star Trek " co - star Deep Roy are among the number of actors to appear in both the " Star Trek " and " Doctor Who " franchises . Pegg would not consider playing the role of the Doctor , however , because he is " too much of a fan . " Pegg was seen in a cameo as a zombie in ' s " Land of the Dead " ( starring Robert Joy ) , a role Pegg received at Romero ' s invitation after the director viewed " Shaun of the Dead " . Pegg also voiced a newsreader in Romero ' s " Diary of the Dead " . In " Mission : Impossible III " , Pegg played Benji , an IMF laboratory technician . Others who appeared in this film included Jeff Chase , Ellen Bry , Jane Daly , Bruce French , Tony Guma , Tracy Middendorf , and assistant director David Waters . In November 2005 , with his work on " M : I III " complete , Pegg co - starred in Jake Paltrow ' s romantic comedy " The Good Night " , which was released in 2007 . In 2006 , Pegg co - starred with Alice Eve and his friend , , in the black comedy film " Big Nothing " . Pegg and Schwimmer previously worked together on " Band of Brothers " and they again collaborated on the comedy film " Run , Fat Boy , Run " . Pegg portrayed the title role in the latter film and also co - wrote the screenplay , while Schwimmer directed . In 2008 , Pegg starred alongside Kirsten Dunst in the comedy " How to Lose Friends & Alienate People " . 2009 – present . Following the release of " Star Trek " , Pegg was heard as the voice of Buck , an insane , one - eyed weasel , in the third " Ice Age " film , " Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs " ( 2009 ) . Bill Hader also voiced a character in this film and went on to voice the computer of the in " Star Trek Into Darkness " . Pegg has also voiced various characters in the popular stop - motion animated series " Robot Chicken " ( 2009 ) . In 2009 , Pegg and his best friend and colleague , Nick Frost , joined the cast of ' s motion capture 3 - D film " The Adventures of Tintin : Secret of the Unicorn " , based on Georges " Hergé " Remi ' s comic book series . Pegg portrayed Inspector Thompson , while Frost played Inspector Thomson . The film was released in December 2011 . Pegg and Frost also wrote and starred in the sci - fi comedy " Paul " ( 2011 ) , about two British comic book geeks who discover an alien while on a road trip through America . John Carroll Lynch appeared in this film , as well . Pegg ' s other film projects include the comedy thriller " Burke and Hare " ( 2010 ) , in which he and play William Burke and William Hare , Irish immigrants who resolved to murder to provide cadavers for a medical school in Edinburgh , Scotland . Pegg voiced the role of Reepicheep in " The Chronicles of Narnia : The Voyage of the Dawn Treader " ( 2010 ) and reprised his voice - over role as Buck in the fourth " Ice Age " film , " Ice Age : Continental Drift " . Nick Frost also voiced a character in " Continental Drift " , as did Patrick Stewart . Pegg and Stewart later participated in the 2012 short film " The Olympic Ticket Scalper " . In the 2011 action sequel " Mission : Impossible – Ghost Protocol " , Pegg reprised his role as Benji from " Mission : Impossible III " . " Ghost Protocol " was produced by J . J . Abrams and fellow " Star Trek " producers Bryan Burk , Jeffrey Chernov , and David Ellison . In 2012 Pegg was heard as the voice of Dengar in the " Star Wars : The Clone Wars " episode " Bounty " . He also starred in and executive produced the comedy " A Fantastic Fear of Everything " . Pegg ' s next film , " The World ' s End " ( 2013 ) , is the third and final entry in the " Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy " that also includes " Shaun of the Dead " and " Hot Fuzz " . Pegg played the lead role , wrote the screenplay and executive produced this movie . He played the title role in " Hector and the Search for Happiness " ( 2014 ) , which co - stars Christopher Plummer , and lent his voice to the animated film " The Boxtrolls " ( 2014 ) . He further worked on the thriller " Kill Me Three Times " ( 2014 ) . With his appearance in the seventh , 2015 movie installment in the " Star Wars " franchise , " Star Wars : Episode VII – The Force Awakens " , Pegg has become part of four hugely successful live - action media franchises : " Doctor Who " , " Mission : Impossible " , " Star Trek " , and " Star Wars " . In 2016 Pegg was again heard as the voice of Unkar Plutt in the video game " Lego Star Wars : The Force Awakens " . Most recent projects include the thriller " Terminal " ( 2016 ) and ' s science fiction thriller " Ready Player One " ( 2018 ) . Awards and accolades . Pegg won several accolades for " Shaun of the Dead " , including Best Screenplay from the British Independent Film Awards and the Peter Sellers Award for Comedy from Evening Standard British Film Awards . In September 2007 he was named Actor of the Year by the British GQ Men of the Year Awards . Two months later , " Entertainment Weekly " ranked Pegg # 4 in their " Eight to Watch in ' 08 . " The following month , Pegg was awarded the Ronnie Barker Writers ' Guild Award . . " Hot Fuzz " was named Best Comedy of the Year in the 2008 Empire Awards on 10 March 2008 . On 4 December 2008 , Pegg received an honorary fellowship from the University of Gloucestershire for " contribution to the arts as an actor , writer , comedian , producer and director . " In 2010 , he was nominated for a Visual Effects Society Awards in the category " Outstanding Animated Character in an Animated Feature Motion Picture " for voicing Buck in " Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs " .