Chris Pine Christopher Whitelaw Pine , known simply as Chris Pine , is the actor who portrayed in , and . Early life . Pine was born in Los Angeles , California . He is the son of and guest star Robert Pine and actress - turned - psychotherapist Gwynne Gilford . He graduated from the University of California , Berkeley with a degree in English . He spent his junior year studying at the University of Leeds in West Yorkshire , United Kingdom . Career . Early acting career . Pine began his screen acting career with a role in a 2003 episode of " ER " . The episode , entitled " A Thousand Cranes " , was co - written by scribe David Zabel . The episode also featured Brad Blaisdell , Michelle Bonilla , and Michael Buchman Silver . Pine followed his appearance on " ER " with guest spots on " The Guardian " ( 2003 , with Erich Anderson , Tracy Middendorf , and Christopher Neiman ) , " CSI : Miami " ( 2003 , with Wade Williams ) and " American Dreams " ( 2004 , with Ethan Dampf ) . He made his film debut as the young male lead in the 2004 comedy sequel " The Princess Diaries 2 : Royal Engagement " , which co - starred John Rhys - Davies as Pine ' s character ' s uncle . Pine then had the starring role in the independent thriller " Confession " ( 2005 ) , opposite his father Robert as well as Bruce Davison and Kate Vernon . Afterward , Pine was cast in the male lead opposite in the romantic comedy film " Just My Luck " ( 2006 ) . After a guest spot on " Six Feet Under " in 2005 with Joanna Cassidy , James Cromwell , Ann Cusack , J . G . Hertzler , and Anne Ramsay , Pine played the lead role in the comedy film " Blind Dating " ( 2006 ) . He then appeared in the action film " Smokin ' Aces " ( 2006 ) , in which he and " Star Trek : Enterprise " guest actor Maury Sterling played two of the Tremor brothers , a trio of insane hillbilly mercenaries bent on accomplishing the title goal . Joseph Ruskin also made an appearance in this film . In 2006 , Pine starred in a thriller called " Carriers " , which was released in 2009 and featured Mark Moses . Pine then had the lead role in the dramatic film " Bottle Shock " , which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2008 and ran for a limited US release starting in August 2008 . This film also featured Kirk Baily , Louis Giambalvo and Matthew Kimbrough in the cast . " Star Trek " and the franchise . When it was originally announced that Pine was in negotiations to play Kirk in " Star Trek " , he was also in talks to star with in the film " White Jazz " . This project would have reunited Pine with his " Smokin ' Aces " director Joe Carnahan . It was Carnahan who first broke the news that Pine had decided to do " Star Trek " instead of " White Jazz " . Trekmovie . com soon after confirmed that Pine had signed on to play Kirk . Since being cast as Kirk , Pine has acquired an increased amount of recognition . The " Los Angeles Times " , " Entertainment Weekly " , and " Variety " have all named him one of the rising stars to watch in 2009 . He was also named the Male Star of Tomorrow at the 2009 ShoWest exhibit in Las Vegas , Nevada . In 2010 Pine received two MTV Movie Award nominations in the categories Best Breakout Star and Biggest Badass Star for his work on " Star Trek " . Pine also received a Washington DC Area Film Critics Association Award s in 2009 , two Teen Choice Award nominations in 2009 , and a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award s in 2010 as part of the ensemble of " Star Trek " . The ensemble won the 2009 Boston Society of Film Critics Award s in the category Best Ensemble Cast . Pine joined his fellow " Star Trek " co - stars and lent his voice to the video game " " , which was released in . Between January and May 2012 , he filmed his scenes for " Star Trek Into Darkness " . Pine got the chance to conduct the orchestra during a visit to the recording of " Star Trek Into Darkness " s score composed by Michael Giacchino . Pine is the subject of a lawsuit by his former talent agency , SBD Partners , alleging breach of contract and seeking millions of dollars in commissions in part derived from his " Star Trek " work they allege they have been denied . The lawsuit provides some insight into Pine ' s salary for the next two " Star Trek " movies , claiming that he will get $ 1 . 5 million plus $ 500 , 000 in backend compensation for the second movie , and $ 3 million plus the same $ 500 , 000 for a third movie . Additionally , they claim Pine will get 5 percent of net merchandising revenue from the use of his name and likeness . In 2013 , Pine received a nomination at the Teen Choice Award s in the category Choice Summer Movie Star : Male for his appearance in " Star Trek Into Darkness " . Another nominee in this category is former guest star Dwayne Johnson . Pine appeared on card # 36 , titled Recruit James T . Kirk , card # 56 , titled Cadet James T . Kirk , card # 84 , titled Acting First Officer James T . Kirk , and card # 101 , titled Captain James T . Kirk , of the virtual collectible card battle game " " . In 2014 , Pine guest - starred with Sir Patrick Stewart on " Robot Chicken " as " Captain Jake " , the party - loving commander of the ' s night crew . On 26 June 2015 , it was reported that Pine , as well as Zachary Quinto signed on for a potential fourth film in the alternate reality series of films . He will be paid about $ 6 million , double his original projected take . Following " Star Trek " . After " Star Trek " , Pine filmed the independent drama " Small Town Saturday Night " , released in 2010 . He was also part of the ensemble voice cast of the 2009 short film " Beyond all Boundaries " . Others who lent their voices to this project include James Cromwell and William Sadler . In addition , Pine worked on the computer - animated feature " Quantum Quest " , in which he voiced the protagonist , a photon named Dave . The film also features the voice of the first actor to play James T . Kirk , William Shatner , making " Quantum Quest " the first and thus far only project featuring performances from both Kirk actors . Other voices heard in the film include Jason Alexander , Robert Picardo , and Brent Spiner . On 22 January 2010 , Pine participated in the fund - raising program " Hope for Haiti Now : A Global Benefit for Earthquake Relief " . He was among the celebrities who operated the phones for the benefit , along with his " Star Trek " co - stars Tyler Perry and Zoë Saldana , " Star Trek : Voyager " actress Jeri Ryan , Christian Slater , and Robin Williams . Pine starred opposite in the 2010 action thriller " Unstoppable " , in which Pine played a " newbie " train conductor hired to replace Washington ' s character . This became the last film directed by filmmaker , who committed suicide two years later . The supervising sound editor of " Unstoppable " , Mark Stoeckinger , also supervised the sound editing of " Star Trek " . Pine next starred opposite actor Tom Hardy in the 2012 action - comedy " This Means War " . Michael Papajohn worked on this film , as well , and " Star Trek " makeup head Mindy Hall was Pine ' s personal makeup artist on the movie . Joey Box was the film ' s stunt coordinator , while Lauro Chartrand , Zack Duhame , Terry Jackson , Chris Palermo , Susan Purkhiser , John Stoneham , Jr . , Marcus Young , and Steve Kelso performed stunts . Also in 2012 , Pine starred in the drama " People Like Us " , which was directed by " Star Trek " and " Star Trek Into Darkness " co - writer / producer Alex Kurtzman . Kurtzman also co - wrote and executive - produced this film alongside his " Star Trek " writing and producing partner , Roberto Orci ; Mindy Hall was the head of the film ' s makeup department . In addition , Pine was the voice of Jack Frost in the 2012 animated feature " Rise of the Guardians " . After " Star Trek Into Darkness " , Pine appeared with Alice Eve in the video for ' s single " Queenie Eye " , alongside with many other actors and singers . Pine recently took over the role of CIA analyst Jack Ryan in a reboot of the film franchise based on the novels by . Pine was the fourth actor to play the role , after ( in " The Hunt for Red October " , in which Gates McFadden appeared as Ryan ' s wife ) , ( in " Patriot Games " and " Clear and Present Danger " ) , and Ben Affleck ( in " Sum of All Fears " ) . The Jack Ryan films mark two Paramount Pictures franchises Pine will be top - lining simultaneously , as he is already starring in the new " Star Trek " films . The film , titled " Jack Ryan : Shadow Recruit " , was directed by and also featured Seth Ayott . Pine starred in the comedy " Mantivities " , which he co - wrote with several friends , including " Enterprise " alum Drew Howerton . He is also a producer on the film . In addition , Pine makes a cameo appearance in his " Smokin ' Aces " director Joe Carnahan ' s comedic thriller " Stretch " . Pine also stars in the independent science fiction feature " Z for Zachariah " and played Cinderella ' s prince in Disney ' s adaptation of the Broadway musical " Into the Woods " ( 2014 ) . He played obnoxious kidnapping victim Rex Hanson in the comedy sequel " Horrible Bosses 2 " . In 2016 , he will reunite with Eric Bana in Disney ' s " The Finest Hours " , dramatizing the " Pendleton " rescue of 1952 . In July 2015 it was reported that Pine signed a multi - picture deal with DC to portray the character Steve Trevor in the comic adaptation " Wonder Woman " and further sequels opposite . " Star Trek " appearances . Pine appeared as Kirk in