Star Trek Into Darkness/Background information/Cast and characters

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|-| Principal cast=All the major actors in the first film – namely, those portraying the command officers of the (John Cho, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoë Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin) – returned for the long-awaited sequel. "I think we were waiting for a homerun script, and J.J. was undecided," explained Sulu actor John Cho. "Scheduling was tight, and it didn't really get settled until J.J. decided he could do it […] It's a longer layover than most [sequels], considering the first one did so well, and that there was sequel talk instantly. We were wondering about the second picture almost as soon as we were finished with the first, so it seemed like a long time. But in the meantime, everyone did different things. Life happened. Children were born. It felt like a long time, but when we got back to set it felt like it was an afternoon at best, because we all got right back into things." ()
Kirk actor Chris Pine observed it was important to make this film "as good as the first one" and ensure it lived up to the expectations of the viewers. He was aware of those expectations being higher than when the previous movie had been made. (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 022) As a result, Pine thought this film was slightly more nerve-wracking and therefore difficult than its immediate predecessor. As for how he followed the film's development, Pine recalled, "There were a couple years when [J.J. Abrams] went off and did other things. I would hear trickles through the information grapevine, through [writers] Damon (Lindelof) or Alex (Kurtzman), what they were thinking about for the second one. But I knew nothing until I got to read the script, under lock and key, in one of the producer's offices." Pine felt that, once he was handed the movie's screenplay, he completely understood what it required of him. ()
Chris Pine was impressed by the amount of variety in this film. He remarked that the facet which initially struck him about the film was "The sheer scale of it," and went on to comment, "It's really exciting, because in any great epic story, you want it to go from A-Z and back again, and this has so many different colors. It has the excitement, it has moments of levity, it has the romance. A big, steaming apple pie of all sorts of great things." Pine admitted that, having seen the completed movie, what surprised him most was "probably that this film manages to fulfill people's expectations of what a tent-pole summer movie should be, which in the past five years has become quite a feat in terms of spectacle. There are certain things we had to do to satisfy a modern audience's craving for that." ()
Chris Pine was consequently wowed by the action sequences in this film. "There's a lot of destruction, and a lot of explosions […] I think we hit it out of the park," he remarked. "The action sequences are spectacular. People can expect to see something fantastic." ()
Chris Pine also pointed out that the creators of the film "married" the action sequences with "what people love about Star Trek, which are complex, human dramas. I think we have that going for us." () He elaborated, "This film deals with really archetypal, huge things about growing up, and life and death, so the characters go on an extraordinary journey." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 028) Pine said, too, that he believed the maturing of the characters "makes for an interesting story" and that he was hopeful the "friendship," "bond," and "love" between the cast members, which was genuine, came across on screen. ()
Chris Pine additionally approved of this film as a sequel. Regarding how it measured up to the previous film, he noted, "I'd say the threat is even greater in this one. The force [the crew] are met with is much more frightening." He said further, "There's been a lot of talk about the darkness of it, which is there, but the levity from the first one is certainly there, too. I would say the scope, in terms of the visuals and the action beats, and also the characters' journeys, are much, much bigger than the first film." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 028)
Spock actor Zachary Quinto felt likewise; differences between this film and its predecessor were apparent to him as early as when he first read the script for this movie. "It was very clear to me from the beginning that it was a bigger story, there was more at stake, and there was more action," he expressed. "You could tell from the get-go it was just bigger […] This movie has everybody in different situations and scenarios, on their own, in a way that the first movie didn't. We're all scattered and spread out in different places, yet all working together. We're not such a unified front, and we have to break into factions to get things done […] We do spend a fair amount of time together for the big action set pieces [though]." Quinto felt certain parts of the film were personally more enjoyable than others. "There are some huge sequences that he [Spock] is a part of, that were really exciting and challenging for me," he recalled. () As another highlight of the film, Quinto cited the scene in which – on the way through Kronos' atmosphere – Spock concludes an argument with Uhura by expressing how he feels about death, Quinto describing it as "a really nice moment." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 027) He was also happy the cast were able to modify the script, describing this process as "great" and "exciting." ()
McCoy actor Karl Urban enthused, "All of the characters are really pushed to the very limit in this film, and the relationships are strained and fractured. To me, that's always the mark of a great Star Trek series or film, when these characters who love each other – sometimes hate each other – have to work together to overcome a common adversary." (, issue 287, p. 92) Urban also felt the common Star Trek dynamic of Kirk having to find the middle ground between Spock, representing logic, and McCoy, representing humanism, "definitely comes into play here." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 027)
Scott actor Simon Pegg appreciated the opportunity this film gave him and the other main cast members to once again collaborate. "Having kind of eased into the roles, and all got to know each other as actors, and become friends, it was actually something we all really relished and were excited about doing," Pegg related. "It was like a school reunion […] so to get to do it […] was a great joy […] It's most fun when we're all together, cause it's a very familiar environment." ()
Simon Pegg first read the script of this movie while he was with a friend in New York, shortly before Christmas 2011. "I said [to the friend], 'Listen, I'm going to quickly go up to my room. I've got the script, I might read the first couple of pages, then I'll come down and we'll go Christmas shopping.' About five minutes later, I rang him and said I'm not coming down," Pegg explained, laughing. "cause I was so gripped by the script. I remember literally leaping up and down in my hotel room at certain plot twists and revelations that were just so exciting, and so cool." () Pegg also recalled squealing in delight as he read through the screenplay. (, issue 287, p. 92)
Clearly, Simon Pegg considered this "a great story." () He mused, "It's a modern take on terrorism, in a way […] It's not dark in the sense that it's po-faced; it still has the lightness of the first film. It just kicks off and doesn't stop for the whole movie." (, issue 287, p. 92) Pegg commented further, "The story goes all over the place. It hits the ground running; it starts fast-paced and doesn't stop through the whole thing. I think it will be joyously exhausting to watch, but at the heart of it, it's a very human story about looking after the people you love […] and this is among all the pyrotechnics, and I'm sure all the groundbreaking special effects. At the very heart of it, it's something far more human, which is a testament to the writers." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 028)
In fact, Simon Pegg related his satisfaction with the script directly to Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and Damon Lindelof. "I wrote to them after I read the script, because there are bits in there that I really got," Pegg reasoned, "I could see what they were doing, and there were really smart little touches that I wanted them to know that I'd got […] It's a hell of a task they've got on their hands. They've got to juggle a lot of things – they've got to please fans and entertain the uninitiated – but I think this film has all that." ()
Simon Pegg suspected the "very human story" at the center of this film would "resonate with the audience." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 028) Contemplating more about how viewers might react to the movie, he offered, "There are so many rewards in it if you're a fan of Star Trek. You could watch this movie completely uninitiated and be thrilled by it, you don't need prior knowledge, but if you do have that prior knowledge then it's like it unlocks a whole other dimension of connection with Star Trek that you'll feel very privileged to have." ()
Witnessing this film come to fruition delighted Simon Pegg. "To get to shoot that, and see what J.J. came up with, the amazing work that's done by costume and props and makeup – it was all really exciting," he reminisced. ()
Simon Pegg considered levity to be essential to the scene in which Scotty needs to open an airlock door and does a lot of running. "If there wasn't some lightheartedness, it would probably be quite uncomfortable to watch," Pegg reckoned, "as there's a lot riding on that moment." ()
Chekov actor Anton Yelchin opined, "Even though it's been four years between films, you can quickly see why. You see all of the work that's been put into it, you see the complexity of the relationships; building on what was discovered in the first one, which makes it that much more interesting. You get much more insight into these people, and then the world that you're in, the scope and the scale of the film is that much bigger." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 023)
During the extended interim which preceded the making of this film, Sulu actor John Cho was, in his own words, "preparing myself to be pleasantly surprised when I read it." He was not disappointed. () "I […] felt pretty confident about the script – by the time we started shooting it was in amazing shape, and the story was really fascinating. To me, the story does what all great sequels do, which is to bring back things and then complicate and darken them," Cho mused. "I was just really excited about telling that story […] You can almost feel sorry for Sulu and all of the characters because they have to mature so quickly. They feel like children who had to take care of the house in mum and dad's absence or something. It's the crises that are so enormous, and they're so young and have had to shoulder so much. To me it feels like all the characters in this one are prematurely-mature." (SciFiNow, issue 80, pp. 22 & 26) He also remarked, "I felt like the themes they were trying to tackle really spoke to me. The movie is so much about morality; what the nature of good and evil is. How does that change when one grows older and is more experienced? It's tapping into the grey areas of life. As a comparison, […] the second movie is an older person [than the first film], a legitimate man, and life seems cloudier and sloppy, so decisions are harder to make. I thought that was wholly the appropriate tone for a second film. It was really fascinating to me, because in some ways you expect an interesting plot, thrilling action, and fun, but going deeper in that fashion is not necessarily expected. I thought, thematically, it was ambitious." ()
Uhura actress Zoë Saldana appreciated the way the film portrays Uhura's relationship with Spock being tested, enthusing, "The way it happens in this movie is one of those great twists that you love JJ for." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 027) Of the main characters in general, Saldana additionally stated, "I guess because we were going back to a familiar environment, where we knew each other, and had been through it already, we didn't waste time breaking ice. It was already melted […] It definitely felt more intense. There was a great deal of suspense and uncertainty, not as actors but for our characters. There's such an attack and infiltration into Starfleet, it makes us question how safe we really are." Concerning the cast members who portrayed those protagonists, Saldana noted, "For this experience with Star Trek, we were very fortunate […] We're so excited to be there, and we shared that mood with each other." ()
Their interaction with J.J. Abrams was largely enjoyable for the main cast members. Chris Pine remarked, "There is a great amount of pressure to live up to expectations and to do justice to these characters and what was done before. But I think because of J.J.'s great skill in casting – and this goes for the newest members [of the cast] […] – it becomes so easy so quickly, and you enjoy each other's company, that you enjoy the day of work." John Cho reflected, "I would say J.J. was a little bit more intimate with us as people this time […] I think he was more comfortable with us as people, and we were more comfortable with one another in general. You spend enough time together, I guess…" (, issue 287, pp. 90 & 91) Cho also felt he wasn't overwhelmed by expectations, mainly because of Abrams shouldering the responsibility. "I never sweated it," related Cho. "I realised that we would have to meet certain expectations or exceed them, but I didn't emotionally sweat it, so to speak, because I felt very confident in our captain." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 022) Simon Pegg agreed that part of what made doing the film "a great joy" was getting to collaborate with Abrams. () The cast found Abrams' unpredictability and the amount of freedom he was allowed to make modifications in the production, which was a high degree of independence, to be impressive but daunting. "So even though it's scary for us to work with him, in some ways it's also a real opportunity," stated Zachary Quinto. (, issue 287, p. 90) For example, the cast found Abrams was willing to allow them a lot of input. "I think a lot of us had a couple observations and notes, and J.J. was really open and encouraging for us to speak up, because we incarnated these characters in the first installment," pondered Zoë Saldana. "Coming back to it, there were remnants of our characters in us, so if something felt unnatural or a little off, we definitely voiced it, and J.J. definitely considered it." () Both the cast and their director also felt it was important to maintain humor in the script. "It was something in this new incarnation that we all talked with J.J. about, the use of levity and the fact that, as dark as some of our stuff is in this new film, we always have time to smile and make people laugh," noted Chris Pine. It was also Abrams who gave the cast members the film's script. ()
One of the ways J.J. Abrams' erraticness affected the cast was in lines given to Uhura. Zoë Saldana explained, "He writes these mouthfuls of dialogue, and it's hard for me because Spanish is my first language. So there were moments, at least once a day, where we'd have to cut and he was like, 'Zoe, it's not traject-ory. It's traj-ECT-ory,' or, 'That was great, but this next take, say it all 30 per cent faster." Saldana laughed, then concluded, "It was a trip." (, issue 287, p. 92)
|-| Returning guest stars=Like Chris Pine, Bruce Greenwood could hardly wait, prior to this movie entering production, to be reunited with the Star Trek cast and crew who had worked on the previous film. In this movie, Greenwood reprised his role as Admiral . He referred to the movie's script as "good." Having initially hoped this film would continue the evolution of the relationship between Pike and Kirk, Greenwood was glad it does. He was also intrigued by the movie's depiction of Kirk maturing; Greenwood remarked that – because the film depicts, at least in his viewpoint, Kirk facing "a major existential crisis" – the film was more interesting for himself as an actor as well as "hopefully, for the audience." (SciFiNow, issue 80, pp. 024 & 026)
Leonard Nimoy initially expressed that he did not expect to return as the original Spock in this movie, even going so far as to state, "I definitely will not be in Star Trek 2," and, "I think I can be definitive about the fact that I will not be in it." (SFX, issue #200, p. 68) However, alongside the Khan report, it was confirmed that he would indeed be returning for the sequel. Concerning how J.J. Abrams asked him to appear for his cameo in this film, Nimoy remembered, "He just said, 'Would you come in for a couple of days and do me a favor." Even though the actor had turned down an invite to make a cameo appearance in because he felt what had been written for him to play in that film was too general, Nimoy was convinced that this movie was sufficiently specific about the inclusion of Spock that he was willing to participate. Addressing why he had claimed not to be in the film, Nimoy, who was very pleased that the truth of his involvement was kept secret, initially said, "I was asked time and time again if I was in the movie, and I managed to avoid answering without lying." He laughed, but was then reminded that he had flat-out denied being in the film and replied, "Maybe I was confused. Of course, speaking, if you’ll pardon me, logically, I wouldn’t know if I was in the movie until I saw the movie." Nimoy enthused about the film itself, "It’s hard not to enjoy this movie. There’s so much of a thrill ride happening. The relationships between the characters are terrific. The actors are all wonderful." His cameo here marked Nimoy's final appearance as Spock and his final role overall prior to his death in .
With the announcement of the sequel, fans once again began a campaign to bring Christopher Doohan back to the Enterprise, stating that the Enterprise needed a Doohan. Christopher Doohan did indeed receive a role in this film, appearing as a Transport Officer. Chris noted on his twitter page, @chrisdoohan, that he would not have got the part without the help of Simon Pegg and thanked fans on their Facebook page. 
|-| New guest stars=On , Variety reported that Academy Award-winning actor Benicio del Toro was expected to be offered the role of the villain in the sequel. 
On 30 November 2011, it was announced that Alice Eve had been selected for a lead role in the film. She suspected one reason she was chosen to play was that Eve "naturally speaks very fast," which matched the fact J.J. Abrams has a "very quick" mind, Eve noting, "Certainly in this one it's the universe racing against the clock." (, issue 287, p. 92) She found the experience of reading the film's screenplay for the first time was extremely pleasant. "I went and read the script at Bad Robot, and it was really a privilege to be able to read it from beginning to end [without interruption] […] It became very clear what the story was in my head, because I read it in one sitting," Eve reminisced. ()
On , Latino Review reported that Benicio del Toro would play , a report which Abrams said was "not true." As was revealed merely days later, del Toro's deal had actually fallen through on 30 November 2011, "after parties couldn't come to terms over monetary issues", so he was no longer due to appear in the film. 
On 5 December 2011, Peter Weller was announced as having joined the cast in an unknown role. Weller had previously played John Frederick Paxton on .
Two days later, it was reported that the absence of an actor to play the film's main antagonist and the fact the movie was intended to enter production the next month meant J.J. Abrams and Paramount were hurrying to find a suitable actor who could portray the villain and commit to a six-month shoot, between January and June 2012. Simultaneously reported was that Edgar Ramirez and Jordi Molla were possible replacements being considered by the film's casting team, with Ramirez as the front-runner. He was expected to test for the role via Skype either later that day or early the following day, as Abrams wanted to decide whether to cast him before the forthcoming weekend. 
It was in the Christmas holidays of 2011 when actor Benedict Cumberbatch recorded and submitted an audition video, on an iPhone he owned, showing himself performing two or three scenes, after which, on the evening of New Years Day, he received a call to say the part was his if he wanted it. Though Cumberbatch accepted, he was yet to see a full script of the movie. () The movie's screenplay did appeal to him, though. It, along with the opportunity to work with J.J. Abrams, primarily motivated Cumberbatch into agreeing to appear in this production, though he had seen the previous film as well. (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 023) "It's very beautifully crafted," he critiqued of this movie, "so you have a proper, character-driven drama that happens to have all the lure and excitement of Star Trek added with the amazing possibilities of modern film-making […] [It's] a big film but based on a very detailed, good script, with good ideas […] I think it's going to be really thrilling. I can't wait to see it. I think I'm as eager as any fan of the first film is to see how it all comes together. It's going to be a real treat." () On , Variety announced Cumberbatch would be playing the villain. Regarding how Cumberbatch interpreted the part, Alex Kurtzman opined, "He brought a whole new life to it." With a laugh, Roberto Orci added, "He was so good that we didn't have to change much." ()
Also on 4 January 2012, Variety reported British actor Noel Clarke would be joining the cast as a family man with a wife and young daughter. Two days later, Entertainment Weekly announced that Nazneen Contractor would be playing the wife of Clarke's character.
On , it was reported that Benedict Cumberbatch's role in the film was that of . Simon Pegg shot down this report, though, calling it "a myth." Karl Urban stated, "He's awesome, he's a great addition, and I think his Gary Mitchell is going to be exemplary." However, he later said, "I did that interview after a 22-hour flight from New Zealand. I literally hopped off the plane into the interview." Roberto Orci reiterated Urban's latter statement, while confirming Cumberbatch and Alice Eve's characters had appeared in Star Trek canon. When interviewed himself, Cumberbatch continued the secrecy by merely pointing to a promotional image and stating he played "that person there." (The One Show BBC One, broadcast 24th August, 2012) On , StarTrek.com released a photo featuring Cumberbatch's character in a holding cell, with Spock and Kirk looking on from the other side. The site also reported that Cumberbatch's character was named "John Harrison", in apparent contrast to Orci's earlier comment that his character had previously appeared in Star Trek canon. 
Also on 10 December 2012, it was reported by TrekMovie.com that Alice Eve's character would be Carol Marcus. She later remembered, "It was great for me to step on the bridge." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 023)
Michael Dorn was contacted for a role during the start of filming, and was asked to play "an officer – a soldier." Eventually, it was decided that "they didn't want to mix the old with the new": Dorn had appeared in some of the previous Star Trek films and television series, playing Worf and . 
Following press screenings of the film's first thirty-eight minutes in Brazil, it was confirmed – on – that Peter Weller would appear in the film as Admiral Marcus. The real identity of Benedict Cumberbatch's character was revealed in late April 2013. 
|-| Extras=The scene where Kirk delivers a speech features some real-life war veterans, from a non-profit organization called , which tries to help soldiers return to life after having been deployed. "When the sequel was being planned," recalled Katie McGrath, J.J. Abrams' wife, "we thought about how to make it meaningful beyond the experience of doing it all together again. We were thinking about the themes of the film and what would resonate. And also maybe help alleviate the sort of values of the Starfleet cadets… of sacrifice, bravery and friendship." Eric Greitens, who works as the company's CEO and makes a cameo appearance in the film himself, referred to the group cameo as "A real thrill. And it was meaningful, too." One of the veterans who appears, Adam McCann, had been hit by a bomb exactly seven years, to the day, before participating in the scene. (, issue 287, p. 91)
On Thursday and Tuesday 7 February 2012, Headquarters Casting, owned by Carla Lewis, sought background performers for the Star Trek sequel. According to a relevant casting note, they were searching for "attractive / refined / upscale or exotic talent ages 35-55 who are well postured / athletic to thin. Men should be in good shape, ladies must not be overly busty or curvy. The wardrobe is fitted so we need performers who are in great shape and/or on the thin side. Seeking a wide array of different ethnicities for this group, including ethnically ambiguous talent. The work date(s) are TBD, but could be numerous depending on the scene you are selected for. Would require at least one wardrobe fitting. We are submitting additional photos and the photos MUST be current and representative of how you look NOW. Some of the spots that will be picture picked will be quite featured. This is background work and we are seeking both SAG & Non-Union talent. It's possible that non-union performers may need to work SAG (depending on the work day(s) they are ultimately fit for and the number of performers working that day)." The open call was held at 3108 W. Magnolia Blvd., Burbank, California 91505. 
|-| Rehearsals and interaction=When the cast of this movie began rehearsals, Benedict Cumberbatch wasn't present (as he was not yet cast) but Alice Eve was. She was pleased Simon Pegg was there, because they were already familiar with each other. "Simon […] made me feel very comfortable, not that everyone else wasn't equally welcoming," she remarked. ()
On the contrary, Alice Eve referred to the way the cast and crew treated her as "incredibly welcoming and gracious." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 023) She explained at length, "The people behind this film were all so incredible that there was no awkwardness. Everyone knew the reason they were there, and they had clear directives for fulfilling them, and it became a very collaborative process, like building a village." () 
Likewise, Benedict Cumberbatch relayed that the principal actors "were so respectful" of the fact that he had joined the film's cast as the main villain. "There was only one occasion where I had the discipline to pull away from their camraderie, and sit away in a corner and brood, darkly, because I had too much fun with them," he conceded, thinking back to the making of the film. "I had so much fun with them, I hope that doesn't reflect in the film, because otherwise I'll be useless," he laughed. Moments later, Cumberbatch said, "To work with them was just a real kick. A real kick." After commenting positively on each of those performers, he concluded, "We had so much fun hanging out together in LA, it was genuinely a really joyous experience. I spent all my time just laughing." ()
The principal actors were happy to make new friends, too. "I didn't get to work this time around with people I enjoyed [last time]," Zachary Quinto observed. "I didn't get to spend much time with Simon Pegg, or even with Chris Pine this time […] But what I lost with the familiar, I gained in working with Benedict [Cumberbatch], which was significant. We got along really well, and I liked working with him." Karl Urban enthusiastically noted, "I loved watching Chris and Benedict when they were doing scenes together, because the sparks would literally fly." Pegg enjoyed collaborating with Pine. "We spent a lot of time working on this," noted Pegg, "and we had a hoot […] Welcoming Alice Eve and Benedict Cumberbatch was great [too], because we wanted them to feel as welcome as we did." John Cho likewise enjoyed getting to know Cumberbatch, whose performance impressed him, and Eve. In reference to the latter performer, Cho related, "It kept the set lively to have to get to know another person." (, pp. 41, 56, 82, 111) Pine was wowed by the work of both Cumberbatch and Eve in this film. Concerning the interaction between Kirk and Carol Marcus, Pine stated, "When there's a beautiful blonde woman around, there's always the potential for love, and we know the story there." (SciFiNow, issue 80, p. 023) During their breaks from filming, the cast often played word-based board game Words with Friends. ()
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