Movie: Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan

Character(s): Saavik

Kirstie Alley made her feature film debut playing Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. For her performance in this film, Alley was nominated for a Saturn Award by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films.

She was offered the chance to reprise the role in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, but according to Alley, she was offered less money for that film than she was paid for Star Trek II and thus declined to return.

In a later interview, Alley reported wanted to reprise the role, but Paramount wasn’t willing to pay what she was asking, which according to Alley was “less money then they did for Star Trek II, so I figured they weren’t very interested in me for Saavik.”

Upon viewing The Search for Spock, Alley found the film an enjoyable but unnerving experience, as she came to the realization that of Curtis’ as Saavik, “She wasn’t me”. Sympathizing with Curtis, however, Alley revealed that “I thought she was at a real disadvantage playing the role someone else established, especially with Star Trek, which has an enormous following. I think she did a fine job. I have no problem with what she was doing except that, when I saw the film, I said, ‘She isn’t Saavik. I am.'”

When it was revealed that there would be an upcoming, and yet untitled, Star Trek IV, Alley said that she would gladly join the crew if she was asked, “I would be very interested in doing Star Trek IV, I really liked playing Saavik. It was my first role and I feel a certain allegiance to her. But they’ve said nothing to me about it.”

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