10 Actors Who Turned Down Star Trek

There is no character more instantly recognisable in the entire Star Trek pantheon than Mr. Spock. From the pointed ears, poker straight fringe and imposing stare, the half-human, half-Vulcan science officer is known to both sci-fi fans and non-fans alike. And although a number of actors have played him in reboots and prequels since the Original Series, the character and everything he embodies is almost completely synonymous with late actor Leonard Nimoy.

So, then, it's probably surprising to learn that the original choice to play the inscrutable alien was, in fact, Martin Landau, the legendary actor known for his award-winning roles in 1988's Tucker: The Man and his Dream, and the 1966 TV series, Mission: Impossible. Unlike other actors on this list, however, Landau was unconvinced from the get-go, calling the character of Spock "wooden", and claiming that playing such a part would be "the antithesis of why I became an actor".

Well, from where I'm standing, fortune favours the bold, and if Landau had been a bit more open-minded about approaching a character that is not actually emotionless, but rather chooses not to express emotion, he could have landed a role that would last him a lifetime.