20 Things You Didn't Know About Star Trek III: The Search For Spock (1984)
16. Saavik Gets A New Look
Robin Curtis became the new face of Lt. Saavik for the character's second outing in Star Trek III. Kirstie Alley originated the role in the previous film, with a performance that was far prone to emotional outbursts than Curtis's would end up becoming.
While Nicholas Meyer and Alley moulded Saavik in the Wrath of Khan, it fell to Curtis and Nimoy to create this new version of the character. Financial issues prevented Alley from returning, though there have been variations on that story. All parties seemed to agree that, initially, Alley would return. This led to a larger part for Saavik in the script. Then, Alley's agent requested a fee that was out of budget.
Nimoy did lament the loss of Alley in his autobiography, I Am Spock, but the number being sought was more than what DeForest Kelly was being paid.
Enter Robin Curtis.
Curtis's arrival allowed Nimoy to rework the character. While it was Meyer who had dropped any references to Saavik's half-Romulan heritage in the Wrath of Khan, Nimoy and Curtis deliberately chose to increase her stoicism for this outing. Gone was the single tear by Spock's coffin.