Paramount
During the development stages of the 1991 science fiction political thriller, “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”, the character of Saavik, a half-Vulcan-half-Romulan officer was slated to have a significant role. Saavik first made her appearance in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” portrayed by Kirstie Alley in one of her initial acting roles. Saavik was depicted as a student of Spock (Leonard Nimoy), often perplexed by the emotional complexities of the human beings she was interacting with. However, in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” released in 1984, Alley was replaced by Robin Curtis who played Saavik in a more stern and emotionless manner. Curtis also had a brief appearance in “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.”
Though Saavik was intended to feature in “Star Trek VI”, Gene Roddenberry, the creator of “Trek”, was not in favor of her role in the film’s storyline. The scriptwriters had proposed that Saavik would betray the crew of the Enterprise, thereby instigating a Cold War. Roddenberry envisioned her character to be more honorable. Additionally, with Robin Curtis leaving the franchise, a third actress would be needed to fill the role. Nicholas Meyer wished to bring back Alley, but she had already committed to “Cheers”.
Kim Cattrall, who had initially auditioned for the role of Saavik in “Star Trek II”, was not keen on being the third actress to play the same character. Consequently, a new Vulcan character, Valeris, was created specifically for Cattrall. Valeris was introduced as Spock’s new student, but her character was designed to harbor her own dubious intentions.
In an interview with Starlog Magazine in 1992 (as transcribed by the website Trekkie Feminist), Cattrall pointed out that “Star Trek” did not always portray its female characters in the best light. This almost led her to decline the role entirely.
Cattrall’s Desire for a More Substantial Role
Paramount
Despite “Star Trek” being progressive in many ways such as envisioning a future devoid of countries and transcending concepts like war and capitalism, Gene Roddenberry’s treatment of women was not always commendable. Female members of the U.S.S. Enterprise were often seen wearing miniskirts and stockings. There was even an episode in the original series that claimed that women were not permitted to be starship captains, a detail conveniently overlooked by Trekkies. Cattrall, remembering the miniskirts, initially turned down “Star Trek”. She stated:
“I simply said, ‘No, I don’t think so. I have moved past playing such roles.’ I felt that the portrayal of women in those movies was either as decorative items, unpleasant characters, or as extras with no emotional connection.”
Having watched “Star Trek II” through “Star Trek IV”, Cattrall was not impressed by the development of Saavik’s character. Most of the major plot developments were handled by William Shatner or another member of the main cast. Cattrall believed that Saavik had a significant role only in the third film, and even that was not substantial. She elaborated:
“I believe Saavik is a likable character… but she doesn’t really contribute much, except in ‘Star Trek III’ where she assists the young Spock in his journey to manhood and his seven-year sexual [cycle]. So, I didn’t have a clear understanding of the portrayal of women in a ‘Star Trek’ setting apart from Uhura, who is essentially a telephone operator. She’s beautiful, but I wanted more than that. And I thought, ‘I’m not going to participate in ST movies unless my character is given more substance.'”
The resolution was to eliminate Saavik from the story and introduce Valeris. To Cattrall’s relief, the filmmakers sought her input on the character, allowing them to create Valeris from scratch. The distinctive hairstyle was Cattrall’s idea, as was the inclusion of the suffix “Eris,” symbolizing the goddess of discord, in her name.
Cattrall’s Contribution to Valeris’ Name and Hairstyle
Paramount
Cattrall was fond of the look she designed for the character, which she felt was both futuristic and retro. She also claimed to have loved the ear tips she had to wear, often wanting to wear them home at the end of the day. However, making phone calls with them on was a hassle, as they would peel off and stick to the phone. There were rumors that one night during filming, Cattrall sneaked onto the Enterprise Bridge set and had a friend take photos of her wearing nothing but the ears. Reportedly, Leonard Nimoy found the photos and destroyed them to prevent a potential scandal involving Cattrall and “Star Trek”.
Cattrall also noted that Valeris was a much more dynamic and interesting character than Saavik. She saw the latter as a passive character, while Valeris had clear objectives. The actress said of Valeris:
“She’s far more complex than just a beautiful woman with swept-back hair, funny ears, and a sexy top. She’s more defined. She has specific desires and ambitions. With the other Saaviks, it was difficult to discern their desires: they were quite ambiguous. There’s absolutely nothing ambiguous about Lieutenant Valeris. She has a role in her life, and she wants to excel and fit in, sometimes a bit too much. But she’s very defined, whereas I felt both Saaviks weren’t. They were essentially carbon copies of Spock.”
Some might agree that this is a fair assessment. Cattrall’s performance was excellent, and she was a welcome addition to “Star Trek”. An interesting trivia is that Cattrall clearly filmed the Tony Maylam movie “Split Second” immediately after her stint on “Star Trek VI”, as she still sported the same wild hairstyle.
Credit: www.slashfilm.com
