George Takei, Zachary Quinto, President Obama Pay Tribute To Leonard Nimoy
Zachary Quinto has said the death of Leonard Nimoy, his predecessor as Mr. Spock, has left him heartbroken.
"I love you profoundly my dear friend, and I will miss you every day," Quinto tweeted, "May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest.”
Another out Star Trek icon also expressed his sorry at the 83-year-old actor's passing: “Today, the world lost a great man, and I lost a great friend," said actor-activist George Takei, who played Lieutenant Sulu opposite Nimoy in the original Trek.
"We return you now to the stars, Leonard. You taught us to ‘Live Long And Prosper’ and you indeed did, friend. I shall miss you in so many, many ways.”
President Obama released a statement, revealing a rather personal connection:
Long before being nerdy was cool, there was Leonard Nimoy. Leonard was a lifelong lover of the arts and humanities, a supporter of the sciences, generous with his talent and his time.
And of course, Leonard was Spock. Cool, logical, big-eared and level-headed, the center of Star Trek's optimistic, inclusive vision of humanity's future.
I loved Spock.
In 2007, I had the chance to meet Leonard in person. It was only logical to greet him with the Vulcan salute, the universal sign for 'Live long and prosper.' And after 83 years on this planet – and on his visits to many others – it's clear Leonard Nimoy did just that. Michelle and I join his family, friends, and countless fans who miss him so dearly today.
Other actors associated with the series expressed their sadness, as well: "I was lucky to spend many happy, inspiring hours with him. He won't be forgotten," tweeted Patrick Stewart, Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Nichelle Nichols, Uhura on the original Star Trek, calledNimoy as "a true force of strength and his character was that of a champion."