To many, Zachary Quinto showed his true star-making colors during his first scene in 2009’s Star Trek. By putting his own “screw you” spin on Spock’s iconic “live long and prosper” line, Quinto made clear his ambitions to bring new life to Leonard Nimoy’s legendary character. Before Star Trek, Quinto was perhaps known for his role as Sylar, the primary antagonist from the science fiction drama series Heroes (2006–2010). He would later receive an Emmy nomination for his eerie role in American Horror Story: Asylum.
Paramount recently confirmed something Star Trek fans have wanted to know for a few years: that J.J. Abrams will be producing the sequel to Star Trek Beyond with Quinto, Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, and John Cho also returning. A fourth entry in the rebooted Star Trek franchise was originally discussed six years ago, but for a while, there had been no word on whether a new Star Trek movie would be moving forward. As we await the highly anticipated installment’s release, here’s a closer look at Zachary Quinto’s best performances to date.
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5 Superman: Man of Tomorrow (2020)
Warner Bros. Animation
It’s the dawn of a new age of heroes, and Metropolis has just met its first. But as Daily Planet intern Clark Kent, working alongside reporter Lois Lane, secretly wields his alien powers of flight, super-strength and x-ray vision in the battle for good, there’s even greater trouble on the horizon. Superman: Man of Tomorrow is a 2020 American animated direct-to-video superhero film, the 39th of the DC Universe Animated Original Movies. It serves as the start of a new animated universe that is continued in Justice Society: World War II and Batman: The Long Halloween.
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Quinto voices Lex Luthor with a sly, ferocious authority required for the iconic villain. He puts his own unique spin on the character brought to life on screen by Gene Hackman, Kevin Spacy and Jesse Eisenberg. It’s not to be missed.
4 Margin Call (2011)
Lionsgate
Margin Call follows a respected financial company that is downsizing. It kicks off with one of the victims, a risk-management division head who was working on a major analysis just when he was let go, getting the boot. His protégé completes the study late into the night, then frantically calls in his colleagues about the company’s financial disaster he has discovered. What follows is a long night of panicked double-checking and double-dealing as the senior management prepare to do whatever it takes to mitigate the coming debacle.
The film’s title comes from a finance term for when an investor must pay back borrowed funds. Margin Call stars an extremely talented ensemble cast consisting of Quinto, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker, Demi Moore and Stanley Tucci. The director and screenwriter, J. C. Chandor, is himself the son of an investment banker. The screenplay was partially informed by Chandor’s own foray into real estate investments in New York City shortly before the financial crash. Quinto plays the protégé who carries on the legacy of his recently terminated division head (played by an equally magnetic intensity by Tucci). Despite the numerous A-listers appearing throughout the story, it is Quinto who carries the film with his heroic charisma.
3 Hannibal (2015)
NBC
Based on the infamous character that entered our nightmares years ago courtesy of Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal explores the early relationship between the renowned psychiatrist and a young FBI criminal profiler who is haunted by his ability to empathize with serial killers. The acclaimed TV series was developed by Bryan Fuller, one of the masterminds season 1 of American Gods. The show has since garnered a cult following and is considered by critics and audiences as one of the best series of the horror genre.
Quinto played a patient of Bedilia Du Maurier’s (played by Gillian Anderson). “I’ve always admired and wanted to work with Gillian, and Bryan [Fuller], and I had a conversation in which it seemed like that could be possible, so I just jumped at the chance,” Quinto once told Vulture. He shares a particularly gruesome scene with Anderson in a 2015 episode that involves choking on one’s own tongue. Proceed with caution, but this show is not to be missed!
2 Who We Are Now (2017)
FilmRise
An ex-con tries to get back custody of her son with the help of an idealistic young public defender and at the same time falls into a romantic fling with a traumatized former U.S. soldier. Who We Are Now is a 2017 American drama film directed and written by Matthew Newton that also stars Julianne Nicholson and Emma Roberts.
Quinto plays Peter and brings a raw authenticity to the soldier’s troubled persona. “Everything is game, and Matt looks for the flaws in a performance and encourages them because they’re human,” said Quinto to Deadline about the film’s director. “I think he really gets to the humanity of the characters that he writes in a unique and beautiful way.”
1 Star Trek (2009)
Paramount Pictures
JJ Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek film is the eleventh in the franchise, a reboot that features the main characters of the original Star Trek television series portrayed by a new cast. The film follows James T. Kirk and Spock aboard the USS Enterprise as they combat a Romulan from their future who threatens the United Federation of Planets. The story takes place in an alternate reality because of time travel — also a behind-the-scenes attempt to free the film and the franchise from established continuity constraints while simultaneously preserving original story elements. The end result was a box office success, grossing more than $385 million worldwide against its $150 million production budget. It was followed by the sequels Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond.
Quinto plays the iconic antihero opposite Pine’s Kirk. It’s a career-defining role that evokes many talents, as Quinto brings heroism, charm, empathy and humor to the scene-stealing character. While Quinto may not be totally sure if the upcoming fourth film will be a hit, per his recent interview, it’s an exciting prospect having all the fan-favorite actors reuniting.
