Movies - TV
Star Trek IV Was Forced To Shoehorn William Shatner Into Scenes
By WITNEY SEIBOLD
Trekkies know William Shatner's reputation for being dismissive, hogging the spotlight, stealing lines, and basically behaving like a big ol' a-hole on set.
In 1986, Paramount seemed willing to kowtow to Shatner's ego and demanded that Kirk be put front and center in "Star Trek IV," even if it was not his story.
Steve Meerson and Peter Krikes, screenwriters of "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," recalled the situation in the book "Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages."
Krikes said the mandate was illogical, and that you can see how Kirk has been arbitrarily inserted into various scenes where he doesn't belong.
Meerson cited a notable example of Kirk’s overexposure in a scene where he appears to be the one to make a crucial decision when in actuality it was Spock's idea.