Star Trek III: Christopher Lloyd Reflects on Playing the Klingon Commander Kruge

As a lifelong Star Trek fan, I can say without hesitation that Christopher Lloyd‘s portrayal of Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock was nothing short of groundbreaking. While he may have been best known for his zany roles like Doc Brown in Back to the Future or Jim Ignatowski on Taxi, it was his chilling performance as a Klingon that truly left a lasting impact on the franchise.

Christopher Lloyd’s portrayal of Commander Kruge in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984) was not just a cherished acting role for him, but it significantly shaped the image of the Klingon race across the entire Star Trek franchise. In a recent conversation with Variety, Lloyd reminisced about his part in this sometimes overlooked installment of the iconic sci-fi series.

40 years ago, Star Trek III: The Search for Spck faced a challenging task as it followed the widely acclaimed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Although often underestimated due to being a sequel to a fan-favorite film, The Search for Spock continues the story directly. In this movie, Captain Kirk and his crew embark on their mission as stated in the title. However, they encounter one of the most memorable antagonists from the Star Trek series – the Klingons.

For Lloyd, playing the Klingon commander, under several layers of prosthetics and make-up, was a pleasure and a role that took him away from the comedy characters he was best known for playing, such as Jim Ignatowski in the sitcom Taxi. However, despite playing a menacing villain, Lloyd recalled wanting to give Kruge some relatable attributes that audiences could latch onto. He said:

“I found myself deeply drawn to him. I was intrigued to discover what qualities in this individual could resonate with an audience, sparking emotions within them that reflect their own selves, even if he’s someone you wouldn’t invite over for dinner. His unsavory traits remain, but I aim to make the audience feel they are conversing not with an alien, but with a fellow human they can connect with.”

Christopher Lloyd Became a Klingon Trailblazer

Initially introduced in “Star Trek: The Original Series” during the 1967 episode titled “Errand of Mercy“, the Klingons were far from their well-known role as antagonists that emerged over time. In some aspects, they resembled the Cybermen and Daleks from Doctor Who, but their initial portrayal was merely a foundation for future growth and refinement in character development.

A significant part of the Klingon culture was further defined in “The Search for Spock,” with the introduction of a more comprehensive Klingon language, expanding upon the initial Klingon words spoken by James Doohan’s character in “Star Trek: The Motion Picture” from 1979. When Christopher Lloyd took on the role of Kruge, there were still numerous aspects of the Klingons to be developed, and his portrayal served as a model for many subsequent versions.

For Lloyd himself, while best known for his time-traveling adventures with Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future, his villainous tendencies did shine through in several notable performances. Among these, his toonesque role as Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, and voicing the menacing Rasputin in 20th Century Studios’ Anastasia, proved beyond doubt that despite always seeming to lean back into comedy roles, his versatility as an actor was not bound to them.

You can find “Star Trek III: The Quest for Spock” and many other titles within the “Star Trek” series on the streaming platform, Paramount+.

2024-08-22 02:05

Christopher Lloyd Became a Klingon Trailblazer

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