Timothy Olyphant Almost Landed A Huge Star Trek Role

Timothy Olyphant almost landed the role of Captain Kirk in the 2009 Star Trek reboot. He revealed this in an interview with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast.

Olyphant said that he auditioned for the role of Kirk, but that J.J. Abrams wanted someone younger. Olyphant is 51 years old, while Chris Pine, who was ultimately cast as Kirk, was 28 at the time.

Olyphant said that he was disappointed to not get the role, but that he understood Abrams’ decision. “I think he was having a hard time finding somebody younger, and somewhere along the line, J.J. called and said, ‘I found a guy, younger, who’s really good,'” Olyphant said.

Olyphant has since gone on to have a successful career in Hollywood, starring in shows like Deadwood, Justified, and The Mandalorian. He is still a fan of Star Trek, and he said that he would be open to playing a different character in the franchise in the future.

Timothy Olyphant would have been a great Captain Kirk. He has the charisma, the acting chops, and the physical presence to pull off the role. It’s a shame that he didn’t get the part, but I’m glad that he’s still had a successful career in Hollywood.