Roy On Playing Keenser
2 min read
Deep Roy figured out that he would return as Keenser in Star Trek into Darkness while he was still working on Star Trek.
During the filming of Star Trek, a newly-created scene that required Roy to return for another day’s shooting gave him hope that a return was in the cards.
“I kind of knew while we were doing the first one [that I would be returning],” said Roy. “They were debating whether to leave me or put me on the Enterprise. J.J. created a special scene for me. I was finished with the movie, but I got a callback and they said, ‘They want you for one more day.’ They didn’t tell me for what. They said, ‘You’ll find out when you come on the set.’” When I went on to the set, J.J. said, ‘We’re going to put you on the Enterprise.’ I was delighted. I said, ‘Well, here comes the sequel. Maybe I’m a permanent fixture now.’
The silent Keenser was not originally meant to be silent. “I had dialogue, but they changed that,” explained Roy. “They said, ‘It doesn’t look right for this guy to talk because, after all, he’s from another planet. He’s an alien. He doesn’t speak the language.’ So that’s what happened on the first film. I did have dialogue, but they took it out. J.J. told me why and I said, ‘Sure, whatever it is, it is.’ And then it just made sense for him not to speak in the second one, either.”
Roy explained how he viewed the petite alien. “Well, Keenser is a smart alien,” he said. “I try to bring a little bit of comedy into it, but he’s a great thinker. He is a guy…silence is golden, as they say, but he’s well-aware of what’s going on around him. He doesn’t hold grudges against anyone. ”
With two appearances in the can, how does Roy view his Star Trek experience? “I think I’m blessed,” he said. “You’ve got to work doubly hard to get across what your character is trying to say when you’ve got the makeup on you or a mask on you, and it’s nice that people appreciate it.”
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The guy’s name would be perfect for another line of “acting”.
Wish they would establish what species Keenser is
Um, ever heard of the Universal Translator J.J.?
Of course not. Clearly in JJ’s mind, aliens and other lesser types are to be seen and not heard.
Effin Annoyers of Bogwad 17, if I’m not mistaken.
Shakespearean?
Haha… sure.
I’m glad the guy got a job. Don’t understand the silent rationale. Would he even be on board — and in a sensitive engineering position –if he couldn’t speak the language? I really think he’s just there because somebody thought it might look cool, or different.
I figure Keenser is the Morn of the new Trek. He just doesn’t shut up when he’s off camera.
If he had to be a mute, make him a mute because he chooses it. Or maybe his species doesn’t have much verbal communication and rely on sign language or telepathy. You know, something like that. To say it’s because he’s an alien is absurd. The Federation is made up of tons of aliens. We see Vulcans (who are aliens by the way) in the first film speaking so it’s a ridiculous concept.
I like Keenser! He did speak in the first one. He said “me”.
Oh Deep Roy stays busy. He also can do silent quite well, as demonstrated in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (at least when he wasn’t singing with 2000 of his closest clones).
Also, Keenser did speak in ST XI. Well, about as much as Marcel Marceau did in Silent Movie, true, but clearly he can communicate when he chooses to.
Me too! I’m pretty sure the mostly silent nature of the character was for the humour/cuteness of the character. Some people really look too far into it lol.
And by “some people”, you mean the people that made it, right? Because that’s what the article says…
THEY ascribed the reason for him not speaking. JJ Abrams took away his lines for that reason… It isn’t us making it up or looking too deeply into it. The actor just laid it out there for you: The people that made the movie took his lines away because he was an alien.
His words, and apparently JJ Abrams sentiment, not ours. But, keep trying to pin this lackluster shitpile on us.
Nothing against Deep Roy as he is an awesome actor, but this character sucks! It may be one of the biggest in a long line of reasons why JJ-Trek sucks and JJ Abrams is a hack! And yes, JJ, if you actually watched or cared about Star Trek, the universal translator is a marvelous invention!
“lackluster shitpile”
That actually describes you, dogpoo! (Impersonated anyone lately, dogpoo?)
lol Still as witty as ever.
You know, since I’m apparently every guest that’s ever visited this site, it’s pretty interesting now that Disqus actually shows you the people that upvoted comments…
I must’ve really liked Curtis’s comment above, since 8 guests have liked it… I guess I’m all of those people?
But again, no actual even attempt at touching Star Trek with your comments… Good job, remedial Kiwi… good job. Keep up the good work!
Thanks, dogpoo. Deluded as usual. Who gives a frack what others think.
lol Apparently you… Then again, that’s a difficult assignment when you’re so damn dumb you cannot understand the most simple concepts. But, let me explain it to you: See, you seem to think every time a guest posts on this site that it’s me… Me pointing out all the guests has nothing to do with their opinions, but rather has everything to do with your delusional opinion that I’m all guests… You know… the delusion you just reinforced above asking if I’d impersonated anyone lately?
But, feel free to show how stupid you are. I don’t mind. I’d rather talk about Star Trek, something you haven’t done at this site for about 3 months now… but, yeah… your prerogative as a moron to be a moron… I just wish you were a little bit more creative a breed of moron.
Keenser is awesome…