In many ways,Christopher Lloyd’s appearance as Commander Kruge in 1984’sStar Trek III: The Search for Spockis not just a role that the actor loved playing, but was a hugely important role in defining the Klingon race for the entire future of theStar Trekfranchise. In a recent interview withVariety, Lloyd reflected on his role in the often underrated entry in the long-running sci-fi saga.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spockhad a tough act to followwhen it was released 40 years ago. Coming in the wake ofStar Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which remains the best film in the franchise for many fans,The Search for Spockoften gets overlooked despite the movie being a direct continuation of the story. As William Shatner’s Kirk and his crew attempt to carry out the titular task, they come up against one of the most iconic villain groups of theStar Trekuniverse; the Klingons.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock
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 asJim Ignatowski in the sitcomTaxi.However, despite playing a menacing villain, Lloyd recalled wanting to give Kruge some relatable attributes that audiences could latch onto. He said:
“I loved it. I tried to find out what it is about this guy that I could relate to an audience whereby they will feel something about themselves in this guy – even if it’s someone you don’t want at your dinner table. It doesn’t change his undesirable traits, but I want the audience to feel they not engaged with somebody off a different planet, they’re engaged with somebody they can talk to.”
Christopher Lloyd Became a Klingon Trailblazer
While the Klingons first appeared inStar Trek: The Original Series, making their debut in the 1967 episode “Errand of Mercy,” they were a long way from the iconic villains they would become over the decades. Similar in many ways toDoctor Who’s Cybermen and Daleks, the first appearance of the Klingons was strong enough to resonate with fans, but left a lot of room for development.
Much of that development started to take shape inThe Search for Spock, as the Klingon race was finally given its own expansive language, building on the first words spoken in Klingon by James Doohan’s character inStar Trek: The Motion Picturein 1979. When Lloyd stepped into the role of Kruge, there were still many aspects of the Klingons to be expanded on, and his portrayal became a kind of blueprint for many versions that followed.
The Best Christopher Lloyd Movies, Ranked
The legendary actor Christopher Lloyd is renowned for his eclectic and impressive acting resume, with a Hollywood career spanning nearly five decades.
For Lloyd himself, while best known for histime-traveling adventures with Michael J. Fox inBack to the Future, his villainous tendencies did shine through in several notable performances. Among these, his toonesque role as Judge Doom inWho 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.
Star Trek III: The Search for Spockis available to stream along with most of theStar Trekfranchise on Paramount+.
