Leonard Nimoy's Son on 'Star Trek Beyond,' Zachary Quinto and His 'Spockumentary'

Adam Nimoy and his father on the poster for ‘For the Love of Spock’ (Tribeca Film Festival)

Now entering its fifth decade as one of science fiction’s most durable brand names, Star Trek is poised to live long and prosper for another 50 years. This summer brings another chapter in the rebooted big-screen franchise, Star Trek Beyond, with an all-new TV series to follow in early 2017. And few understand the enduring appeal of Star Trek better than Adam Nimoy, who has grown up with the franchise that made his father, the late Leonard Nimoy, an internationally (and intergalactically) renowned actor. As the younger Nimoy told Yahoo Movies in a Facebook Live conversation on Tuesday, he was 8 years old when he saw the first images of Spock, the eminently logical Vulcan his father would be playing on Gene Roddenberry’s groundbreaking science fiction series. “My dad came home with these two Polaroids, and it blew my mind. I was so excited by what he was doing.”

Related: Remembering Leonard Nimoy’s Movie Career

Nimoy’s new film, For the Love of Spock, was conceived as a tribute to his father, who passed away in February 2015, as well as a tribute to Spock, who long ago achieved pop culture immortality. Premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival, the documentary — or, as Nimoy calls it, a “Spock-umentary” — chronicles the evolution of both the actor and the character he created. It’s also a very personal account of Nimoy’s sometimes-fraught relationship with his father, who he says was “reinvigorated” by J.J. Abrams’s 2009 Star Trek reboot, where Nimoy reprised his iconic role and also helped anoint a new Spock, Zachary Quinto. (Quinto appeared alongside Nimoy at a special Tribeca tribute.) “It was a really sweet way to end his career. I can’t even describe the effect it had on my dad. It was so energizing.”

Related: Watch our interview with Adam Nimoy

You can watch our entire conversation with Adam Nimoy on the Yahoo Movies Facebook page, but here are a few highlights.

He’s Beyond Excited for Star Trek Beyond
Nimoy brought his camera to the Vancouver set of Beyond to interview the cast about working with his father on the 2009 Star Trek and its sequel, Into Darkness. “They were really affected by his presence,” he remembers. “They really enjoyed having him and felt validated by him passing the baton.” While he wasn’t shown any footage, he and his producer, David Zappone, did take a moment to explore the set. “We snuck onto the bridge of a starship. There was no lighting in there, so we were using our phones to see. David knew right away to go to the plaque by the Turbolift, which tells you what ship they’re on to try and give us some clues. Other than that, I’m waiting with anticipation for Beyond.”

He Couldn’t Be Happier with Zachary Quinto’s Spock
Leonard Nimoy will forever be the one, true Spock, but as far as both father and son are concerned, Zachary Quinto was the perfect person to inherit the role for the movies. “He had a special relationship with my dad,” Nimoy says. “I think he looked at him as a kind of father figure. I love what he’s doing and feel comfortable that we got the right guy.”

Spock and Kirk Were a “Dynamic” Duo
In the wake of Nimoy’s passing last year, his co-star and lifelong friend, William Shatner, raised more than a few eyebrows when he was unable to attend the funeral and addressed an apparent falling-out in the press. But Shatner is effusive with his praise for Nimoy in For the Love of Spock, and the director says the two were genuine friends. “Bill really admired and loved my dad, and I think he really has been mourning my dad this past year. They had a dynamic relationship with lots of ups and downs.”

For the Love of Spock Will Be Coming Soon to a Galaxy Near You
Following its Tribeca premiere, Nimoy will be taking For the Love of Spock on the road, hosting additional festival screenings and also special showings for the Kickstarter contributors who funded the film. And he hopes that wider distribution will be coming, preferably in tandem with the July 22 release of Star Trek Beyond. “There’s still so much to explore and new stories to tell. Star Trek is a great venue to do that. It’s always exciting to see what they come up with next.”