Injuries are common things on movie sets, and it may sound unfortunate for many, but for Chris Pine, it is a badge of honor. The actor literally called the incident “fun” after getting a black eye from Star Trek Beyond co-star Idris Elba.
Pine played Captain James T. Kirk in the famed science fiction movie, while Elba portrayed the villainous Krall. The mishap happened while the two actors were on the set, and the latter believed Pine started it.
Idris Elba Revealed The Truth Behind Chris Pine’s Black Eye
During an interview with Extra, actor Idris Elba revealed that Chris Pine loved the contusion he got from throwing fake punches. The make-up artists could have used concealer on it, but Pine seemed to have refused. Elba stated:
“He tried it with me, man. I was like, ‘Boom, have that.’ He’s a show-off, man. We could have covered it up; he just wanted to show everyone that he had a shiner.”
Pine admitted they used his shiner in the movie. It’s not unusual for the actor to play a character with a pretty banged-up face. He seems to love and embody that signature look. Still, there were no ill feelings between the two stars after the accident. In another interview via The Hollywood Reporter, Elba shared the same story:
“We had laughs. Chris and I had laughs, and then I gave him a black eye. Well, we were doing a fight scene, and he got a bit cheeky, and I was just like pow! I didn’t mean to do it, but Chris was quite proud of it.”
Director Justin Lin also commented about the incident, stating that the black eye worked well for the character all throughout the film:
“This cast goes all out, and I like to challenge them. We were shooting this third-act fight, and I kept pushing to get the right angle to the point where Chris just got hit. Continuity-wise, it worked out. That black eye played so well in the rest of the movie.”
Elba admitted that his Star Trek experience was unnerving because, at the time, he was the new guy in a place where everyone had been working together since 2009, but he managed to get by:
“The cast and producers and the crew are really welcoming, but it’s daunting. You walk in, and you are supposed to be a leading guy and bring this new energy. And it’s a lot when you think about it.”
Star Trek Beyond grossed over $343 million at the box office, an underwhelming performance for a huge franchise. The reported reason for this was its untimely release alongside other summer blockbuster films, such as Suicide Squad and Ghostbusters.
Chris Pine Gets Candid About The Future Of Star Trek
As a long-enduring franchise with a solid fan base, it is difficult for Star Trek to avoid comparison with other giant movie empires such as Marvel and Star Wars. But, for Chris Pine, Star Trek was not built for that kind of business.
However, he shared in an interview with Esquire how, after years since the last film was released, the franchise starts to feel like it is heading for doom. Pine confessed:
“After the last one came out and didn’t do the $1 billion that everyone wanted it to do, and then Anton—Yelchin, who played Chekov—passed away, I don’t know. It just seemed… feels like it’s cursed.”
Fans don’t really think there is a jinx in the system, but the actor admitted the movie franchise does not feel like it is moving forward.
