I apologize if this has already been asked but I couldn’t find it in the archives. Let’s say the Star Trek franchise is going back to basics and therefore is going re-do the original TV series. The plan is to go with younger actors for Kirk, Spock, McCoy, Scotty, Uhura, et al. (May DeForest Kelley rest in peace.) Who would you cast in the roles?
Are you talking current actors, or just who was available in 1965?
Oh, okay, misunderstood the question. So you want a remake of the original series starting now with the characters recast? What would be the point of that?
Now, a 1965 example is potentially more interesting, since we can play “what if” games with actors like Jeffrey Hunter or Robert Vaugn (who would have made a wicked captain, incidentally).
Throw in Natalie Wood as Yeoman Rand, too.
Assuming we were talking about a remake of ST:TOS as a movie or series with modern actors:
Possibilities for Kirk: Nathan Fillion, Kurt Russell, Russel Crowe, George Clooney.
Spock: Kevin Spacey, Gary Sinise
Uhura: Halle Berry
McCoy: Fred Thompson, John Malkovich
Kirk–Harrison Ford
Spock–Pierce Brosnan
Make it all female and have tryouts at a local university.
Kirk: Jude Law
Spock: John Cusack
McCoy: Sam Waterston
Uhura: Queen Latifah
Sulu: Gedde Watanabe
Chekov: Colin Farrell
Scotty: Daniel Day-Lewis
Rand: Reese Witherspoon
Chapel: Bonnie Hunt
…I don’t think it would work. The characters are too defined by the actors that played them for 20-odd years. I mean, hell, I see Leonard Nimoy, I think Spock–and I’m not exactly into Star Trek.
Oh come on, use your imagination. You’re telling me that James Bond and Batman/Bruce Wayne can be played by numerous different actors, but that Kirk and Spock are sacrosanct and can only be played by Shatner and Nimoy. That’s just sillly.
Why is that so silly? I don’t think Paramount will give the roles to anyone else. And I’d say that the opinion of the suits at Paramount are the only ones who count.
Zev Steinhardt
I dunno. I always thought it would be interesting to film Harlan Ellison’s original script for “The City On The Edge Of Forever”. The hardcore trekkies would sell their souls to see THAT.
But it ain’t gonna happen with Shatner, Nimoy, and Joan Collins. You’d have to get new actors. And Paramount’s permission, of course. And Ellison’s, as well, although he’d probably go with it as long as the script wasn’t rewritten.
I say we make it the ultimate action movie:
Kirk: Kurt Russel
Spock: Arnold Schwarzenegger
McCoy: Tommy Lee Jones
Uhura: Halle Berry
Sulu: Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa
Chekhov: Dolph Lundgren
Scotty: Mel Gibson
Rand: Natasha Henstridge
Chapel: Charlize Theron
I’ve been thinking that this is exactly what needs to be done to re-invent the movie series. The Star Trek fanchise needs to be more like the Bond franchise.
So I have two casts.
Kirk Russell Crowe
Spock Rafe Fines
McCoy Kevin Spacey
or
Kirk Brad Pitt
Spock Jude Law
McCoy Kevin Spacey or Gary Sinise
No battle in a nebula and no trying to blow up the ship.
Kirk - Will Smith
Spock - Jeff Goldblum
The cast of Star Trek: Ego Trip
Kirk: William Shatner
Spock: William Shatner
McCoy: William Shatner
Uhura: Tyra Banks
Scotty: William Shatner
Sulu: William Shatner
Chekhov: William Shatner
Rand: Heidi Klum
Chapel: Rebecca Romijn Stamos
Oh. My. God. No!
(Diceman shoves blowero into the photon torpedo tube and hits Fire) 
I guess you’re right. We wouldn’t want a Kirk who overacts.
In similar fashion to what No Clue Boy suggested:
Kirk - Ali Larter
Spock - Mena Suvari
McCoy - Heather Matarazzo
Scotty - Tara Spencer-Nairn (click ‘Photo Gallery’ for pictures)
Uhura - Rob Brown (click ‘Photo Gallery’ for pictures)
Sulu - Ziyi Zhang
Chekov - Clea DuVall
Sulu: Jason Scott Lee
Edwardina: That was brilliant. Good eye!