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Saavik also appeared in subsequent “Star Trek” movies, though Kirstie Alley did not. Robin Curtis took over the role from Alley in “Star Trek III: The Search for Spock” and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.” Curtis would also end up appearing in an oddly similar role in the final season of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” when she played Tellera, a Romulan disguised as a Vulcan in the two-part episode “Gambit.”
Both William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy — who respectively played Capt. James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock — would later share in Shatner’s book “Star Trek Movie Memories” that Alley’s decision not to return was down to money. As quoted by Shatner, Alley said that her offer from Paramount came in shockingly low, which led her to believe that the studio simply wasn’t interested in having her play the role. The actress would also comment on this matter in a 2016 interview with StarTrek.com. “That never made sense to me,” she remarked. “Like, you’re not paying as much as the first one, and it’s a bigger role? It just didn’t make sense to me.”
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In this sense, “Star Trek” didn’t just change Alley’s life by giving her a big break. In turning down “Star Trek III,” she was freed up to accept the role of Rebecca Howe in “Cheers,” a role that, far more than Saavik, would end up defining her career.
