Leonard Nimoy On Verge of Retirement

After a more then 60 year career, Leonard Nimoy has told the Toronto Sun that he plans on hanging up his thespian skills. This is in line with statements over the last few months indicating his plan to stop acting and that 2010 would be his last on the Star Trek convention circuit. It seems a good time as the legendary Star Trek actor believes his time as Spock is over and his role as William Bell for Fringe has been completed.

“I want to get off the stage. Also, I don’t think it would be fair to Zachary Quinto,” he says, referring to the actor who portrayed a youthful Spock in last summer’s smash Star Trek relaunch. “He’s a terrific actor, he looks the part, and it’s time to give him some space. And I’m very flattered the character will continue.”

“I’ve been doing this professionally for 60 years,” he says with a laugh. “I love the idea of going out on a positive note. I’ve had a great, great time.”

“I was away from acting for 12 years, so I guess I was seducable,” Nimoy says. “But since J.J. Abrams revived the Star Trek franchise, I felt I owed him something. And I’m glad I did it because he promised me a good story, and it was.”

He describes each [convention] as “a love fest. I’m so grateful to the fans. I call these kind of experiences a victory lap ... It’s like having a family meeting — a family reunion.”

Leonard Nimoy's next convention will be at the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo in Canada with a stop at Vulcan, Alberta which has become the more or less official capital of Star Trek. When asked about Nimoy's retirement, the new Spock, Zachary Quinto said "There’s not even a script and Leonard just announced his retirement — he’s not going to do another movie. Frankly, Leonard has got a mind of his own and he’s going to do what he wants regardless of what other people tell him. I’m just glad that he’s my friend."