Kirk Casting...

[Temis the Vorta]

Point is I think they're going to make the choice not based on "looks like Shatner" but more of "he embodies the qualities of James T. Kirk."

They could have both if they would only cast Eion Bailey. By "embody the qualities," I assume you're talking about something other than acting talent (which we would always want, regardless of everything else), more along the lines of innate persona. Quinto is a talented actor but he also has the "intelligent outsider" persona that Nimoy projected, which I think is something you have to be born with, it's not really governed by acting talent. If he were given a role where that persona were totally wrong, he'd have to fight against it in the role. Much better to give him a role where his persona works FOR him.

Same with Bailey. He's already demonstrated in Band of Brothers that his persona is "sincere, straight-arrow hero" - that's Kirk's core the way "intelligent outsider" is Spock's core. He's got the right looks, persona and talent, I really don't see what the hold-up is here!

 

[fudgefase]

"Well, the first Kirk was Canadian."

Oops, sorry, forgot. Yes, to us Brits, a nice, soft American accent tends to be a Canadian one. But you guys aren't so hot on Brit accents either (Scottish/Irish etc), so let's not make an issue out of this - we're all brothers and sisters in the Trek universe.

 

[fudgefase]

Just for the hell of it, I ran TOS captain Kirks face through the my heritage face recognition site. I got - Heath Ledger, John Travolta, Mick Fleetwood (there's a scary thought for Shatner),Vin Deisel, KD Lang(!), Ryan Renolds and Marc Almond. Bizarrely enough, I didn't get William Shatner....
I realise all it does is poo poo the face recognition software they have, but if anyone's got better stuff, put in the face and see what comes out.