By Robbie Graham
UPDATED: 23 May, 2013
Thanks to Alejandro Rojas at OpenMinds.TV for going that extra mile in seeking out the actual video chat between NASA and the cast and crew of Star Trek Into Darkness discussed but not shown in the original reporting of this story.
The previously “unnamed” astronaut referred to by Alice Eve on Jimmy Kimmel Live turns out to be Michael Fincke. Joining him in the Google Hangout was Kjell Lindgren at the Johnson Space Center and Chris Cassidy aboard the International Space Station.
Director J.J. Abrams (who also wrote and directed the UFO movie Super 8 in 2011) was unable to participate in the live event. His “alien” question to the astronauts was posed in a pre-recorded video. Abrams said:
“I wish I could be there, but I couldn’t attend, so I am doing this very important question on video, which is the following. I talked to an astronaut once who told me on one of his missions he actually did see something really strange that he couldn’t explain that made him believe in extraterrestrial life, and my question to you is. Have either of you ever seen anything that made you believe that, or something you couldn’t explain or couldn’t understand, that you didn’t really necessarily share with the public, but that you want to share with us now? Thanks”.
Fincke replied:
“That was a great question from J.J., we get that question a lot. We all want to know, ‘are we the only ones out there?’And Star Trek helps us imagine what it could be like if there were other creatures, other people, other species. I spent a whole year in space, 381 days, but it is only 240 miles up, so that’s not very far in cosmic terms. So we think as we go farther out, and into the universe, we might find something out there that we don’t know about. I have never seen anything, maybe Kjell will on his mission, but I think as we go farther out, with the inspiration we get from you guys making these great feats of imagination and excitement, the movies that you make, inspire us to be our best as human beings on planet earth.”
Star Trek Into Darkness writer and producer Damon Lindelof then commented,“What a great answer. Mike, can you confirm you have not been taken over by aliens? It felt a little too polished.”
Fincke replied, “No, I have done this before and I am an American human being who loves being part of our space program, and we all look up to you guys to inspire us.”
“Now we know something is seriously wrong,” said Lindelof.
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British actress Alice Eve is convinced that NASA is hiding information about alien life. During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Eve – who co-starred in Star Trek Into Darkness and Men In Black 3 – described taking a trip to NASA’s Johnson Space Flight Center in Houston, Texas last Thursday, where she and her Trek co-stars Chris Pine and John Cho, as well as the film’s writer Damon Lindelof and its director J.J. Abrams, made a Skype call to an unnamed astronaut aboard the International Space Station (ISS).
"That was definitely the coolest thing we've done,” Eve told Kimmel, adding that her director had once spoken to an astronaut who believed he had seen alien life. Eve continued:
“J.J. asked this question [to the ISS astronaut], 'So have you seen alien life?'... and the response that these guys at the NASA base gave us... was so rehearsed and so clear that they had seen (aliens).”
“Interesting,” Kimmel replied. “So you believe that there’s a party line that they’re given and they kinda have to regurgitate it?”
“Well, I don’t know. I’m not saying I believe that...”Said Eve. The actress then leaned in toward her host and whispered in his ear: “but I believe that.”
Eve's comments begin at counter reading 1:12 in the video below...
