Poised to become the biggest blockbuster of 2009, "Star Trek" promises action, adventure and a whole new take on the early days of Captain Kirk, Spock and the U.S.S. Enterprise gang.

• Bruce Greenwood rides high of 'Star Trek'
• CTV.ca Trailers: Star Trek
• etalk extended: Cast of new 'Star Trek'
• etalk extended: Shatner dishes on new film
• In Pictures: 'Star Trek' Then and Now
• In Pictures: 'Star Trek' premiere

J.J. Abrams' prequel promises something more: Hollywood's next crop of box-office stars.

Before "Star Trek" speeds into theatres on May 8 check out these tidbits about the coolest bunch of kids to hit the galaxy since Flash Gordon.

Chris Pine (James. T. Kirk)

Age: 28

Born: Los Angeles

Best known roles:

• Hunky Nicholas Devereaux in "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (2004)
• Neo-Nazi skinhead Darwin Tremor in "Smokin' Aces" (2006)
• Music manager Jake Hardin in the Lindsay Lohan flick, "Just My Luck" (2006)

Who ever thought that playing a sappy love interest for Anne Hathaway in "The Princess Diaries 2" would lead Chris Pine to James T. Kirk, the smart-ass star cruiser of all time.

Dubbed by Variety magazine as one of 2008's "Top Ten Actors" to watch, Pine defeated "Cloverfield's" Mike Vogel to land this coveted role.

Early "Star Trek" clips show Pine to be an indomitable, rough-and-tumble Starfleet hero even Captain Kirk would envy.

It's a career-altering break for the University of California English graduate who landed his first acting gig in a 2003's episode of "ER."

But acting is in Pine's blood. His father, mother and late maternal grandmother were all actors. Pine's granny, Anne Gwynne, co-starred in 1940's sci-fi hit "Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe." His dad, Robert Pine, counts a 1996 episode of "Star Trek Voyager" in his credits.

From his Romulan smackdowns to the icy determination in Pine's blue eyes, this actor's intergalactic fame is a no brainer after "Star Trek" blasts off.

He's smart. He's funny. He's Brad Pitt but better. Warp speed ahead Mr. Pine. Live long and prosper!

Zachary Quinto (Mr. Spock)

Age: 31

Born: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Best known TV roles:

• Computer expert Adam Kaufman on "24" (Season 3, 2003)
• Sasan, Tori Spelling's haughty Persian-American pal, on "So noTORIous" (2006)
• Serial killer Sylar on "Heroes" (2006 - present)

Zachary who? Moviegoers won't ponder that one after the credits wrap on "Star Trek."

Making his feature film debut, Quinto plays Mr. Spock - one of the most iconic sci-fi characters of the last 60 years.

That's a jump of several light years for this 1999 drama school graduate from Carnegie Mellon University. But it's no surprise to Quinto.

In 2006, the half-Irish, half-Italian actor told an American interviewer that he felt he bore a strong resemblance to Leonard Nimoy, the original Mr. Spock. Lucky for Quinto, J.J. Abrams felt the same way.

In 2000, long shot Quinto made his TV debut in the short-lived series "The Others." Subsequent, short-lived roles followed on "CSI," "Six Feet Under" and "Lizzie McGuire."

But in a cast bravely stacked with little-known actors, Quinto's thoughtful exterior and rumbling inner emotions fit the bill for director Abrams and Nimoy.

In a recent SPACE interview Quinto credited Nimoy, his new best friend, for mentoring him on the many nuances in Spock's character. The end result? A spot-on performance poised to make Quinto a huge star - with or without the pointy Vulcan ears.

Zoe Saldana (Lieutenant Uhura)

Age: 30

Born: New Jersey, U.S.A.

Best known roles:

• The feisty pirate Anamaria in 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

We always knew Uhura was a total babe on the 1960s' "Star Trek" series. But even her brainy beauty is ramped up by American actress Zoe Saldana.

As "Star Trek's" leggy, fresh-faced communications officer, Saldana will have ensigns swooning faster than she can decode Romulan spy messages.

In fact, Saldana wanted to play Uhura because in a cabin full of men she was the only woman with a high rank.

Born in New Jersey and raised in Queens, New York, Saldana moved to the Dominican Republic at age 10 after her father's death. There she studied at the ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy, one of country's most prestigious dance schools.

Returning to the U.S. at 17, Saldana made her film debut in the 2000 dance drama "Centre Stage." That lead to roles in Britney Spears' 2000 flick "Crossroads," 2002's "Drumline" and Tom Hanks' 2004 drama "The Terminal."

Yet it was slapping Johnny Depp in 2003's "Pirates of the Caribbean" sequel that scored Saldana serious Hollywood attention - particularly from J.J. Abrams.

Smart, ballsy and unimpressed by smooth-talking flyboys like James T. Kirk, the steely-nerved Saldana should help make "Star Trek" a stunning ride.

Karl Urban (Leonard "Bones" McCoy)

Age: 36

Born: Wellington, New Zealand

Best known roles:

• Eomer, King of Rohan in the second and third instalments of "The Lord of the Rings"
• Russian assassin Kirill in 2004's "The Bourne Supremacy"
• Necromonger Commander Vaako in 2004's "The Chronicles of Riddick"

An acclaimed television actor in New Zealand, Urban landed his first serious acting role in 1993 in the TV series "Shortland Street." He played a paramedic. Call it a fateful foreshadowing of a future medical role: "Star Trek's" Dr. McCoy.

It's a gamble by Hollywood's standards. Yet in Urban J.J. Abrams found his youthful incarnation of the curmudgeonly Starfleet doctor who loathes space travel but can't live without it.

Seen on the internationally syndicated American TV series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," Urban got his big Hollywood break in 2002 in the horror film "Ghost Ship."

Good reviews scored Urban parts in "The Lord of the Rings," "The Bourne Supremacy" and "The Chronicles of Riddick."

Reportedly considered to play James Bond in the 2006 remake of "Casino Royale," the little-known actor lost out to Daniel Craig.

No worries Karl. After "Star Trek" blasts off, your days of losing to Daniel Craig are over.

Simon Pegg (Montgomery "Scotty" Scott)

Age: 39

Born: Gloucester, England

Best known roles:

• Shaun, the unhappy appliance man, in 2004's zombie comedy "Shaun of the Dead"
• Insecure ex-boyfriend Dennis Doyle in 2007's "Run Fatboy Run"
• Disillusioned writer Sydney Young in 2008's "How to Lose Friends & Alienate People."

It's true. Simon Pegg didn't leap at the chance to play Scotty, "Star Trek's" can-do engineer.

Known for British comedies like "Shaun of the Dead" and "Hot Fuzz," Pegg was the front-runner for the part.

Pegg was so overwhelmed by Abrams' offer that he emailed the director saying, 'I don't know if I can do it. It's too big.'" He emailed a second time saying, "Hang on, let me think about it."

His road to "Star Trek" indecision began in 1993, when the sharp wit moved to London to become a stand-up comic.

In 1995 Pegg's acclaimed one-man show attracted the interest of TV producers. That break lead to appearances on hit Brit shows like "Asylum" and "Six Pairs of Pants."

Pegg's sitcom "Spaced" (1998 to 2004), which he co-created and co-wrote with Jessica Stevenson, earned him a nomination for a British Comedy Award.

TV fame lead to Pegg's film debut in the 1999 comedy, "Guest House Paradiso." He later appeared in 2005's "Mission Impossible III" and 2007's "Run Fatboy Run."

Peg's youthful Scotty is galaxies far away from the great engineer he'll become. But his portrayal should have Trekkies toasting him with their best Saurian Brandy!

John Cho (Sulu)

Age: 36

Born: Seoul, South Korea

Best known roles:

• John, the guy who coined the expression "MILF" (Mother I'd Like F**k) in 1999's "American Pie"
• Investment banker Harold Lee in 2004's "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle"

In a recent interview on SPACE John Cho described working with George Takei, "Star Trek's" original Mr. Sulu. Takei encouraged the nervous actor with these words: "Don't worry about...soon they'll be calling me the old John Cho."

Playing the famed "Star Trek" helmsman was a dream come true for Cho, particularly since Asian-Americans considered Takei a hero for representing their ethnic group so positively on TV.

Fencing, top-notch piloting skills, advanced physics...Cho does it all as Sulu, the biggest role of his career.

It's a far cry from Cho's early days as a teen model for Korean magazines - something he did after he and his family moved to Los Angeles in 1978.

Launching his acting career in local theatre, this 1996 English graduate from the University of Berkeley scored his first big-screen success with 1999's "American Pie."

Cho followed that comic hit with 2004's "Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle."

Named one of People magazine's sexiest men alive in 2006, Cho's sleek presence and deadly way with a fencing blade should help "Star Trek" kill at the summer box office.

Anton Yelchin (Pavel Chekov)

Age: 20

Born: Leningrad, USSR

Best known roles:

• Lonely boy Bobby Garfield in 2001's "Hearts in Atlantis"
• Murder victim Zack Mazursky in 2006's "Alpha Dog"
• The wealthy teen hero in 2007's "Charlie Bartlett"

The son of star Russian figure skaters Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin, Anton Yelchin is used to celebrity. Good thing. It'll come in handy when "Star Trek" mega-fame comes calling this summer.

From Chekov's thick Eastern European accent to his frustrated mumbles at the helm of U.S.S. Enterprise, Yelchin plays it smart in fast in "Star Trek's" early previews.

No big surprise to Moviefone.com. In 2008 Yelchin ranked 12th on their list of "The 25 Hottest Actors Under 25."

Living in America since 1989, Yelchin launched his film career at nine in the indie feature "A Man is Mostly Water." Small roles followed in 2000's "A Time for Dancing" and 2001's "Delivering Milo."

In 2001 the 11-year-old actor got his first taste of fame co-starring with Anthony Hopkins in the drama, "Hearts in Atlantis." That movie, plus the 2004 comedy "House of D," lead Yelchin to TV roles on "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "Huff" and the mini-series "Taken."

The precocious actor bagged the role of Chekov without ever seeing the "Star Trek" series. After watching it, Yelchin described the youngest officer in Starfleet like "a Cold War stereotype meets Davey Jones."

Look for Yelchin later this summer in "Terminator Salvation."