Star Trek actor Zachary Quinto is heading over the pond to make his debut on the London stage. Quinto will be taking on the role of acclaimed, gay writer Gore Vidal in the play Best Of Enemies.
Written by James Graham, Best of Enemies takes place in 1968. It dramatizes a nightly TV debate show between the conservative William F.Buckley Jr. and the more liberal Vidal.
The nightly debates about the state of the nation came at a time when the country was deeply divided by protests, both around civil rights and the Vietnam war. The influential clashes between the two men went on to impact both US politics and television news.
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The play first played at London's Old Vic in December 2021. Critics praised the show, which subsequently picked up a clutch of awards. Actor David Harewood (Homeland) will return from the original production to take on the role of Buckley.
Other famous characters in the play include Andy Warhol, James Baldwin, Patricia Buckley, Howard Austen, Aretha Franklin, and Martin Luther-King.
In a statement, Quinto said: "Living and working in London has long been an aspiration of mine. But to be making my West End debut in such a thrilling and relevant play - amongst such a distinguished creative team - and playing such a scorching and complex character as Gore Vidal - far exceeds my expectations of what living and working in London would look like. I'm full of gratitude and excitement.
"Best of Enemies harkens back to a vital time - when genuine discourse was possible from even the most opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. My hope is that such discourse may be once again rekindled in response to the work itself."
Quinto has previously trod the boards Stateside in Angels in America and The Boys in the Band, among other productions.
Best of Enemies will run at the Noël Coward Theatre from 14 November for 14 Weeks, with opening night on Monday 28 November. Tickets went on sale this morning.
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