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STRANGE CONNECTION

Star Trek’s Zachary Quinto discovers spooky Spock link in his ancestry & how his relative may be behind famous saying

STAR Trek's Zachary Quinto has discovered a spooky connection to his Spock character while studying his ancestry.

Quinto explored his heritage on the new season of the NBC show, Who Do You Think You Are?, and learned of a connection between his character and his great-grandfather.

Quinto played Spock for the first time in 2009
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Quinto played Spock for the first time in 2009Credit: Getty
Quinto is known for his work in the Star Trek films
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Quinto is known for his work in the Star Trek filmsCredit: Getty
Quinto will appear on the NBC show, Who Do You Think You Are? tonight
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Quinto will appear on the NBC show, Who Do You Think You Are? tonightCredit: NBC
Quinto researched his great-grandfather, P.J. McArdle
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Quinto researched his great-grandfather, P.J. McArdleCredit: NBC

Quinto played Spock in the 2009 Star Trek film.

He went on to play the character again in Star Trek Into Darkness in 2012 and also in 2016's Star Trek Beyond.

On the NBC show, Quinto explored his heritage, including his great-grandfather, P.J. McArdle.

In researching McArdle, Quinto learned of a letter that his great-grandfather wrote in 1899 to the editor of The Amalgamated Journal.

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McArdle used a phrase that Star Trek fans will recognize - and one that is synonymous with Quinto's Spock character.

In the letter, McArdle wrote: "May it live long and prosper."

The quote is shockingly similar to Spock's "Live long and prosper."

Quinto called the connection "insane."

"The fact that a hundred and fifteen years later, or something, I would get cast a character who is known for that very phrase… There was something about it that felt bigger than me… There was something about it that felt kind of cosmic," Quinto said.

Quinto's Spock character would be created 67 years later by Gene Roddenberry for Star Trek.

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On the NBC show, it's revealed that the famous Star Trek quote comes from Rip Van Winkle, which is a play that was famous during McArdle's lifetime.

Quinto's episode of the show airs tonight at 7pm ET on NBC and is also available to stream on Peacock.

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