Ethan Peck is just enjoying his journey on 'Star Trek: Strange New Worlds'

Whether dumb luck or just the keen eye of a casting director, the “Star Trek” franchise has caught lightning in the bottle three times with a character that’s turned out to be iconic and timeless.

Mr. Spock, first portrayed by Leonard Nimoy, appeared in the original “Star Trek” series and its subsequent films, creating a character that endeared himself to fans inside and outside of the science fiction realm.

Zachary Quinto took on the role of first officer and ambassador from Vulcan and performed the seemingly impossible, making the role his own in a trilogy of films in a “Star Trek” movie reboot that takes place in the Kelvin timeline (yeah, no getting too far into the time travel weeds here).

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Now Ethan Peck, 37, an actor who began his ascent to overnight success as a teen on “That ‘70s Show,” has taken a young Mr. Spock and mined the character for even more material and depth of feeling with the prequel series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” which streams on Paramount+.

While fans eagerly await the start of the second season (a third has already been greenlit and is set to start filming in the coming weeks), Peck is appearing at pop culture conventions across the country – such as FanExpo at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland March 24-26.

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Peck’s Spock is definitively different from this predecessors’ portrayals. Introduced in the second season of “Star Trek: Discovery,” in a season-long arc involving his sister, the character’s conflict between his human and Vulcan backgrounds rages. Making the character his own certainly offers its challenges for Peck. Three actors mean three personalities, three perspectives.

“Whatever I am is a part of this character of Spock in ‘Strange New Worlds,’” Peck said during a recent phone conversation.

By the same token, he along with the show’s writers are getting the opportunity to go where no other actor has gone before – to Spock’s youth with Capt. Christopher Pike (Anson Mount) and the Starship Enterprise before it was under the command of James T. Kirk. That allows the character plenty of breathing room for character development.

“I think (the writers) are really honing in on him, discovering his humanness. And that's always a conflict for Spock ... the conflict between Vulcan and human within him,” he said. “And I think that they are having a lot of fun with me exploring what it's like to be human for Spock and maybe his comedic possibilities.”

Ethan Peck is at ease with Spock and his family legacy

At this point, he sounds at ease with the role, his portraying a character that’s considered iconic and knowing that the actor who originated it is considered a legend in “Trek” fandom. But for those above a certain age, his last name rings like the bell at a church chapel at noon. His grandfather, Gregory Peck, is a Hollywood legend.

In 1999, the American Film Institute named him the 12^th greatest male star of its "100 Years...100 Stars" list. In 2003, the AFI named Gregory Peck’s signature role of Atticus Finch from the adaption of Harper Lee’s novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” the No. 1 hero in film.

Some might think he carries the weight of two legacies. Not so – at least not any longer.

“I think that's something that was maybe more on the surface for me as a younger person, as a child,” he said. “And that's sort of so long ago, been tucked into my and under my subconscious.”

He recognizes what his grandfather accomplished, but is also pragmatic enough to understand that was then, this is now.

“I'm just trying to enjoy my journey,” he said, “and better understand myself for who I am and for the things that I'm getting to do.”

Ethan Peck appreciates doing conventions

Appearing at conventions inevitably becomes a part of most “Trek” actors’ careers. Peck will appear Friday with Mount and Saturday by himself along with doing autograph and photo sessions at FanExpo in Cleveland.

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It could be grueling, but he’s developed appreciation for it because he understands his situation could be vastly different. He mentions a friend who is the romantic lead on a television series who has to deal with fans obsessing over him in starry-eyed way. “Trek” fans, he said, have told him why Spock – his version – inspires them.

“The convention experience has been really incredible. I get to travel places, meet people that are really passionate about what I'm doing, about the world that I'm a part of, about the ideas that we are proliferating with this television show, which are ideas of acceptance and unity and curiosity.”

Therein comes his personal payoff.

“And that's really rewarding to see the sort of response in the people that watch our television show,” he said. “So, it's really multifaceted. I get to meet a lot of people and go places, and I get to meet people that in turn inspire me.”

George M. Thomas dabbles in movies and television for the Beacon Journal. Reach him at gthomas@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @ByGeorgeThomas

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Ethan Peck puts his personality in latest 'Star Trek' series