In two brief statements, Star Trek director J.J. Abrams has praised his stars Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zoe Saldana (Uhura). Here are the excerpts.

"He's delivered a real performance," Abrams told the Los Angeles Times about Pine, "and it was amazing to watch."

Regarding Saldana, Abrams told TV Guide in a video interview "She's awesome in the movie. "She's fantastic. She's always a genius." zoesaldana.org