 DeForest Kelley is cast again as Leonard McCoy , doctor and the carrier of Spock 's living spirit . Kelley has the majority of the film 's memorable scenes , but admitted to occasional difficulties in acting with and being directed by his longtime co @-@ star . However , he has declared that he had no doubts about Nimoy 's ability to direct the film . Responding to suggestions that Star Trek copied Star Wars , Kelley asserted that the opposite was true . Playing the other crew members are James Doohan , as Montgomery Scott , the chief engineer ; George Takei , as Hikaru Sulu , Enterprise 's helmsman ; Walter Koenig , as Pavel Chekov , navigation and acting science officer ; and Nichelle Nichols , as Uhura , the ship 's communications officer . Nichols had always insisted on wearing a skirt ; although the standard female uniform used slacks , the costume designer created a skirted version specifically for her . Takei was dismayed to hear that his character was called " Tiny " by a guard at McCoy 's cell during the film , and argued with the film 's producer to have the line cut . When Takei saw the first screening of the film , he changed his mind and promptly apologized . He would later admit in his To the Stars : The Autobiography of George Takei that " without that snipe from [ the guard ] , the scene [ where Sulu eventually beats up that same guard ] would not have played even half as heroically for Sulu . " 
