How Mission: Impossible 7 Pays Tribute To The Late, Great Leonard Nimoy

Right after "Star Trek: The Original Series," the great Leonard Nimoy joined the cast of the CBS spy series, "Mission: Impossible," appearing through seasons 4 and 5 as The Great Paris. Nimoy was cast as a replacement for Martin Landau, who had departed the show, and he played an IMF agent with a past as a professional magician, which allowed him to play a critical role during missions as a master of disguises. The Great Paris brought a certain quality of sophisticated flamboyance to a show that mostly relied on a stark, business-like aesthetic, donning colorful shirts and bright neckties that made it impossible for him to not stand out. Given Paris' ability to wear several masks, Nimoy was able to slip into dynamic roles over the seasons, which were often accompanied by sharp, witty humor and an effortless cool factor that greatly benefited the series as a whole.

The legacy of "Mission: Impossible" as a blockbuster franchise still endures, with the film series' seventh installment, "Dead Reckoning Part One" just around the corner. The film boasts an interesting set of characters, including Pom Klementieff's Paris, a deadly antagonist who ends up fighting Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise). As the character's name suggests, Paris is a deliberate nod to Nimoy's unforgettable portrayal of The Great Paris in the "Mission: Impossible" television series. "Dead Reckoning Part One" invests more depth in this tribute to Nimoy by adorning Paris in outfits that stand in contrast to your standard "M:I" baddies — her outfits embrace a more rebellious, punk aura with the help of billowy trenchcoats, kilts, and face paint.

Klementieff spoke to Entertainment Weekly about this tribute and offered more insight into her colorful, complex character.

Per EW, "Dead Reckoning Part One" director Christopher McQuarrie, who previously helmed "Fallout" and "Rogue Nation," described Paris as an extremely chaotic element in the story, as she is someone who "destroys everything in her path." There must be a good reason behind her skilled ruthlessness, and it remains to be seen as to why she's a thorn in Hunt's mission, but the character footage revealed so far paints her as a rebel willing to go to any extremes. While Nimoy's character does not share a moral core with Paris, it is not difficult to glean that her effortless style is a deliberate nod to The Great Paris' eye-catching wardrobe, which also informs his character.

Klementieff told EW that her character did not have a name when he was cast for the role, but McQuarrie decided on Paris for various reasons, apart from the nod to Nimoy's magician-spy character:

"Christopher McQuarrie cast me for the role, he didn't know which name the character would have. It was cool to name me Paris, me being from France, and then they decided that I would speak French because I speak French in real life."

Paris' style is much more theatrical and deliberate than The Great Paris,' as she is seen sporting a Hisoka-esque teardrop in one of the film's official stills. Klementieff also commented on Paris' distinct look, stating that she is a "bit more punk and ... doesn't really give a f***," which adds to her appeal as a deadly assassin who sides with the film's primary antagonist, Gabriel (Esai Morales).

"Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One" hits theaters on July 12, 2023.