Leonard Nimoy was an incredible actor, with the kind of talent that could make any aspiring actor jealous. That’s exactly what made his portrayal of Spock so remarkable.

In another actor’s hands, Mr. Spock could have been little more than a cardboard caricature of an alien. Instead, Nimoy elevated the role into an intelligent, dignified cultural icon. So while Nimoy was great at playing the part, it's not easy being Spock.

While fans loved Nimoy for Spock, Nimoy had a mission in mind when he accepted the role, and it went beyond entertaining the masses.

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He’d already racked up dozens of film and television roles before Star Trek, but none quite satisfied his ambitions as an actor. He had made a name for himself, but there was still one itch he hadn’t been able to scratch until he boarded the Enterprise.

Turns out, Nimoy wasn’t just looking for a role. He was looking a purpose.

Following Nimoy’s death, The Associated Press published a profile that included a 2009 quote revealing what truly motivated him. Earlier in his career, Nimoy was drawn to a role because of its social implications, and that experience helped chart the course for the rest of his career.

At 17, Nimoy played a young Jewish man in a production of Clifford Odets’ play Awake and Sing! The role left a lasting impression.

"The role, the young man surrounded by a hostile and repressive environment, so touched a responsive chord that I decided to make a career of acting," Nimoy said.

That performance, and the character he played, sparked a lifelong desire to pursue acting work that had a social impact. It was something Nimoy carried with him throughout his career.

"I’ve fulfilled that dream, including Star Trek, for that matter," Nimoy said. "If that’s part of the legacy, then I’m very pleased with that. I would hope the work I chose to do had some reason for being done other than just simply being a job."