The affection Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto have for each other is apparent in interviews the Star Trek leading men have done for Out Magazine published Monday (6 May).

Pine, who plays Spock in the franchise, says he knew Quinto (Mr. Spock) was gay from the moment he met him.

‘It was just who Zach was and that’s that,’ he says. ‘I’m sensitive, and I don’t ever want to make anyone feel uncomfortable. Knowing that for Zach it was more about a career thing and that he was not comfortable at the time coming out — it was fine. It was something that we kind of tiptoed around and I just took it as a given, because that’s what he wanted.’

But he was glad when, in the fall of 2011, Quinto came out in a low-profile way in a profile in New York Magazine.

‘So happy for him, oh man. I thought it was rad,’ he said. ‘It was really, really cool. He did it on his own time, on his own schedule. And Jonathan [Groff], who he’s dating, is such a lovely man. He’s a good guy and a great actor, and they make a fantastic couple. I couldn’t have been happier for Zach.’

In his interview, Quinto describes Pine as ‘fiercely intelligent’ and ‘endlessly curious about himself and the world around him.’

He adds: ‘He is really compassionate. He is really reliable. Authentic. Loyal. Enormously talented.’

‘I have been very lucky to work with people by and large whom I would love to spend time with outside of work,’ Quinto says. ‘The cast of Star Trek – and Chris in particular – really rank at the top of that list, because we all experienced something so profound and transformed as a result of that together. And to watch what Chris has done with that has really inspired me. I’m grateful to be his friend.’