Star Trek writer and producer Roberto Orci probably shouldn't be so open next time he's talking about Mr Spock.

The Mexican-born film-maker wrote JJ Abrams's reboot of Star Trek and its sequel Star Trek Into Darkness, as well as producing this year's Star Trek Beyond, and used a racial slur to describe the iconic character in an interview with Variety.

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. #StarTrek producer: "I always thought of Mr. Spock as a Latino, he’s an alien, an immigrant" https://t.co/6qfRrYgyV6 pic.twitter.com/wzc4ESTimx — Variety (@Variety) November 2, 2016

"I always thought of Mr Spock as a Latino, he's an alien, an immigrant. Just between us, and only I can say this, I personally used to call him Mr Spic," Orci revealed to audible gasps.

Ironically, he was talking at Variety's #Inclusion Summit when he made the racial slur.

Responding to the crowd's reaction, Orci continued: "I said that not as a way to denigrate him, but as a way to get in touch with what it's like for an alien to come into what looks like a great world."

It didn't stop people from sharing their outrage at the phrase on Twitter:

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Roberto Orci did something worse than writing Star Trek Into Darkness. https://t.co/sL2o6ZiDtV — David Neary (@DeusExCinema) November 1, 2016

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The #Racist comments made by #RobertoOrci regarding #Spock show he has never understood the character he is writing. Gene would be disgusted — Scott nixon (@MrBrokenEyes) November 2, 2016

This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Mr. Spic?!! what the actual fuck Roberto Orci?!!! — A Children of the Night (@Junsocko) November 2, 2016

Mr. Spock was of course played by the legendary Leonard Nimoy, before Zachary Quinto took over the role in the rebooted trilogy.

Talking to Digital Spy recently, Leonard's son Adam said that his dad had no intention to retire from the role.

Nimoy Archive / CBS

"He was in the original pilot episode of Star Trek and the only cast member to continue on into this new JJ Abrams incarnation," Adam explained.

"That was a great source of pride for my father. It have him real sense of meaning to his life and a real book-end, real closure to his professional career."

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