Quinto ready to quit acting before 'Heroes'

Heroes star Zachary Quinto has admitted that he was on the verge of quitting acting before landing a role on the hit show.

The 31-year-old, who will play the young Spock in the forthcoming Star Trek movie, revealed that he had been having serious doubts about his profession.

He told TV Guide: "I was in the depths of despair to the point where I couldn't get out of bed. I was about to turn 30, which is a notoriously tumultuous time for people, and I was dealing with career obstacles that were profound - a real existential crisis.

"I was asking myself: 'What's the point of all this? Why am I even in the game anymore?'"

His villainous character Sylar has proved so popular with the show's fans that he has his own evil internet army.