Damn Dirty Apes: 5 Ape Characters From ‘Planet Of The Apes’

Dr. Zira

Played by Kim Hunter and Helena Bonham Carter, Dr. Zira is Dr. Cornelius’ more liberal scientist comrade (and fiance). She’s the best hope for Charlton Heston‘s character, an astronaut stranded on a planet populated by talking apes (and silent, animalistic humans). She’s the one who discovers that the astronaut, who was wonded in the throat, preventing him from speaking, appeared to be intelligent. Nice work, Zira!

Dr. Zaius

Probably the most famous ape in “Planet of the Apes,” Dr. Zaius is the chief bad guy of the story, thanks to his firm and dogmatic belief in the backwards ways of ape culture. As a result of his zealous distrust of science, Zaius refuses to believe the evidence at hand that Taylor, Charlton Heston’s astronaut, is capable of intelligent thought.