William Shatner Is Still Bitter Over A Problem With Star Trek Co-Stars
William Shatner says his old Star Trek co-star George Takei is "bitter and embittered."
It’s no secret that William Shatner hasn’t always had the closest relationships with his Star Trek co-stars. Chief amongst these antagonistic bonds is his relationship with George Takei, who starred as Sulu. Shatner addressed these strained relations when he talked with The Times UK saying “These people are bitter and embittered.”
When speaking to The Times UK, William Shatner specifically mentioned George Takei, saying “George has never stopped blackening my name.” Whether or not Shatner is in the right here, he’s not wrong that Takei definitely has his issues with him. Most recently, Takei poked fun at Shatner’s trip to space on Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, bringing up his age and fitness level.
Of course, William Shatner has seen Star Trek actors other than George Takei voice their displeasure with him. Other cast members like Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, James Doohan, and Leonard Nimoy all had issues with Shatner at some point or another, though some of those relationships had some ups and downs. Regardless, it does seem like the 91-year-old Shatner is probably tired of the feuds.
While both William Shatner and George Takei aren’t doing much Star Trek anymore, Shatner still enjoys making appearances at various fan events. Though now he’s been fairly busy promoting his new book Boldly Go, Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder, which is a memoir that includes various stories, reflections, and essays from Shatner’s life. Shatner is also set to star in the continually delayed Canadian road trip/heist film Keeper of the Cup, which sees a group of Toronto Maple Leaf fans plans to take the Stanley Cup after a series of losses.
Keeper of the Cup, if it ever comes to fruition will star a who’s who of Canadian talent including Dan Aykroyd, Jason Priestley, Mena Massoud, François Arnaud, Martin Roach, and the aforementioned William Shatner. As for George Takei, he has some projects in the works too. Most recently, he had a role in the animated Netflix series Oni: Thunder God’s Tale which hit the streaming platform on October 21.
Although it doesn’t seem like we’ll see William Shatner returning to Star Trek anytime soon, we did get to hear George Takei very briefly reprise the role of Sulu in the most recent season of the animated Star Trek: Lower Decks. Takei is also set to voice the spirit Koh in the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. Interestingly, this won’t be Takei’s first role in the Avatar universe, as he played a small guest role as a prison warden in the original animated series.
It would be great if William Shatner and George Takei could bury the hatchet once and for all, but it doesn’t seem like either are really in the mood to do it. Regardless, the Star Trek train keeps going at full speed and fans are still getting plenty of new series whether the former cast members are feuding or not. With a Paramount+ account, you can see the two on-screen as friends in Star Trek: The Original Series or you can check out new shows like Discovery, Strange New Worlds, and more.
