George Takei and William Shatner’s deep contempt for each other has to rank as one of showbiz’s longest-running feuds of the current era. The last chapter of their push and pull appears, amusingly, on the pages of British newspapers. Shatner said recently Times That his Star Trek co-star has “he never stopped tarnishing my name.” Now, Takei replied, well, obscuring Shatner’s name a little more.
Asked by The Guardian if there was true camaraderie among the OGs Star Trek cast, Takei passionately replies, “Yes. Yes. YES. … Except one, who was a prima donna. She states that “none” of the cast got along with their on-screen captain. (Shatner admits that his friendship with Leonard Nimoy ended in an estrangement before the latter’s death.)
Refer to the recent Times piece, Takei says, “I know he came to London to promote his book and he mentioned me wanting publicity using his name. So I’ve decided that he doesn’t need his name to get publicity. I have much more substantial topics that I want to get publicity for, so I won’t be referring to Bill at all in this interview. Realizing he’s fighting a losing battle, the actor adds, “Even though I just did. He’s just a crotchety old man and I’ll leave that to his devices. I won’t play along with him.”
Elsewhere in the interview, Takei has warming things to say about co-stars Nimoy, Walter Koenig, Nickelle Nichols, and James Doohan. He also shares some deep memories of his family’s time in a Japanese internment campwhich informed his current work in the musical Fidelitywhich will soon open in London.
The 86-year-old has a lot to talk about outside of his old feud, but he couldn’t help but get in another shot at Shatner: “He was self-centered. He liked being the center of attention. He wanted everyone to bow down to him. Add these last observations to the record!
