William Shatner, 91, hits out at his former Star Trek co-stars

‘They are full of envy and hate’: William Shatner, 91, hits out at former Star Trek co-stars and says they only criticise him for ‘publicity’

William Shatner has hit out at his former Star Trek co-stars after years of them criticising his behaviour on the 1960s sci-fi set.

The actor, 91, who famously played Captain James T Kirk in the hit series as well as in seven films, says he now realises they ‘do it for publicity’. 

Speaking to The Times he said: ‘Sixty years after some incident they are still on that track. Don’t you think that’s a little weird? It’s like a sickness’.

Speaking out: William Shatner, 91, has hit out at his former Star Trek co-stars after years of them criticising his behaviour on the 1960s sci-fi set (pictured in August) 

Adding: ‘I began to understand that they were doing it for publicity.’

Even when the actor recently went into space thanks to billionaire Jeff Bezos, George Takei said he was a being sent as a  ‘guinea pig’ to assess the impact of space on an ‘unfit’ specimen.

‘George [Takei] has never stopped blackening my name. These people are bitter and embittered. I have run out of patience with them. Why give credence to people consumed by envy and hate?’

Unhappy: The actor, 91, who famously played Captain James T Kirk in the series as well as seven films, says he now realises they ‘do it for publicity’ (pictured in the 1991 movie)

MailOnline have contacted George Takei’s representatives for comment. 

In his memoir Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder William said that he was shattered when late co-star Nichelle Nichols, who played lieutenant Ulhura, accused him of being ‘cold and arrogant’.

He wrote: ‘I was horrified to learn this, ashamed that I hadn’t realised it.’

Friction: Even when the actor went into space thanks to billionaire Elon Musk, his former co-star George Takei said he was a being sent as a ‘guinea pig’ to assess the impact of space on an ‘unfit’ specimen (George pictured earlier this year)

Sad: In his memoir Boldly Go: Reflections on a Life of Awe and Wonder the actor writes that he was shattered when late co-star Nichelle Nichols, who played lieutenant Ulhura, accused him of being ‘cold and arrogant’ (pictured together on the show) 

William was also close friends with Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock, however their relationship became strained before his death in 2015 – for reasons unbeknown to the Kirk actor. 

However according to the Giant Geek Robot friction began between the two when William made a 2011 Star Trek Documentary and interviewed many actors who have been apart of the franchise, however failed to include Nimoy. 

It comes after William said said seeing Earth from space aboard Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin rocket was a profoundly sorrowful experience, but one which inspired him to cherish the beauty of our planet.

In an excerpt from his memoir he writes he was was struck with one of the ‘strongest feelings of grief’ he had ever experienced.

Former friends: William was also close friends with Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock, however their relationship became strained before his death in 2015 – for reasons unbeknown to the Kirk actor

Going on to say that rather than being filled with awe, as he expected to be, the sight of Earth’s warm blue glow surrounded by the cold black of space left him feeling like he was at ‘a funeral.’

The excerpt was published by Variety journalist Marianne Williamson, and offered a deeper insight into Shatner’s reaction to his space flight with Blue Origin than he has previously revealed.

The revelations come a year after Shatner was seen to be visibly moved immediately after stepping out of the Blue Origin capsule in October 2021, when he broke down in tears telling Bezos: ‘Everybody in the world needs to do this.’

William wrote that he never realised how precious life on Earth was until he left it behind.

‘I discovered that the beauty isn’t out there, it’s down here, with all of us. Leaving that behind made my connection to our tiny planet even more profound,’ he wrote in his memoir.

He said seeing the Earth so fragile filled him with sorrow to think about how man kind is so flippant about its destruction.

Rocket man: It comes after William said said seeing Earth from space aboard Jeff Bezo’s Blue Origin rocket was a profoundly sorrowful experience, but one which inspired him to cherish the beauty of our planet 

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