For decades, William Shatner has been in the spotlight and at the head of many successful projects. The Star Trek actor has never been shy about voicing his opinion, whether it's about his past work or artificial intelligence. Despite his openness, he made it into his 90s without crafting any biographical projects. That's changed with the upcoming documentary You Can Call Me Bill, in which the actor talks about his career, his life philosophy, and his fears in a very candid way.
The esteemed entertainer was kind enough to talk to me about his documentary, which will debut in theaters beginning Thursday, March 21st, via the fan-owned entertainment company Legion M. Through the efforts of many investors, the studio convinced an initially hesitant William Shatner to go on camera to share stories about his upbringing, his deepest worries, and other topics that he hasn't touched on before. You Can Call Me Bill isn't a project he would've agreed to in the past, but he explained to CinemaBlend why he pulled the trigger on it now:
I've been asked over the years numerous times to do a documentary biography, and I've turned it down because it seems so final. But now, at this age, maybe it's time. And I thought, ‘You know, what I'll do is these guys, and Alexander Philippe, the wonderful director. Now there might be time to put it down on film what I feel,’ and it's a legacy. What I was doing was telling the honest truth, unadulterated by, ‘I wonder what people will think.’ So that my family in the years to come will have some kind of legacy from me. So, that forced me to be absolutely honest. If I'm telling you a story, it's not a story. Like, isn't this fun? It's a story insight that I knew you would garner from me.
Shatner, who will turn 93 the day after the movie is released, is motivated by the desire to leave behind a legacy for his family before he's unable to do so. Family, as well as fans, will be able to watch You Can Call Me Bill for details and insights into his childhood, his career before and after Star Trek, and some more abstract thoughts like what it means to "Go boldly."
As someone who had the honor of seeing You Can Call Me Bill in advance, I was delighted and thrilled to see just how candid the already well-spoken William Shatner is in the documentary. It's a riveting look at the actor that gives the viewer an understanding of what goes on inside his mind. Learning about his upbringing and values certainly helped me understand his thoughts about potentially losing his talent post-Star Trek and why he's never watched his beloved sci-fi show after all these years.
I don't expect You Can Call Me Bill will inspire William Shatner to suddenly take a role in any of the upcoming Star Trek series, but it might soften the hearts of anyone who had a critical reaction to his viewpoints about the franchise, and/or his past feuds with other actors. Not everyone agrees with the actor's stance, but through learning about his life, career, and deepest thoughts, one will get a better understanding of the person he is.
You Can Call Me Bill will debut in select theaters beginning on Thursday, March 21st, but a special screening and Q&A will come to over 300 theaters on Wednesday, March 20th. Those interested can purchase tickets on Fandango and will automatically be directed to the closest theater showing the movie.
Readers will have to check their local theaters to see which of them will screen You Can Call Me Bill. As for where to find William Shatner, fire up a Paramount+ subscription to catch him in Star Trek or his classic appearances in The Twilight Zone.
