William Shatner has had a long and successful career in Hollywood and has played a plethora of characters. But if you ask most people what they most associate him with, they'd probably say Star Trek. While the actor hasn't been actively involved with the franchise in quite some time, his role as Captain James T. Kirk solidified him as one of the most iconic actors in all of science fiction (and pop culture as a whole). On that note, Shatner was asked if the role is the most meaningful of his career and responded honestly.
While promoting a screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and a special Q&A event, the 92-year-old actor spoke to Sarasota Magazine about his time as Captain Kirk. When asked whether or not the character represents the role that's most significant, he gave a loaded answer:
I don’t want to sound ungrateful, but I started long before Star Trek. So I’ve had a multitude of things to do and say and perform, been given a lot of opportunity.
William Shatner seemed to brush off the notion that the captain of the USS Enterprise is the most meaningful part to him, pointing out his career started long before Gene Roddenberry's TV series began. It's interesting that the star didn't reveal just which acting gig he holds closest to his heart. Also, let's be clear, even if Kirk isn't the character he treasures most, that doesn't necessarily mean he has no affection for it.
These latest sentiments aren't necessarily off-brand for William Shatner, who's had a complicated history with the franchise over the decades. Between past tensions he encountered while directing, his feuds with franchise vets like Wil Wheaton and George Takei and the controversial comments he made about the newer Trek shows, his connection to the franchise has been somewhat bumpy. So it wouldn't be all that surprising if he has complex feelings about the character that made him a bonafide star.
If Captain Kirk isn't the star's most meaningful part, then one has to wonder what role stands above it. Perhaps it's his performance as the titular character on T.J. Hooker or Denny Crane from Boston Legal. Then again, since the actor did reference his pre-Trek career, his favorite could be one from that era of his professional life.
Regardless of what the answer may be, one can't help but laugh a bit about the irony in William Shatner's latest statement. Of all the times for the actor to make this comment, it happened while he was promoting an upcoming Q&A for a screening of Wrath Of Khan. With that said though, in no way do I disrespect his hustle and willingness to be candid, even if that may be a bummer to hear before attending the event itself.
Of course, how many people can say they've lived over ninety years and had much of that time consumed by the buzz surrounding one fictional role? I know I can't so, perhaps it's just best to let William Shatner speak his mind and continue to value the fact that he'll still talk about playing Kirk even if it's not necessarily the most cherished role of his career.
Readers can get their fill of Captain Kirk if they have a Paramount+ subscription, as the streaming platform houses the bulk of Star Trek's content. With my own membership, actually watched Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan for the first time and had a lot of things to say about it.
