William Shatner Just Struck A New Blow In His Decades-Old Feud With 'Star Trek' Actor
The crew members of Star Trek’s U.S.S. Enterprise may not have always seen eye to eye, but they rallied together when they shared a common cause or enemy. Away from the cameras, though, all bets were off. And even today, William Shatner has a long-running feud with one former co-star — a spat that was recently reignited by a stunning Twitter rant from the Captain Kirk actor.
A Star Trek Rivalry
While Shatner busted open the lid on the behind-the-scenes drama only recently, this rivalry has endured for almost as long as the franchise itself. Since the original series began back in the ’60s, the Star Trek universe expanded to include movies, spin-off shows, video games, books, and comics – and a crucial element to its lasting success was Shatner as Captain James T. Kirk.
William Shatner's Return
Despite his personal feelings regarding his costars, Shatner memorably portrayed Kirk for three years between 1966 and 1969, before he reprised the role in 1973. While lending his voice to Star Trek: The Animated Series kept the character and franchise alive, his trademark role aside, Shatner struggled to find work in the 1970s. Though, that all changed when the show was revived for the big screen in 1979’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
A Fruitful Career
The success of the film led Shatner to six more movies in the franchise, culminating in his final performance as Kirk in 1994’s Star Trek: Generations. And although he went on to win two Emmy Awards for playing Denny Crane in The Practice and Boston Legal, Shatner will likely forever be remembered as the leader of the Enterprise’s crew. Though, not all of the crew members have positive feelings towards their "leader."
George Takei as Hikaru Sulu
Similarly, Japanese-American actor George Takei will always be synonymous with his iconic Star Trek role. Takei played Hikaru Sulu in the original series, animated series and six of the seven subsequent films. He even reprised the role in a 1996 episode of Star Trek: Voyager, in honor of the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
