Latest news with #Shatner
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'I'm a Jew who lived...': William Shatner defends Elon Musk over Nazi salute claims; social media calls Star Trek actor ‘based'
Hollywood icon William Shatner has come out in defence of Elon Musk amid an ongoing controversy over a gesture the tech billionaire made during Donald Trump 's second inauguration. A brief video clip had gone viral after it showed Musk lifting his right arm from chest level in a stiff, straight gesture and saying, 'My heart goes out to you.' Critics online slammed the move as a Nazi-style salute, sparking outrage, especially in Germany. The footage was reportedly filmed during a factory tour on January 20, coinciding with Trump's inauguration ceremony. However, the 'Star Trek' actor, who is also Jewish, dismissed the accusations in a post on X. 'I'm a Jew who lived during the time of Nazi Germany in Canada. Do you think that if I believed even for a second that was an homage to Hitler or the Nazis that I would communicate with him; let alone follow him?' Shatner wrote. The comment came in response to a user on X who asked, 'You don't think Elon was doing a Nazi salute?' Musk has repeatedly denied that the gesture was meant as a salute, calling it 'media propaganda.' Supporters of the Tesla and SpaceX CEO argue that the video was taken out of context and that the movement was likely just an awkward wave or misunderstood motion. While the Anti-Defamation League also weighed in calling the action 'an awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm, not a Nazi salute,' critics and historians have warned it could encourage far-right groups. Social media platforms have since been flooded with posts either condemning or mocking the gesture. Shatner and Musk have a history of friendly social media exchanges. The two once joked about Pluto's status as a planet, with Musk backing Shatner's campaign to reinstate it. Musk has also expressed admiration for the veteran actor and self-described 'Star Trek' fan. Online, Shatner's blunt defence of Musk has earned him praise from some users, with many calling him 'based' for standing by his convictions.
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Star Trek' Star Makes Unexpected Comment About William Shatner
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Anson Mount, who plays Captain Christopher Pike, is opening up about his relationship with William Shatner. During an appearance on the July 15 episode of Michael Rosenbaum's podcast Inside of You, Mount said he occasionally has conversations with Shatner, who originated the role of Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, which aired from 1966 to 1969. Mount surprised Rosenbaum by stating that he doesn't ask Shatner about his time starring in Star Trek. Rather Mount likes to ask about his horse farm. "I like to ask Bill about his horses ... He's really devoted most of his life to show horses and he goes all over the world with them," said Mount during the podcast interview. In addition, Mount complimented Shatner for his wit and high energy level at the age of 94. "I could only pray for that much energy at that age. He's a force of nature. It's unreal," said Mount. Mount then shared that he has been at fan conventions where Shatner has taken center stage during panels. According to Mount, audiences are absolutely mesmerized by Shatner. "I've been to a couple of things where they just put him out on stage with a folding chair and he just starts talking. And he'll talk an hour straight and have the audience captivated. He can turn it on like you wouldn't believe," said the actor. Mount mentioned his appreciation for Shatner in a June 12 Instagram upload. In the caption of the post, Mount confirmed that Star Trek: SNW, which premiered in 2022, will end after its 5th season. He also noted that both Captain Kirk and Captain Pike were at the helm of the USS Enterprise. "I grew up watching Bill Shatner strut his stuff across the bridge and sit in a chair that I could not fathom would one day be mine to occupy. It has been a dream fulfilled," read a portion of the caption. Star Trek: SNW Season 3 premieres on July 17 on Paramount+. Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why William Shatner (Star Trek's Captain Kirk) is tweeting about Chandrayaan-II
Captain Kirk, the legendary Starfleet captain from Star Trek, was brought to life by actor William Shatner . Known for his bold leadership, iconic one-liners, and deep-space diplomacy, Kirk became a symbol of space exploration in pop culture. Recently, Shatner posted about Chandrayaan 2 and this has sparked curiosity among his fans given the fact his iconic character Captain Kirk, never landed on the moon. It all started when William Shatner, our favorite Captain Kirk posted on X about a 'calendar glitch'. "If it's the end of the week; why does my phone's calendar have the first day start on Sunday?," he posted and this invited a series of replies, one among which was "This is why I'm never gonna believe you landed on the moon. How could you pull that off in 1969 and you still don't know that the first day of the week is Sunday?" Shatner's reply to this quirky comment was, "Well the Chandrayaan-2 ship took some amazing photos of the lunar surface including images of 2 of the Apollo modules that were left on the surface. That was before the ship crashed adding another crater to the surface." Now, as expected the post got viral and fans quickly asked "Did Shatner land on moon?". No, Captain Kirk did not land on the Moon. But let's be honest, if anyone should have landed on the Moon wearing a Starfleet uniform and dropping one-liners about boldly going where no man has gone before, it's Captain James T. Kirk. Now, when people say 'Captain Kirk,' they usually mean William Shatner, the actor who played the iconic starship captain on Star Trek: The Original Series. That show launched back in the 1960s, right around the same time NASA was launching actual astronauts into space. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription? Techno Mag Learn More Undo So it's easy to understand why some wires get crossed in people's minds. But while the Enterprise was out dodging Klingons and beaming down to alien planets, the real NASA team was doing something a little more down-to-Earth or rather, up-to-Moon. The actual Moon landing happened in 1969, when Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to step onto the lunar surface during the Apollo 11 mission. Shatner, meanwhile, was probably filming an episode where he was wrestling a lizard man or kissing a green alien. Groundbreaking in its own way, sure but not exactly NASA material. That said, Shatner has had quite the real-life space adventure of his own. In October 2021, he actually did go to space sort of. At age 90, he became the oldest person ever to fly into space aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard, a suborbital spaceflight owned by Jeff Bezos. So yes, William Shatner went to space, but no moon boots were involved. Just a quick 11-minute joyride that gave him a taste of zero gravity and a view of Earth from above. Still, pretty epic. And let's not forget the symbolic influence Captain Kirk has had on space travel. Shatner's portrayal of a brave, diplomatic, and occasionally shirtless space explorer inspired generations of scientists, engineers, and yes, even astronauts. NASA has openly acknowledged Star Trek's influence on tech and space culture, from real-life communicators (hello, smartphones) to actual mission names that nod to Trek. So, to wrap it up: Captain Kirk never landed on the Moon, but his legacy has absolutely orbited our collective imagination when it comes to exploring the cosmos. William Shatner may not have left footprints in lunar dust, but he did help kick-start the dream for a whole lot of people who one day might.
CBC
06-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Montreal Comiccon breaks attendance records
This year's edition of Montreal Comiccon was special for several reasons. It welcomed Montreal native William Shatner as a speaker and drew crowds that broke attendance records.
Global News
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Global News
Captain Kirk would be ‘appalled' at state of Earth's decline, William Shatner says
Captain James T. Kirk would be appalled at the rapid acceleration of climate change on Earth, says William Shatner, the Montreal-born actor who played the head of the USS Enterprise in the 'Star Trek' franchise for decades. 'I think he would probably be as appalled as I am,' Shatner said during a recent video call from his home in Los Angeles. The actor said he could imagine Kirk 'skywriting' a message to his fellow Earthlings, urging them to take action. 2:05 Disappointment after climate change sidelined at G7 summit 'Education, education, read everything,' Shatner said. 'Everybody should acquaint themselves with the problem, and make a decision.' Story continues below advertisement The 94-year-old actor will be in his hometown of Montreal later this week for the city's Comiccon event. The three-day fan convention begins Friday at the Palais des congrès. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Shatner is scheduled to make an appearance on the second and third days of the conference. Other scheduled guests include Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher in 'Star Trek: The Next Generation.' Shatner was born in Montreal's Notre-Dame-de-Grâce neighbourhood in 1931, and he still has a deep emotional connection to the city. 'That's my whole childhood,' he said, adding that he has a 'vast' number of relatives living there, including a sister. He began acting when he was a small child, and he continued even after graduating from McGill University in 1952 with a commerce degree. The school's university centre is known to students as the Shatner Building, though the university confirmed it is not the building's official name. He first played Captain Kirk in the 'Star Trek' TV show in 1966. His last appearance in the franchise was in the 1994 film 'Star Trek Generations,' where Kirk is killed off. 1:50 Hundreds of Montreal students hold walkout, call for awareness on climate crisis He also starred in the shows 'Boston Legal' and 'T.J. Hooker.' He wrote several books, including 'Star Trek' novels and a memoir about his friendship with the late actor Leonard Nimoy, who famously played Spock in the original series. And he recorded more than a dozen albums, from 1968's 'The Transformed Man,' a collection of dramatic readings of popular songs, to last year's children's album, 'Where Will the Animals Sleep? Songs for Kids and Other Living Things.' Story continues below advertisement Last month, he was onstage in Seattle with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson talking about space and life in a show they called 'The Universe Is Absurd.' He went to Antarctica last year, with deGrasse Tyson, and he went to space in 2021, aboard Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin shuttle. Always curious and hungry for knowledge, Shatner said he is inspired and fascinated by the capabilities of artificial intelligence and applications such as ChatGPT. 'I was researching a speech I was making, and I could use ChatGPT immediately, (instead of) going down to the library, trying to find the book, read what the book says, come back home and realize I had a question I didn't ask,' he said. 'Artificial intelligence has been a revolution in mankind's acquisition of knowledge.' Even still, Shatner said he was frustrated by how little one man can ever really know. 'I'm going to die very unhappily because I don't know anything,' he said. 'There's so much glorious information out there that it's impossible to acquire. But what little bits and pieces the human brain can contain in a lifetime are fascinating.'
