William Shatner Reflects on the Joy of Portraying Kirk and the Brotherhood with Leonard Nimoy in ‘Star Trek Explorer’

After three decades, Titan’s official Star Trek publication has concluded its journey. The 14th edition of what is now called Star Trek Explorer is now available for subscribers and vendors. Aside from reflecting on the magazine’s legacy, the concluding issue is “ending on a high note” with numerous exclusive interviews, featuring the iconic William Shatner. We have prepared some highlights from his interview discussing his experience as Kirk and how Leonard Nimoy was like a “brother” to him.

Enjoyable Moments as Kirk… and remembering Leonard

The centerpiece feature of the last edition is appropriately about Star Trek’s inaugural captain, William Shatner. The piece includes insights from various Star Trek icons regarding Shatner, along with reflections from him. This showcased Bill sharing his perspective on embodying the character of James T. Kirk:

“They had created a pilot [“The Cage”] with another performer, Jeffrey Hunter. NBC declined to purchase that pilot, but wanted Roddenberry to recreate it because they found it interesting. I was invited to come in to review the pilot with the intention of portraying the captain. I thought it was fantastic”…. “The character is that of a leading man, a warrior with intellect. There’s nothing not to relish. It features excellent writing and I savored portraying the role.”

Excluding a sketch for the 2013 Academy Awards penned by Seth MacFarlane (which Shatner participated in because he considered it “hilarious”), his last canonical appearance as Kirk was in Star Trek: Generations. In previous discussions, he has expressed some regrets over how he portrayed Kirk’s death, even touching on it in the 2024 documentary You Can Call Me Bill. Throughout the years, there were numerous occasions when it appeared he might resume the role, although it never materialized. Shatner seems at peace with this, reflecting on his time as Kirk within the scope of his broader career, stating to Explorer:

“Do I yearn for the role of Captain Kirk?… I’ve engaged in other ventures, and I’m enjoying myself. Undoubtedly, Boston Legal was incredibly enjoyable and exceptionally well-crafted. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to portray that character. It was a tremendous pleasure to perform.”

William Shatner as James T. Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

One significant outcome from his tenure on Star Trek was his prolonged friendship with co-star, the late Leonard Nimoy. In fact, Shatner authored a book about their bond (Leonard: My Fifty-Year Friendship with a Remarkable Man) in 2017. Within his Explorer conversation, Shatner elaborated on the closeness they maintained over the years until an incident occurred in the final months leading up to Nimoy’s passing in 2015:

“I grew up without a brother. Leonard and I were born within a few days of each other – he in Boston, I in Montreal. It felt like sister cities. Many of life’s difficulties were shared between us. We had so much in common: Divorce, bereavement, financial struggles. We were inseparable. He was my closest companion, and I was his… He underwent a divorce, and so did I. Through it all, Leonard was my brother. Then something transpired that will remain an enigma to me eternally. He ceased communicating with me about three months before his passing. He wouldn’t respond to my calls. Something went
awry in our relationship. Before he passed, I reached out to him in a letter, expressing ‘I’m truly sorry if I’ve altered anything between us.’ Later, his daughter (Julie) and his son, Adam, informed me of how deeply he cared for me.”

You can witness Shatner and Nimoy sharing a laugh in 2011 at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention shown below.

Embed from Getty Images

Star Trek Explorer #14 now available

Star Trek Explorer #14 was released on Tuesday, December 24 in the USA and Canada. Alongside Shatner, the last edition features exclusive interviews with John de Lancie, Denise Crosby, and Alan Ruck. Additionally, there’s a discussion with Strange New Worlds propmaster John Kirk. The issue also includes two exclusive short stories: a DS9/Voyager narrative by Una McCormack and one featuring Wesley Crusher from David Mack. As the final release, the editors, past and present, reflect on their journey with the official magazine as well. You may purchase the issue directly from Titan HERE.

Here are the newsstand and exclusive covers…

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