William Shatner is a Canadian born actor best known for playing the role of Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek television series, as well as in seven feature films. Shatner has also been a writer of several non-fiction and fictional books; a singer (he’s released nine albums to date); producer, and director. Other television shows that Shatner has starred in are the 1980s police action-drama T.J. Hooker; in the early 2000s legal drama Boston Legal; and the 1990s reality show Rescue 911 in which he provided narration for.
Born on March 22, 1931 in Montreal, Canada, William’s zodiac sign is Aries.
William Shatner – His Religion
The Shatner household was a practicing Jewish one. Young William Shatner grew up learning about Judaism and attending church while also experiencing anti-semitism from the predominantly Catholic children in his Montreal neighborhood.
“My father and mother had an observant religious life,” Shatner said about his younger years. “They went to temple every Sabbath, prayed to God, and I was dragged along. I’m not religious, but I’m spiritual. I read avidly on philosophy and animals, plants and trees; how connected all of life is.”
In his 2017 book Spirit of the Horse, Shatner elaborates a little further about his spiritual thoughts. “I’m not religious. I’m spiritual. I probably am an animist.”
Shatner does comment on religious questions he’s asked by fans on his Twitter:
That’s not the fault of the religion; that’s the fault of people interpreting it which is exactly what I said earlier.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 18, 2019
My tweet to Hallmark about pulling the commercial. Seems like some need to put their agenda of hate out on anything that doesn’t fall into the confines of their “safe space”. Instead of blaming their own lack of a moral compass they fall back to blame their religion on their acts.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 17, 2019
The term crusade means a war called upon behalf of a religion. So those wars mentioned or referred to in the Bible that were called upon for religion reasons were crusades. It’s a word, define it and move on.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 18, 2019
“A candle is a small thing. But one candle can light another. And see how its own light increases, as a candle gives its flame to the other. You are such a light.” — Moshe Davis
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) December 27, 2019
William Shatner – His Politics
Shatner doesn’t use his public platform to discuss personal politics. When he’s asked which party he holds allegiance towards (Shatner holds an American green card) the actor deftly sidesteps the question, as so:
“If you could define what Republican and Democrat means now these days I might be able to enter that discussion, but the roles seem to be mixed.”
Politics is negative and limiting. I’m a free spirit and don’t need to follow party lines or hate someone because they think or believe something different.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) August 23, 2019
Let us give you another example. In 2018 Brandy K. Chambers ran as a Democrat for the Texas House of Representatives. Chambers used a photograph of her and Shatner sitting side-by-side in a political ad. The photo was taken during a visit to a comic convention and Shatner had no idea of how it was to be used — and so he shut her down.
.@WilliamShatner FYI – are you endorsing @winemind17 in her run for TX House 112?
— Marcus Who? (@MarcusWho) February 17, 2018
Hey @winemind17 using a convention picture in a political ad is NOT ALLOWED That implies endorsement which never will happen. Please remove my photo and destroy all copies of whatever this is immediately. Am I clear? @TX_Ethics
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 17, 2018
William Shatner – Hollywood Walk of Fame Star
On May 19th, back in 1983, William Shatner was granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Shatner, best known for playing Captain James T. Kirk on Star Trek, was starring in T.J. Hooker at the time he was honored with the 1,762nd star on the Walk.
William Shatner -Wives
The iconic star divorced his fourth wife, Elizabeth in 2020. At 90, he appears to be currently single. Elizabeth Shatner is a photographer and Digital Artist, she is 27-years his junior.
He’s had a history with younger women. Shatner was previously married to first wife, Gloria Rand, with whom produced three daughters Leslie, Lisabeth, and Melanie. He fathered one son, Peter with Kathy McNeil.
His second marriage was to Marcy Lafferty and third marriage to Nerine Kidd -who tragically drowned in the couple’s swimming pool in 1999. She was 40. The autopsy found that Kidd, who was an alcoholic, had taken Valium and been drinking.
William Shatner -Leonard Nimoy
Shatner has said that one person who really helped him through what he describes as the “searing pain” of Nerine’s death was his co-star and close friend, Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock in Star Trek, and who himself had struggled with alcoholism. Nimoy and Shatner were the same age and both Jewish.
Shatner revealed in his 2016 book about Nimoy: My Fifty-Year Friendship With a Remarkable Man, that the two friend grew apart towards the end of Nimoy’s life, and he never understood why.
In 2018, he opened up about not attending Nimoy’s 2015 funeral saying:
“It was made clear to me that I was not welcome at his funeral. That was painful. I had an easy excuse. My closest friend was Leonard Nimoy. We were born four days apart and raised in Orthodox Jewish homes. We shared so much throughout our careers. I loved Leonard, and he used to refer to me as his brother. Yet at the end of his life and for reasons I still don’t know, he was not my friend. I would call him and he wouldn’t answer the phone or return any messages. He died and I didn’t feel welcome at his funeral”
