William Shatner shares his opinion on casting of James T. Kirk in ‘Strange New Worlds’
William Shatner is known for playing Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series and the first seven Star Trek movies. Now, the 92-year-old actor has weighed-in on the casting of his iconic character in the new Strange New Worlds series.
The series began in 2022, but so far Kirk has only featured in two episodes. He is played by the American actor Paul Wesley, who is known for his previous work in The Vampire Diaries, Tell Me a Story and Before I Disappear.
Speaking with IGN at SDCC, Shatner gave his honest opinion on Wesley’s casting, commenting: “He’s not James T. Kirk. No, he is. He’s young and handsome, and thin… Brilliant: brilliant performance, brilliant performer, [he’s a guy] who’s going to go very far.”
When asked if he thought he was more handsome than his own incarnation, the actor who claims he hasn’t got long left to live, comically quipped: “I don’t remember.”
The new series comes with the synopsis: “A prequel to Star Trek: The Original Series, the show follows the crew of the USS Enterprise under Captain Christopher Pike.” It also stars Melissa Navia, Christina Chong, and Anson Mount. The second season is due for release in June.
