It’s no surprise that 91-year-old actor William Shatner, known for a variety of roles including that of Captain Kirk in Star Trek, has led quite the life and career. Now, however, Shatner has opened up about his own mortality and his thoughts toward legacies. He notes at the same time that he “doesn’t have long to live.”
As noted via Variety, Shatner notes that his “time is limited,” whether he happens to “keel over as I’m speaking to you or 10 years from now.” This has contributed to his decision to finally do a documentary titled You Can Call Me Bill.
“I’ve turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries before. But I don’t have long to live,” he begins. He then discusses the importance of You Can Call Me Bill and why he’s now decided to do a documentary:
“Whether I keel over as I’m speaking to you or 10 years from now, my time is limited, so that’s very much a factor. I’ve got grandchildren. This documentary is a way of reaching out after I die.”
He discussed his other reasons for the documentary which included the possibility of learning more about himself:
“I’m trying to discover something I’ve never said before or to find a way to say something I’ve said before in a different way so I can explore that truth further.”
“The sad thing is that the older a person gets the wiser they become and then they die with all that knowledge,” he continued.
William Shatner also discussed the backlash he faced several years ago after choosing not to attend Leonard Nimoy’s funeral. He apparently chose to keep his obligation for a Red Cross fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago instead and insists that he has no regrets.
“When Leonard Nimoy died a few years ago, his funeral was on a Sunday. His death was very sudden, and I had obligated myself to go to Mar-a-Lago for a Red Cross fundraiser. I was one of the celebrities raising money . . . I chose to keep my promise and go to Mar-a-Lago instead of the funeral,” Shatner shared.
On that note, he then discussed how he feels about the concept of a “legacy.” He doesn’t believe in such a thing.
“People ask about a legacy. There’s no legacy. Statues are torn down. Graveyards are ransacked. Headstones are knocked over. No one remembers anyone. Who remembers Danny Kaye or Cary Grant? They were great stars. But they’re gone and no one cares. But what does live on, are good deeds. If you do a good deed, it reverberates to the end of time. It’s the butterfly effect thing.”
Then, circling back to the backlash he faced over Nimoy’s funeral, he had this to say:
“Who cares? I know what I did was right. So it doesn’t matter. We’re criticized when we lift a finger. I don’t read that stuff. I try to not . . . indulge in the evil that’s out there.”
Update: William Shatner has posted a tweet about the interview, clarifying his comments.
Reports of my pending demise have been greatly exaggerated (by the clickbait press
.) All I meant was that I’m not going to live forever (
though I am going to make a valiant attempt!) & the documentary I did is for future generations & descendants to know a bit about me.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) March 11, 2023
The documentary You Can Call Me Bill, focusing on the life of William Shatner, has a release date scheduled for March 16, 2023. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional William Shatner updates as we have them.
William Shatner Says He “Doesn’t Have Long To Live” While Reflecting On His Legacy
Source: Breaking Update News
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