Why William Shatner's Star Trek Co-Stars Allegedly Couldn't Stand Him

It's no secret that William Shatner's co-stars from the original "Star Trek" weren't very fond of him. Because he was at the top of the call-sheet, Shatner often considered himself the star of the show ... and he behaved accordingly. There were instances of him reassigning other characters' lines to himself, and he would often butt heads with "Star Trek" directors when he wasn't in the center of the frame. 

When Leonard Nimoy's Mr. Spock proved to be a hit among viewers, leading to a notable TV Guide photo spread, a rivalry began among the two leads. Each one assumed they were the singular star of "Star Trek," and each one tried to hog as much of the spotlight as they could. The pair's rivalry led to outrage from show creator Gene Roddenberry, who infamously penned an angry letter demanding that the two prima donnas rein in their cattiness. "You've pretty well divided up the market on selfishness and egocentricity," Roddenberry wrote. 

The biggest victims of Shatner's ego were, of course, his other co-stars. With Shatner constantly wanting to be the central star, he tried to pull focus from George Takei, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, and Walter Koenig. Takei has been particularly vocal about Shatner's bratty behavior on set, and the two have been at odds for decades. In 2016, Takei told a story to Yahoo! News about the above-mentioned photo spread and how Shatner asserted a stipulation in his contract that he had final clearance on any publicity photographers. The ensuing kerfuffle between lawyers and executives, Takei recalled, cost them at least half a day of shooting. 

And that was hardly the end of it.

Nimoy himself recalled the rivalry he and Shatner shared in a 2015 article printed in Uproxx. Nimoy knew that Spock was seen as stern and intelligent, and Shatner feared that the character made Captain Kirk looks impetuous and irrational in contrast. The two actors weren't ever friendly on set, often leaving without communicating with any of their co-stars. Shatner, the stories go, never felt that he was leading an ensemble and never bothered to socialize with other actors. This left him appearing aloof to Doohan, Takei, Nichols, and Koenig. They all started hating Shatner after a while, and wouldn't have anything warm to say about him for years.

After "Trek" had ended and the actors began seeing each other at conventions, Shatner and Nimoy began spending extensive time in close quarters, and they came to admire and respect one another. The pair eventually became close friends and remained brotherly until Nimoy's passing in 2015. Doohan also admitted that his animosity toward Shatner eventually thinned, and he ended up becoming friends with him. Likewise with Koenig, who admitted to Shatner on a 2011 podcast called "Raw Nerve" that he once resented him, but no longer bore any ill will.

Takei, however, retained his grudge, not feeling that Shatner had ever done anything to redeem himself. In a 2023 interview with the Times, Takei commented: 

"Shatner is a cantankerous old fossil. All of us have had problems with him [...] There is this fiction that Bill and Leonard were good friends, but we know better — Leonard privately expressed his irritation with Bill. Bill is an egocentric, self-involved prima donna." 

Don't hold back, George.

It may startle readers to learn that it wasn't until 1991's "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" that the entire "Star Trek" ensemble was given above-the-line billing. Modern Trekkies realize that most "Star Trek" shows are indeed ensemble dramas, and that every character contributes equally (even if the captains tend to get more screen time). Back in 1966, however, Shatner and Nimoy didn't see the series as a three-hander between Kirk, Spock, and McCoy (DeForest Kelley), or even a two-hander between Kirk and Spock. They saw it as a series with one lead, with each actor seeing themselves as filling that position.

Back in 2007, Express printed an article about the notable rivalry between Shatner and Nimoy, pointing out that Shatner not only tried to co-opt lines, but that he also stole the CBS lot bicycle that Nimoy had been using to get around the sound stages. (Shatner has also admitted to stealing the bike.) Nimoy eventually approached CBS demanding that his pay be raised to equal Shatner's, and that Spock be declared the main character of the show. CBS wouldn't obey.

Nichols said that Shatner was a tempestuous presence on set "bossing around and intimidating the directors and guest stars, cutting other actors' lines and scenes and generally taking enough control to disrupt the sense of family we had shared."

Takei, at one point, felt pity for Shatner, knowing that he is a talented actor who was undone by his own ego. "The vibrant young actor whom I met back in 1965 had reduced himself to the sad, stubborn, oblivious butt of derisive jokes," Takei said.

Shatner, now 93, hasn't cleared the air with Takei, 87. Although he and Koenig, 87, seem to be on okay terms.