Summary

Chris Pine and Paul Wesley were praised by William Shatner for their portrayal of James T. Kirk in new Star Trek movies and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.
Shatner, nearing 93, remains prolific in entertainment with a 70+ year career, chronicled in a new documentary.
Shatner humbly admires Pine and Wesley’s acting skills, wishing to look as good as they do in the role of Kirk.

Star Trek’s original Captain James T. Kirk has high praise for Chris Pine and Paul Wesley, who took over the Kirk role in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek movies and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. William Shatner remains incredibly prolific even as he nears his 93rd birthday, and Mr. Shatner’s 70+ year career in entertainment is chronicled in the fascinating new documentary, William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill. Directed by Alexandre O. Philippe (The People Vs. George Lucas), You Can Call Me Bill, of course, delves into his thoughts and feelings about Captain Kirk, his most famous role.

In an exclusive interview with Screen Rant to promote You Can Call Me Bill and its screenings starting on March 20, William Shatner was asked his thoughts on Chris Pine and Paul Wesley, his successors in the role of James T. Kirk. Read Mr. Shatner’s response below:

They’re wonderful. I just wish I looked as good as they do, and their ilk, as actors. They’re both wonderful.

Related All 5 Actors Who Have Played James T. Kirk In Star Trek Movies & Shows James T. Kirk is Star Trek’s most iconic captain, and only a select few actors have been able to portray him in Trek TV shows and movies.

Why William Shatner, Chris Pine & Paul Wesley All Play Kirk
William Shatner’s Captain Kirk died in Star Trek Generations

After WIlliam Shatner played Captain Kirk in Star Trek for 28 years, his original version of Kirk was killed off in Star Trek Generations. Remarkably, Shatner’s incarnation of Kirk stayed dead instead of being resurrected like other Star Trek characters like Spock (Leonard Nimoy), Data (Brent Spiner), and Admiral Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart). Instead, Chris Pine was cast as the younger Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 Star Trek reboot movie, but with a twist: Pine’s Kirk exists in the alternate Kelvin Timeline. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds then cast Paul Wesley as the young Lt. James T. Kirk in Star Trek’s Prime Timeline, and Wesley’s Kirk is the younger version of Shatner’s.

Paul Wesley has played 3 versions of Kirk on
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds:
two alternate reality Captain Kirks and Lt. James T. Kirk.

William Shatner has met both his Kirk successors. Shatner interviewed Chris Pine, and even arm-wrestled with his younger, alternate reality self, in his 2011 documentary, The Captains. When Star Trek: Strange New Worlds cast Paul Wesley as James T. Kirk in 2022, the two actors unexpectedly sat next to each other on an airplane, and Mr. Shatner gave Wesley his blessing as Kirk. Wesley and Shatner have shared the stage at San Diego Comic-Con and STLV: The 57-Year Mission since then. William Shatner’s days playing Captain Kirk may be behind him, but he feels his iconic Star Trek character is in good hands.

Source: Screen Rant+