William Shatner lived as much as his notorious fame as a “self-centered” “douche” — that in line with former co-star George Takei — when he met actor Wil Wheaton on the set of “Star Trek V.”
On the time, Wheaton was 16 and taking part in Wesley Crusher on “Star Trek: The Subsequent Era” when he came upon that the unique “Star Trek” solid could be working subsequent door.
Wheaton, who co-starred in “Stand by Me” reverse River Phoenix and Corey Feldman as a child, took weeks to drum up the nerve to introduce himself. Lastly, he noticed Shatner surrounded by crew members and determined it was time. Carrying his grey “appearing ensign” spacesuit, Wheaton walked over to the legendary curmudgeon well-known for taking part in Capt. James T. Kirk
“It took about eight steps for my confidence to evaporate,” Wheaton, now 49, writes in his upcoming e book, “Nonetheless Only a Geek: An Annotated Memoir,” out April 12.
“‘So that you’re the child on that present?'” Shatner requested.
“He appeared irritated,” Wheaton writes. “My throat and mouth have been dry, and my palms have been sweating. My coronary heart pounded in my ears, as I answered, ‘Uh, sure sir. My title’s Wil.'”
The teenager put out his hand for Shatner to shake — which he ignored.
Shatner then proceeded to mock Wheaton’s costume.
“‘What's that, your spacesuit?’ he mentioned, and made a sound that was someplace between fun and a cough,” Wheaton writes.
Wheaton says he truly felt light-headed and didn’t hear Shatner when he requested him a query.
“‘I mentioned, What do you do over there?’ he requested,” Wheaton recollects. “There was a problem in his voice.”
When the teenager defined he was an appearing ensign who typically pilots the ship, Shatner mentioned dismissively, “Properly, I’d by no means let a child come onto my bridge.”
Phrase rapidly went across the set that Shatner had been impolite, and members of the crew and solid got here to consolation — and commiserate with — Wheaton.
Brent Spiner, who performed Information on “Subsequent Era,” advised the teenager that Shatner was bald and wears a toupee. Michael Dorn, who performed Klingon Worf, jokingly provided to kick Shatner’s ass, and Jonathan Frakes (Capt. William Riker) mentioned: “To hell with him.”
As Wheaton was going again to his trailer, he was summoned into Gene Roddenberry’s workplace. The “Star Trek” creator had already heard concerning the disagreeable assembly.
“Wil, Invoice Shatner is an ass, don’t you are worried about him, okay?” Rodenberry mentioned. “I'm so proud to have you ever on my present. Don’t you ever neglect that.”
The subsequent day at work, there was an envelope sitting on Wheaton’s dressing room desk addressed “To Grasp Wil Wheaton” “From the Workplace of William Shatner.”
Inside there was a typed message: “Pricey Wil, You're a high-quality younger actor, and I'd be honored to have you ever on my bridge any day. Sincerely yours, Invoice.” The signature was in ink.
The subsequent minute, Wheaton’s cellphone rang, with Roddenberry on the road.
“‘I spoke with Invoice Shatner yesterday, and he must be dropping a word off for you as we speak,” Roddenberry mentioned.
“I couldn’t imagine it,” Wheaton writes. “Gene Roddenberry, the Nice Hen of the Galaxy and creator of ‘Star Trek,’ had known as WILLIAM F–KING SHATNER, Captain James T. Kirk and director of ‘Star Trek V,’ and requested him to apologize to me, Wil Wheaton, 16-year-old appearing ensign and drooling fanboy.
“Of all of the great presents Gene gave me throughout the years, that is likely one of the most fondly remembered, as a result of I do know that with out Gene’s intervention that word would by no means have been written.”
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