William Shatner, the actor who famously portrayed Captain James T. Kirk, has confirmed he has never earned residual payments from the reruns of the original “Star Trek” series. Despite the show’s enduring popularity in syndication, a quirk of timing left its star without royalties.
In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Shatner explained that the concept of paying actors for reruns was not established when the series aired from 1966 to 1969. “Nobody knew about reruns,” he stated. “The concept of syndication only came in after ‘Star Trek’ was canceled.”
He elaborated that a major union strike occurred after the show ended, which ultimately secured residual fees for actors. “But in the end, the unions secured residual fees shortly after ‘Star Trek’ finished, so I didn’t benefit,” Shatner said. This is a point the actor has made before, noting in 2020 that union agreements for royalties on television series only applied to productions made after 1973.
Adding to his complex relationship with the franchise, Shatner admitted he has rarely watched his own work on the show and has never seen any of its numerous spinoffs. “I don’t like to look at myself,” he told Entertainment Tonight, explaining his preference for documentaries, news, and sports over scripted television.
While he remains distant from the show’s broadcast legacy, the 94-year-old actor has not entirely ruled out a return to his iconic role. In a May 2024 interview, he said he might consider reprising the character, but only under specific conditions. “If there were a genuine reason for the character appearing, I might consider it,” he explained, emphasizing he would not be interested in a simple cameo appearance.
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