How old is William Shatner?
Quick answer
William Shatner was born on March 22, 1931, in Montreal, Canada, which makes him 95 years old. He’s best known as Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek.
Key facts
- Born
- March 22, 1931
- Birthplace
- Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Known for
- Captain Kirk in Star Trek
Few actors have kept working as long as William Shatner. His career has stretched from live TV in the 1950s to a real trip into space at the age of 90.
Career highlights
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1966–1969 | Plays Captain James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek TV series |
| 1979–1994 | Returns as Kirk in seven Star Trek films |
| 1982–1986 | Stars in the police drama T.J. Hooker |
| 2004–2008 | Plays lawyer Denny Crane in The Practice and Boston Legal, winning Emmy Awards for the role |
| 2021 | Flies to the edge of space aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket |
The trip to space
On October 13, 2021, Shatner flew aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard spacecraft from West Texas. At 90, he became the oldest person to reach space at the time, a record later passed in 2024. He described the experience afterward as deeply emotional, saying it changed how he saw Earth.
Is William Shatner still alive?
Yes. In September 2025, after reports that he’d been taken to a hospital, Shatner told fans he was “perfectly fine,” and he has continued to make public appearances. Like many older celebrities, he has been the target of false death rumors online, so it’s worth checking reliable news sources before believing a viral post.
Beyond acting
Shatner has also recorded spoken-word music albums, written dozens of books, including science fiction novels and memoirs, and hosted TV series. He was born in the Montreal neighborhood of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and studied at McGill University before starting his career on stage in Canada.
His Star Trek successor as starship captain, Patrick Stewart, played Jean-Luc Picard. Here’s how Patrick Stewart died in October 2026.
Sources
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