William Shatner turned 95 this past March, and rather than slowing down, his creative ambitions appear to be accelerating. Between a new spoken-word album, upcoming music festival appearances, and a book of poetry on the way, the “Star Trek” legend is far from slowing down.
Shatner told HELLO! in an exclusive interview that his approach to staying active comes down to a very simple philosophy: “If you are capable, you just do it.”
The sentiment is surprisingly reminiscent of the sentiment of his most popular franchise. Shatner is widely known for portraying Captain James Kirk on “The Original Series,” a man who refuses to believe in no-win scenarios. It seems that there is a bit of James Kirk in Shatner as he approaches his life today.
Shatner acknowledges that “the magic of ‘Star Trek’ has never left me.”
Shatner’s New Album is a Musical Memoir
Shatner recently released his latest spoken-word album, “Love & Other Mysteries,” which producer and country star Brad Paisley has described as the “Star Trek” pioneer’s musical memoir. Shatner told HELLO! that the songs on the album reflect on the past five years of his life, from experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic and to his trip to space in 2021 with Jeff Bezos. The trip aboard Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket made him the oldest person to reach space at the time at 90 years old. The ten-minute orbit was incredibly controversial, and Shatner looks back with guilt, he admitted.
The trip to space was a “life-changing experience,” he said. However, the journey ultimately filled Shatner with “the strongest feelings of guilt I have ever encountered” after witnessing the fragility of the planet from above.
A Health Scare, and a Rumored Rekindled Romance
Shatner also opened up about his health over the past few years. In 2023, he was diagnosed with stage-four malignant melanoma after a lump on his face spread to his lungs and brain. The lump was only caught as melanoma because Shatner sought a second opinion.
He underwent surgery and nearly two years of immunotherapy. Remarkably, his youngest daughter, Melanie, was simultaneously battling stage-four breast cancer. Both publicly announced their remission this past July.
Amid that difficult stretch, Shatner reconnected with his fourth wife, photographer Elizabeth Martin. The couple divorced in 2020. While he stopped short of confirming a full reconciliation, he told HELLO! that the two remain “very close,” amid reports of their rekindled romance during his cancer battle.
A Legend Still in Motion
With the release “Love & Other Mysteries” comes other promised appearances: Shatner announced he is preparing for high-profile music festival appearances. Shatner will appear at Riot Fest in September 2026, a high-profile, three-day punk rock music festival held annually in Chicago. It is one of the largest independently owned music festivals in the United States.
Shatner will also appear at Coachella in 2027, where he will debut his take on heavy metal. The “Star Trek” actor has worked with 35 hand-picked icons of heavy metal to create an experimental album.
“I am covering Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden as well as a number of new songs written by my team,” Shatner said in an interview. “The whole project is destined for this year. I hope you will join me in the exploration.”
