Most people his age are taking it easy. William Shatner is riding horses. The iconic “Star Trek” star, 95, recently sat down with Fox News Digital to talk about life, aging, and why slowing down has never once crossed his mind. What followed was the kind of conversation only Shatner could have.
GettyHonest, funny, and full of heart.
William Shatner’s Rule for Aging: Embrace the Pain and Never Stop Moving
“That’s why they’re old,” he said. “Shatner’s law is speed up, do more, and forget the pain, take a pill if it hurts. You get older, you hurt more. Two things. One is a weightlifter who told me, ‘When I lift three, four hundred pounds, it hurts. I’ve learned,’ he said, ‘to make the hurt my friend. Welcome, friend. The pain is here, welcome.'”
His advice to anyone aging? Befriend the pain. Embrace it. And whatever you do, keep moving.
‘If You Stop Moving, All You’ve Got Is the Hurt’
GettyFor Shatner, keeping moving is not just philosophy. It is personal. One of his greatest passions is riding horses and competing in reining, an equestrian event he describes as “very physical.”
Even after a shoulder injury from a fall off his horse, he got back in the saddle. He will host his annual William Shatner’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show later this month. He is the first to admit it gets harder.
“The older you get, the difficulty is really getting on the horse. You have a mounting block, and you try to lift your leg up over it,” he said. “If I would have stopped that, half my life would disappear. So I don’t stop. I just go slower.”
That quiet determination runs through everything Shatner does. He rides horses with his wife. He visits his favorite coffee shops. He spends time with his dogs. He does not have a bucket list because he is too busy living.
“I’m busy, and I’m vital, and I’m riding horses, and I’m taking care of business. And I just sold a horse,” he told Fox.
“I did a job on Friday and Saturday…I’m busy doing concrete, valuable things; I don’t want to go anywhere. The least of all I want to do is die.”
‘The Universe Is Absurd’: Shatner’s New Live Show With Neil deGrasse Tyson
At 95, his schedule shows no sign of clearing anytime soon. Shatner is preparing for a live, unscripted stage show called “The Universe Is Absurd,” set for May 19 and 20 at the Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. The show pairs him with astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson for a night of cosmic conversation, banter, and storytelling.
The partnership grew out of an audiobook recording that turned into 20 hours of conversation between the two.
“I had to spend two days, 10 hours a day, talking to a wonderful man who has become a good friend of mine now,” Shatner said.
“Those 20 hours have given us a foothold into conversation, and that’s what we’ll have on stage. But in order for it to have energy, I have to disagree with them on many points, if not all.”
As for his biggest fear about the show? The audience is walking out before it ends. He said it with a laugh, but he meant it.
‘Relish as Much as You Can’: Shatner’s Most Honest Words on Time
GettyAt some point, the conversation shifted from how Shatner lives to why he loves living. “When you’re 70 and 80, you look around at the magic of the Earth,” he said.
“You look at the incredible beauty of life. No matter if you’re hurting, welcome hurt. You’re alive, for [God’s] sake. In no time at all, you’ll be interred with turds and so relish as much as you can of your life because it’s over.”
Then came the moment that stopped everything.
Getty“I’m here to testify. One truth I know. It goes by so quickly. When I hear somebody utter the number of my age, I’m tempted to look around to see who he’s talking about, because that doesn’t seem real. It seems like some bad dream. I’m how old? No, I’ll wake up momentarily. That’s how I feel.”
He said it simply. Without drama. And somehow that made it land even harder.
On his 95th birthday, Shatner posted something that captured everything in two lines. “At 95, I’m still smokin’! I’ve learned two things: Never waste a good cigar. Never trust anyone who says you should ‘act your age.'”
