William Shatner had a fascinating response to Stephen Miller‘s suggestion that the star’s insight was needed to improve the Star Trek franchise.
Last week, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy shared a post from the X account End Wokeness that featured a viral clip of new series Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. The clip showed castmembers Tricia Black (playing Lt. Rork), Gina Yashere (Lura Thok) and Holly Hunter (Nahla Ake), and the End Wokeness post added the message, “Star Trek 2026… Beyond parody…,” seemingly reflecting unhappiness over the performers’ looks.
Miller wrote, “Tragic. But it’s not too late for @paramountplus to save the franchise. Step 1: Reconcile with @WilliamShatner and give him total creative control.”
On Monday, Shatner responded by joking about the supposed problem with the scene, focusing on the fact that Hunter’s character uses glasses. “I am so on the same page with you @StephenM !” the 94-year-old star wrote. “The fact that they have not cure Hyperopia by the 32rd Century is an abysmal oversight on the writers!”
The actor known for playing the franchise’s Captain Kirk continued in his cheeky response: “Also @paramountplus needs to up the budget because I’m sure that a well oiled organization like Starfleet in the distant future could afford more than one pair of glasses for at least this hyperopic bridge crew. Do they pass the glasses around while piloting the ship‽ Shame on the line producers! That is what you meant, right‽ I am ready to assume command of the series! Call me!”
Miller, who also serves as President Donald Trump‘s homeland security advisor, responded to Shatner’s reply by doubling down on his call for the actor to assume a leadership role in the franchise. Miller wrote that it’s “not too late for Paramount to make amends with Shatner and save the franchise. Do it!”
Although Miller did not specify his issue with the show’s footage, other social media users responded with complaints suggesting that the casting appeared to be motivated by diversity efforts.
Earlier in the month, Elon Musk shared a post featuring the same clip and added, “Turns out they banned Ozempic and LASIK in the future lol.” This led Black to respond on Instagram with the message, “I’ve seen this exact same comment probably 100 times already so whatever but it’s nuts that the richest man in [the world] felt the need to steal the joke. It doesn’t get to me because I am comfortable in my skin most days but this one made me laugh.”
Leonard Nimoy (left), William Shatner and James Doohan on the original Star Trek.
Courtesy Everett Collection
Shatner originated the role of Kirk on the original 1960s Star Trek series, which has been heralded for creator Gene Roddenberry’s progressive values. Shatner, who directed the 1989 feature Star Trek V: The Final Frontier, last played Kirk in the 1994 film Star Trek: Generations, which included the character’s death.
Created by Gaia Violo, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy premiered last week on Paramount+ and has already been renewed for a second season. In her review for The Hollywood Reporter, critic Angie Han called the new project “admirable in its ambitions but shaky in its execution,” adding that it was “too full of charm and promise to dismiss outright.”
Shatner tends to eschew political commentary and has “not political” written in his X bio. But the Canadian actor has made headlines in the past with opinions related to the culture wars, including his remarks criticizing individuals who have used the term “cisgender” to describe him.
“It’s used as a slur & term of harassment,” Shatner posted in 2020 about the term. “I’m going to object to it because I cannot fathom any positive reason to use it on strangers online.”
