![]() ![]() “Gene felt that television was a medium that was being wasted,” Takei said. No one else was exploring the allegorical implications of the turbulent 1960s on television. ![]() Takei doesn’t understand “biting the hand that feeds you.” “’Star Trek’ has fed me this wonderful opportunity to do and talk about the issues that I’m passionate about,” he said.ĭuring his time on “Trek,” Takei could appreciate show creator Gene Roddenberry’s boldness. He always seems to truly appreciate the fans and their enthusiasm for the show, his role and him, personally.” “What we want to tell them is, ‘You don’t seem to get that I love you for who you were in this role.’ I think George Takei gets that. “I love Shatner and Nimoy, but you get the idea that, at times, they wanted to distance themselves from ‘Star Trek,’” Paige said, which ends up a hurtful experience for fans. It is an affirmation that we made the right choice, falling in love with a show or a character. To find someone who recognizes the importance of what he is associated with, and not only understands but embraces it, is a gift. “Heroes” revealed a different side of Takei’s acting range, and what Paige calls a “forceful side to Sulu that we never saw.” She also believes that other actors would have shied away from obvious references to their previous work.Īs Trekkers, we love Takei because he returns that affection wholeheartedly, which isn’t always the case when we encounter our favorite member of Starfleet in plainclothes. When he showed up on the TV series “Heroes” as Hiro’s dad, Kaito Nakamura, it was all Paige could do to keep from “squeeing like a fan girl.” The show referenced “Star Trek” on several occasions while Takei was part of the cast, even showing his character’s license plate as “NCC1701,” referring to the Starship Enterprise. Paige continued to see “Sulu” everywhere. You can’t say Sulu is a shining character.” I was more one of those art deco reflective globes. “But she has also got to have a keen eye and ear, because I didn’t get that many opportunities to shine. “She is very discerning and has high standards and good taste,” Takei told me, laughing. “If you aren’t the main one on stage, there is always someone in the background that is important and represents the glue that holds everything together, and he did that for me.” “Sulu wasn’t the main focus of any episode really, but he was always that cool guy in the background that you could identify with,” Paige said. He piloted a massive starship, but he was considered a supporting character. Even in Sulu’s early days on the Starship Enterprise, Paige could identify with his character. Paige first encountered Takei on TV reruns of The Original Series and then followed helmsman Sulu in the first six films of the “Trek” franchise. Is he a geek hero? Fan Dorinda Paige says, “Amen to that!” “Star Wars” social media feud is just one feather in his cap. Takei is so amicable that you immediately feel as though you’re receiving the confidences of an old friend.īut I wanted to know: Why exactly do we love Takei so much? Brokering “Star Peace” after William Shatner and Carrie Fisher began a “Star Trek” vs. When Takei expressed his wish that I’d “live long and prosper” and tossed in a nice “Oh, my!” for good measure during our conversation, I could feel my heart tingle a bit. It’s the kind of love that anyone involved in a fanbase or subculture can relate to – supportive, intuitive and unconditional. When you talk to people about George Takei, they often begin with a sigh and follow up with, “I just love George.” Check back with us next week to see more of Takei’s heroism at work. We discovered that he had more than one story to tell. Sulu in “Star Trek,” was gracious enough to speak with Geek Out for nearly an hour and a half. Editor’s note: George Takei, best known for his role as Mr. ![]()
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