William Shatner: That's why he wanted a documentary about his life

"Star Trek" icon William Shatner (91) has revealed why he agreed to a documentary about his life.

William Shatner: That's why he wanted a documentary about his life

"Star Trek" icon William Shatner (91) has revealed why he agreed to a documentary about his life. "I've turned down a lot of offers to do documentaries. But I don't have long to live," he told Variety in an interview. "Whether I'm passing now or in 10 years, my time is limited so that's an important factor," explained the Canadian.

His family also played a role in his decision: "I have grandchildren. This documentary is a way to reach them after my death." Shatner has five grandchildren through his three daughters Leslie (64), Lisbeth (61) and Melanie (58).

The 91-year-old has already had an eventful life. He has been acting since the age of six when he was allowed to take part in a theater performance. He has continued down this path ever since, starring in a few lesser-known productions, eventually becoming Captain Kirk in the 1966 series Starship Enterprise. The successful series was followed by seven "Star Trek" films, which earned him legendary status.

On October 13, 2021, he actually took off: There Shatner was on a suborbital flight into space as a space tourist on board the New Shepard from the company "Blue Origin". At the age of 90, he became the oldest person to have flown into space.

While filming You Can Call Me Bill, Shatner told Variety that he didn't want to just look back on his accomplishments. Instead, he was "trying to discover something I've never said before." He wants the audience to share his experiences.

"The sad thing is, the older a person gets, the wiser they get, and then they die with all that knowledge. And then it's gone. It's not like I take my ideas or my clothes with me," he said. "What am I supposed to do with all these thoughts? What am I supposed to be observing when I'm 90?" He now shares part of it in "You Can Call Me Bill".

Director Alexandre O. Philippe's documentary will premiere at this year's SXSW Film Festival in Texas, March 10-19.

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