William Shatner of “Star Trek” fame celebrated his 90th birthday on Monday, and he marked the occasion by making it clear that he’s still loving life just as much as he ever did.
“I have so few minutes left in my life that I’m tasting each one with delight,” Shatner told Closer Weekly.
These days, Shatner is staying as busy as ever with his acting career, as he is playing the leading man in a new romantic comedy Senior Moment, which is set to be released on Friday.
“Retire? Retire from what?” Shatner said with a laugh. “I’m having the best time!”
When he’s not acting, Shatner spends much of his time breeding horses, something he has done for decades.
“I am in between shipments of horses right now,” Shatner said. “I’ve got my two dogs in the car with me, the sky is blue, and all the trucks are rushing by — the whole magic of life is passing me by!”
As he celebrates his birthday, Shatner is reflecting on his life and career, including the role on “Star Trek” that made him a household name. When asked if he ever imagined “Star Trek” would still be such a phenomenon so many years, later, Shatner replied, “No, it’s unimaginable.”
“It’s 55 years later, and you and I are still talking about it,” he added. “I’m even talking about the possibility of doing something else on ‘Star Trek.’ It’s all beyond anybody’s imagination or ability to repeat.”
One of the things that Shatner feels has helped him stay so healthy for so long is a positive attitude, and he has a message for people who are struggling right now.
“If you’re struggling because of the pandemic, take this opportunity to focus on something, because you’ve got nothing but time,” he said. “Focus on one thing and get better at it.”
When asked if he has any words of wisdom for his fans, Shatner replied, “What I tell my kids and anybody else who will listen to me is that the journey is the thing. It’s so clichéd that I am almost embarrassed. But the day-to-day journey of life is really what it is all about.”
As for how he feels about turning 90, Shatner could not be any happier.
“I’m turning it upside down and celebrating my 60th birthday,” he said with a laugh. “I have been fortunate in being healthy. I only wish my shoulders didn’t ache.”
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