William Shatner Speaks About The Captains at Comic-Con

Scott Bakula, William Shatner and Avery Brooks at Comic-Con 2011
Photo by Hannah Martine

William Shatner is no stranger to the culture of Comic-Con, and he’s revered by more than just Trekkies. So it was not a surprise to see thousands of fans lined up Friday morning for his panel on The Captains, an EPIX Pictures documentary that he produced and directed. Shatner previewed a clip of the film, in which he interviews all the actors that have played Starfleet captains in the Star Trek franchise. He also conducted a Q&A panel with fellow Star Trek alum Avery Brooks, moderated by Kevin Smith.

After the panel, Shatner was whisked off to a press conference where he, Brooks and Scott Bakula answered questions for the press about the documentary.

In one anecdote, Shatner recalled meeting Chris Pine, the most recent (and youngest) actor to play Captain Kirk. In the film, when Shatner and Pine first meet, they begin to arm wrestle. “You never find out who won, and we go on from there,” said Shatner. The difference between Pine and Shatner and his era of Captains, Shatner said, is that Pine comes from a family of actors, whereas Shatner and his co-stars didn’t have the same level of encouragement to become actors.

Other than backgrounds, Shatner was surprised at the amount of commonalities he found among the different Captains while filming the documentary. “There are so many,” he said. “Discipline. Theater. Drive. Sorrow. Pain. The human list of traits goes on.” It was that humanity of everyone that he spoke with that touched Shatner the most.

Bakula agreed that the human connections made during the filming were most special. “I’d never met Bill before until that moment,” he said. “I got the joy of discovering him, and hearing the other guys talk—that was the epiphany for me. It was really revealing.”

Brooks echoed the sentiment. “It’s very moving to me,” he said of the experience of being interviewed by Shatner, which felt more like a conversation on life than a formal interview. “Very rarely do people really want to know what you feel. (William was) somebody who was willing to keep prodding to get an answer, and seeking an answer … that was the most revealing thing for me.”

Shatner began the project not really knowing what it would turn into. He’s proud of what it evolved into, particularly because there was no preconceived idea of what the final product would be. “I approached it tentatively,” he said. “It was a journey of discovery for me.”

Fans of the franchise will enjoy seeing all six Captains (Shatner, Brooks, Bakula, Pine, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew) in the documentary. Shatner traveled to the homes of the actors to interview them; it’s a rare glimpse to see Shatner and his fellow actors not in a role, but in everyday activities.

According to Brooks, “(Shatner) approached it ego-free, which is rare for an actor. He wasn’t trying to be the star of this. But, he becomes the star because he’s not trying.” In true style, the original Captain James T. Kirk continues to inspire others.

There will be a free showing of The Captains on Monday, July 25 at 8 p.m. at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery (6000 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles). The film is currently playing on EPIX network, and it will be available in theatres beginning in October.