Patrick Stewart Reveals the Surprising Star Trek Secret He Borrowed From William Shatner's Captain Kirk
Patrick Stewart reveals the undeniable influence of William Shatner's Captain Kirk on his iconic Star Trek character as they united in Star Trek Generations
Summary
In his autobiography, Patrick Stewart admits that he copied William Shatner's recitation of the famous "Space, the final frontier" speech for Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Stewart recognized Shatner's flawless execution and concluded that he couldn't surpass it, leading him to deliberately mimic his predecessor's portrayal.
Despite initially living in the shadow of The Original Series, TNG eventually gained a level of adoration equal to, if not surpassing, its predecessor.
Patrick Stewart confessed in his recent autobiography, "Making It So: A Memoir," that he imitated one aspect of William Shatner's portrayal of Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series. Both Shatner and Stewart delivered the iconic phrase "Space, the final frontier..." that initiated every episode of their respective shows. Sir Patrick openly admits to mimicking Shatner's rendition verbatim. Read his statement below:
Patrick Stewart & William Shatner Starred In Star Trek Generations Together
: In a particular regard, I am indebted to William Shatner. When the time came to record the iconic 'Space, the final frontier' monologue that commences each episode of both 'The Next Generation' and 'The Original Series'... I meticulously studied Bill's voiceover in preparation for my own, and came to the realization that there was nothing I could do to enhance it. He had executed it flawlessly, capturing the precise tone and cadences. Therefore, I essentially replicated his rendition syllable by syllable — the only instance where I deliberately imitated Bill's portrayal as the captain.
In 1994's Star Trek Generations, the two legendary Captains of the Enterprise, James T. Kirk and Jean-Luc Picard, finally crossed paths. William Shatner reprised his role as Captain Kirk to pass the torch to Patrick Stewart and Captain Picard, as Star Trek: The Next Generation took the helm of the Star Trek movie series. The film's climactic moment was the death of Captain Kirk, aiming to make Star Trek Generations an unforgettable event for Trekkers. Although not universally embraced by Star Trek fans, Shatner and Stewart developed a genuine friendship.
Patrick Stewart and William Shatner are both well-versed in the art of writing books. While Stewart promotes his memoir, Shatner has written multiple memoirs such as Star Trek Memories, Up Til Now, and Boldly Go, along with Star Trek novels and the sci-fi series TekWar. Interestingly, Captain Kirk's body made a surprise appearance in Star Trek: Picard season 3, which revealed that his remains are held by Section 31 in Daystrom Station. In the new series Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Captain Christopher Pike, portrayed by Anson Mount, recites the iconic "Space, the final frontier..." mantra, but it remains to be seen whether Mount drew inspiration from Stewart's rendition in Star Trek: The Next Generation or Shatner's in Star Trek: The Original Series.
