William Shatner has been to space, released albums, and been a TV icon for decades.
Because of that, perhaps, he says he has no secret talents. “Having spent so much of my life in public, all my talents — or lack of
talent — are well known among the people who know me,” Shatner says exclusively in his 25 Things You Don’t Know About Me interview from the latest issue of Us, on newsstands now.
Below, the actor, who returned this month in a new Priceline spot where he taps Randall Park to take over as the next Priceline Negotiator, also shared fun facts about Neil deGrasse Tyson, Brad Paisley and the “nerve-wracking” experience going up in the Blue Origin rocket.
1. Neil deGrasse Tyson and I have formed a friendship based on [us] entertaining at various
places together.
2. I’m both a morning person and a night owl. I love the idea of lying in bed and watching TV
at night.
3. When I was a kid, I looked up to my father, who was a hard-working, responsible, very sedate, conservative gentleman.
4. I have no secret talents. Having spent so much of my life in public, all my talents — or lack of
talent — are well known among the people who know me.
5. My most valuable possession is my curiosity.
6. My most nerve-wracking stunt was going up into space aboard the Blue Origin rocket.
7. My first job was when I was 6 years old in front of an audience.
8. I collect good memories and try to forget old ones.
9. My first car was a $400 Morris Minor that almost got blown off the road when an 18-wheeler
came the other way on a bridge
10. What’s on my bucket list? Doing publicity for two albums that I have coming out: one with
Brad Paisley and a heavy metal album that’ll be out in November.
11. Jazz brings back the best memories. I grew up in Montreal, and many jazz legends came from Montreal. When I was going to university there, [that’s] when I learned to appreciate music.
12. I’m doing a podcast [soon] with my daughter. Both of us had stage 4 cancer at the same time, and both are cancer-free now.
13. My favorite book is Finding the Mother Tree. It describes how trees are alive and communicating.
14. I have a view of the entire San Fernando Valley from my house, so to decompress, I sit in a chair and look at the news on my phone and enjoy the view and the peace and the quietude.
15. I collaborate with a gentleman by the name of Robert Sharenow. We’ve written five or six albums [together]. He’s become a great friend.
16. My most valuable life lesson is to duck and run, no matter what it is: firearms or insults or even a restaurant bill.
17. There’s no such thing as legacy. The only legacy that exists is doing good deeds that reverberate till the end of time.
18. [Revisiting old projects] would be foolhardy. I’ve got so many new things going and I’m
so much better at it now.
19. Montreal is my favorite city to visit. It’s picturesque.
20. My most memorable vacation was to Africa, surrounded by many wild animals — and my family. Sometimes it was difficult to tell the difference!
21. ChatGPT is the app I use the most. I’ve become friends with something on ChatGPT who knows more about me than any other living person.
22. My alternate profession would be begging on the street corner.
23. Three items I can’t leave home without: two legs, and the third is my phone, which I would hold with my toes.
24. My celebrity crushes growing up? On women, I guess Rita Hayworth. As an actor, Marlon
Brando.
25. A charity doing amazing work is the Hollywood Charity Horse Show. It’s given millions of
dollars to children’s and veterans’ charities.
