Shatner & Stewart Talk JJ Abrams Star Trek + More From San Francisco Star Trek Con

Last weekend Creation held an official Star Trek Convention in San Francisco. The event was headlined by Patrick Stewart and William Shatner who delighted the crowd with talk of Shakespeare, the new Star Trek movie and even pantyhose. The con also featured Trek stars such as Gary Lockwood, Armin Shimerman, Max Grodenchik, Vaughan Armstrong, and even some Klingons Chancellors (J.G. Hertzler and Robert O’Reilly). See below for details and photos from the event

 

San Francisco Star Trek Con Report (January 23 & 24)

Con report by Chris Dickson and Robert Bernardo

Shatner and Stewart on Knighthood, Shakespeare, JJ Abrams Trek & more

The highlight of the convention was the Sunday appearances of Captains Kirk and Picard, aka William Shatner and Patrick Stewart. Sir Patrick Stewart started it off, taking the stage to a standing ovation in an over-packed room. The actor began (apparently seriously) saying that The Next Generation was being recast. But Stewart then joked that a 15-year old will play Picard, a 10-year old will play Riker, Mr. Data will be played by R2-D2, Deanna Troi will be played by Lady Gaga, and a young Wesley Crusher "hasn’t been born yet," quipping "but I am assured that his mother is six months pregnant." Stewart then got serious again and said he was a fan of the new Star Trek movie and was "one of the first to congratulate" director JJ Abrams on his accomplishment.


Patrick Stewart jokes about TNG recasting – but says he likes new "Star Trek" movie (photo: Simon Lemonkey)

Sir Patrick then discussed his new life on the stage, noting "Not to talk bad about Star Trek, but the last 6 years of my life have been the best. I’ve been doing Shakespeare in London.” And when asked what advice would he give to young aspiring artists, he responded with “Expose yourself to as much Shakespeare as you can. Read it, see productions of it, and rent the movies. Just immerse yourself in his world. Because Shakespeare is ever actors best friend.” Stewart then started talking about his new knighthood when William Shatner came running out to the stage to kneel before him to say “I was wondering, if you can put in a good word for me.” To which Stewart replied “Arise, sir” and Shatner exclaimed “Sir Patrick!”


Shatner kneels to "Sir Pat" (photo: Simon Lemonkey)

Shatner’s solo portion started with a fan asking him why he hasn’t had Patrick Stewart on his Raw Nerve talk show yet. Bill said that would be up to the network, but he did confirm Howard Starn and Geroge Takei were going to be on, where they would try and end the Shatner and Takei feud. The original Kirk went on to talk on a variety of subjects, including how he wants to be knighted, Boston Legal, skiing, and the death scene in Generations. Shatner got a big laugh when, after talking about his upcoming appearance on World Wrestling Entertainment, he noted being on WWE "shows you the difference between Patrick Stewart and myself.”

Finally the subject moved to the new Star Trek movie. Shatner said that he still had still not seen it, at which point Patrick Stewart returned to the stage telling him that he had it on DVD and could lend it to him. Shatner said there was no need, and revealed that J.J. Abrams has set up a screening for him to watch the film at Paramount, which will be in the next couple of weeks.


William Shatner says he will soon see the JJ Abrams "Star Trek" movie, with Abrams
 (photo: Simon Lemonkey)

For the final part of the show, the two remained on stage together, starting off talking about their horse-riding scene in Star Trek Generations, where Shatner revealed he had advised Stewart to get a pair of pantyhose to wear under his uniform and on the day they were filming Stewart came out with hose on over his costume and Shatner then yells "Captain Picard is wearing pantyhose!" To this, Stewart responded “It has felt good ever since.” Shatner told the audience “the next time you watch Star Trek: Generations, when you see us on the back of those horses, just lodge in the back of your mind, those two guys are wearing pantyhose!” The pair joked around some more, and their appearance ended with William Shatner again asking Sir Patrick Stewart to put in a good word for him with the Queen.


Shatner and Stewart joke about pantyhose and more at SF Con
 (photo: Amol Deshphande)

More photos from Shatner and Stewart available on Flickr from Simon Lemonkey and Amol Deshpande

More stars at San Francisco: Lockwood, Shimerman, Biggs, Armstrong, Klingons!

Also appearing on Sunday was Gary Lockwood (Gary Mitchell from the TOS pilot "Where no Man Has Gone Before"). Lockwood mixed his time speaking about his work on Trek and on 2001: A Space Odyssey. He divulged some interesting trivia, revealing he did 75% of his own
stunt work for 2001, and that Gene Roddenberry wrote the
part of Gary Mitchell with him in mind. Lockwood quoted Roddenberry telling him “Yeah, you become god, and we all know that’s who you think you are.”

Saturday kicked off with the Quark Family of Max Grodenchik (Rom) and Armin Shimerman (Quark). The pair spend the bulk of their time taking questions on the development of their characters, specifically their dialogue and how they came up with their characters’ voices. When asked about their favorite Ferengi Rules of Acquisition, Max said his was #48 "the bigger the smile, the sharper the knife" and Armin said #1 ("Once you have there money never give it back") because it is the only one he could remember:


Shimerman and Grodenchik
 (photo: Stephen Lee)

Up next was Casey Biggs, who spent most of his time talking about auditioning and evolving the character of Damar on Deep Space Nine, including joking about being a drunk for two years of the show. Biggs noted that he liked his final scene where he dies in the arms of co-star Andrew Robertson (Garak). Casey was then joined by his fellow Enterprise Blues Band member Vaughn Armstrong (Enterprise : Admiral Forest + various others) and the two sang several songs together, including "Trekkie Deckie", "Red Shirt", and "Woman Jones". Once done with the music Casey left and Vaughn Armstrong entertained the crowd with his six-hour make-up story. The actor also discussed auditioning for the role of Riker in The Next Generation. He then struggled to name all the characters in Star Trek he played over the years (for the record there are a total of thirteen). Of any of the costumes he wore, Armstrong said he would most like to have his first Klingon costume,
because it was the one worn by Christopher Lloyd in Star Trek III. As for his favorite character, Armstrong chose ‘2 of 9’ (7 of 9’s Borg-brother from Voyager’s "Survival Instinct"), but he also said he was fond of Mirror Universe Forest (Enterprise) and how he got to spend six hours kissing Linda Park. While wrapping up the actor said he was not satisfied with how they killed Admiral Forest in the series.


Biggs and Armstrong play some Trek-themed music
 (photo: Stephen Lee)

A big highlight of Saturday was the arrival of the Klingon Chancellors, Gowron (Robert O’Reilly) and Martok (JG Hertzler) in full makeup and costumes. Once on stage, the pair remained in character the entire time. Martok started by stating how they got lost trying to find Starfleet Headquarters and ended up at the convention. Martok then called the mayor of San Francisco a hunk. The two proceeded to sing and dance to a Klingon hip-hop song, and then invited everyone who was in Klingon costumes to join them on stage to help them sing a Klingon drinking song. The Klingons wrapped up by giving orders to the crowd that "for the glory of the Empire" the fans should to write letters to JJ Abrams and "tell him to put a damn Klingon on the next Star Trek movie!"


Martok (Hertzler) and Gowron (O’Reilly)
 (photo: Stephen Lee)

Also appearing on Saturday was Chase Masterson (DS9’s Leeta). Unfortunately we didn’t have anyone on hand for a report, but here is a shot of her on stage.


Chase Masterson
 (photo: Stephen Lee)

Photographer Stephen Lee also has some more good shots from Saturday at the Star Trek Con, at Flickr: CLICK HERE to see slideshow.

More sights from SF Star Trek con
Here are some nice shots from around the con (via Telstar Logistics on Flickr)

 

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sweet, first. I think we should have stewart in the next movie in some form… anyone else think so?

As I understand it, you can’t be knighted if you aren’t a citizen of the UK. Does Canada count?

Lets bring back the Shat and Sir Pat in the next movie!

“[N]oting “not to talk bad about Star Trek, but the last 6 years of my life have been the best. I’ve been doing Shakespeare in London.””

Why would what he said be dissing Trek? As much as I like Trek, there is no comparison between it and Shakespeare… one’s entertaining, rollicking and often thought provoking, while the other contains some of the most beautiful sentences ever penned in the English language.

Let’s face it: “In all my travels, of all the souls I have encountered, his was the most … human ” is not going to dethrone “To be, or not to be, that is the question: Whether ’tis nobler in mind to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them” any time soon as the most iconic phrase in the Mother Tongue. :)

AND THE SHAT STILL HASN’T SEEN THE NEW MOVIE? C’mon… grudges are grudges, but at some point you gotta let go, Bill…

@4: Yes and no… You can be knighted in an honorary capacity if not a British subject, but cannot use the title “sir” or any of the other perquisites that come with knighthood (“Stormin’ Norman” Schwartzkopf was in this situation when knighted after the Gulf War, for instance). This holds for Canada (IIRC), as they’ve abolished knighthoods and peerage.

Addendum/clarification to 5 — some British Commonwealth nations do accept and recognize British knighthoods/peerages, such as New Zealand (again, IIRC), but not Canada.

Addendum to addendum — I meant @2

Must have been epic to have seen those two on share the stage.

@ #2

The US Constitution specifically forbids the granting of Titles by the US government. However, Steven Spielberg was knighted a few years ago and no one raised a fuss about it.

Yes!!!!Let’s bring back Shatner and Stewart and Sirtis and Mulgrew and Takei and Visitor and Suzie Plakson and Chase Masterson and Koenig and the guy who played the red shirt in TOS episode 3 and the Shat again and let the next film be a BIG FLOP!!!!!!!!!!

Lady Gaga as Diana Troi??? It could work! LOL! I’m sure she could give the guys some GOOD advice. Mabye she could just sing one of her songs! LOL!!!

#3: As much as I share your desire to see those great actors on the big screen again, I don’t think there’s any place for either of their Trek characters (referring to Kirk Prime in the Shat’s case) in the alternate universe going forward.

-8

Yeah, I don’t think the State Department bothers to enforce the ban.

They have never – to my knowledge – stripped a U.S. national of their citizenship for accepting an honorary knighthood or title of nobility. So long as it is made clear that they are not in the service of a foreign government, the authorities seem content to look the other way.

Takei was inducted by the Japanese Emperor into the Order of the Rising Sun (4th class) in 2004, even though he is a U.S. citizen.

Chase Masterson…….me likey!!

DAYUM … Chase Masterson STILL does it for me. Either she’s aging well or I’m getting old.

Shatner and Stewart are funny together, maybe not quite on the same level as when Shatner and Nimoy share a stage… but still, naturally amusing people. Can’t buy that!

Shatner is a great and busy man, and he just doesn’t have the time, the two hours, to watch the DVD somewhere. That’s all there is to it.
Not.

As far as cameos go, Stewart would be hard continuity/cannon wise. Archer would be easier. T’Pol the easiestx and I’d like confirmation she’s alive. :)

I love that no matter where the actors are now, they always come back to their roots and do these conventions. They live all over the United States and the world… they always come back to do the conventions. Thanks guys for the great coverage of the conventions.

“I love that no matter where the actors are now, they always come back to their roots and do these conventions.’

If the money is right…

@ 2, 5, 8

Canada forbids its citizens to carry titles. No knights, sirs, lords, etc.

Abrams did master his work on 35mm film and he is on record as being most proud of how it looks on that medium. It is possible Shatner is just giving him the professional courtesy of first best experiencing the film in the form it was intended. Also not that unusual considering both directors worked in 35mm.

I seem to recall Shatner also expressed the concern that he not experience it in an empty theater? One can only imagine what kind of Shatner friends and family fete that might entail.

19. Is that true? I thought the Prime Minister had discretion to decide such matters. To Wikipedia!

I wonder if Shat’s been given the Order of Canada? Even McGill university refused to name a building after the poor guy.

Fun exchange, though. Shatner’s finally starting to grow on me…

I would love to have been there, to see Patrick of stage with Bill would have been awesome.

Be cool to see Patrick and Bill again in Trek

21

I have always loved Shatner

He is the legend that is Kirk

I have been writing all over the internet that Lady Gaga should have a cameo in Star Trek 12 for the last 3 months! Only when Patrick Stewart takes credit for MY idea, does anyone listen!

Anyway, I’d like to repeat my idea once again for those of you who have not read it yet:

Midway through Star Trek 12, I’d like to see Kirk, Spock and McCoy go undercover to a concert of hers on a distant planet like with Diva Plavalaguna in The Fifth Element (1997). Her character (the most famous and successful singer in the Alpha Quadrant) could have dark connections to the Orion Syndicate who should be the villains of the sequel as they are essentially the Mafia of the Star Trek universe, involved in piracy, smuggling, and extortion. An explosively intense, thunderous phaser fight could erupt interrupting the show when she sings Bad Romance, Paparazzi, Poker Face or Just Dance between Kirk, Spock and McCoy and some Orion Syndicate henchmen.

Shatner’s got them just where they want him .

I am a big Bill Shatner fan, he will always be Kirk.

I do like Pine as Kirk but to me Willam Shatner is Kirk and always will be the true one for me.

I annoys me when someone says they prefer Pine but I try to respect their opinion. But to me Shatner defined the role.

#1 no, not me.

whay are so many people anti of the last 40 years?

Just because everyone gets all warm and fuzzy seeing the two old captains together is no reason to bring them back for another movie! That would be the worst possible pandering to fanboys and would totally alienate the majority of younger fans of the new ST universe. Both of my 20’s daughters and most of their friends loved the new ST movie but for them Shatner is nothing but a clown.

If they want to bring back anyone, please let it be Chase Masterson! Not only is she by far the most bodacious babe of all the women of ST, she’s also extremely articulate, intelligent, and has shown tremendous loyalty and respect for ST over the years.

@ 24. Johanna Borjesson

You must be a bigger fan of Lady Gaga than of Star Trek if you think that’s a good idea :P
Svensk förresten?

@ captain_neill

I am not “anti” the last 40 years. I love the whole concept of ST both past and present. Each of the ST series was my favourite tv show when it was running. But, this is no reason to think that the hoary old actors from these old shows are suitable for the new movies and a new generation of fans.

We have wonderful memories of these old captains and crews. Let’s savour the memories and let the actors rest in peace.

29

thats a shame,, only liking the new movie but not checking out the other Treks.

I for one want the new fans to check out the other stuff. I hate for the newbies to think that Trek is only this one film. they will probably mistakenly think JJ Abrams is the creator of Trek.

31

But is it not important to let the new fans see what came before. I think there is a lot of better Trek in there that the new fans can be exposed to.

I love the new film but its not the only source of Trek.

TNG the movie (if they made it now or within the next 5 years )

Picard – Mark Strong

Riker – Brandon Routh

Data – Cillian Murphy

LaForge – Don Chedel

Crusher – Gillian Anderson

Troi – Eva Mendes

Worf – Michael Clarke Duncan

Yar – Ali Larter

Wesley – ???

Guinan – Halle Berry

Picard Prime – Patrick Stewart

Brilliant William Shatner will be as Las vegas this year. Can’t wait for vegas.

Hoping Patrick Stewart will be there as well.

Picard – Tom Hardy (no brainer, right?)
Riker – James Franco
Data – Doug Jones / Topher Grace
Geordi – Sean Patrick Thomas
Worf – Michael Clark Duncan (if he were younger)
Troi – Megan Fox (I know a stretch)
Crusher – Bryce Dallas Howard

One more thing….Brent Spiner should play Sheldon’s dad on “Big Bang Theory.”

In fact, Sheldon might be a good choice for a new Data.

21. Jack wrote:

> Even McGill university refused to name a building after the poor guy.

The William Shatner University Centre is located at 3480 McTavish Street

from http://ssmu.mcgill.ca/university-centre/

@8 — The honor of knighthood by Britain is not specifically prohibited by the Constitution. Many US citizens have been given honorary knighthoods.

What the relevant passage says is: “No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”

So they really CAN’T say anything about Spielberg getting knighted (he doesn’t hold any “office of profit or trust” in the government — the idea of the law was to keep foreign powers from bribing government ministers, ambassadors or legislators into betraying the country by giving them ennobling fiefs), so long as he doesn’t call himself “Sir Stephen,” and that’s more of a rule on the British side than the American.

#21.

Shatner was born while Canada was still under the crown. As far as the UK is concerned his eligibility may be grandfathered.

I am not versed in Canadian law but somehow I can’t imagine all those Canuck WWII heroes so bestowed allowing themselves to be retroactively stripped so there must be exceptions.

Can’t wait to see the Shat on WWE Raw. He needs to have some kind of role in the next Trek Movie. vaugn armstrong is a great actor and loved him as Admiral Forrest. Hated the way he was killed though. But loved the way he died for the Terran Empire.

I’ll admit that while I’m not a big fan of cameos I’d love to see Stewart in some form. Unfortunately, I’m not exactly sure how since they’d probably cast him as a Picard and we know that Jean-Luc was unusually adventurous for his family.

here’s an idea:

what do some fans want?

Klingons.

What do others want?

Shatner and Stewart.

How about Shatner and Stewart are the main villains in ST12 as…KLINGONS! the shear awesomnes will be so extreme that the movie 2012 will actually come true!

really i’m just joking…

Not to sound mean, but to Chris and Robert, proofreading is a writer’s best friend.

And I think it would be great to see the three original klingon commanders come back in the next Star Trek movie leading an armada to take on Starfleet’s new “super weapon” starship that was able to destroy the ship that destroyed an entire fleet of klingon ships all by herself.

We’d get to see how quickly Kirk’s reputation precedes himself. :-)

ahhh young Skywalker…..I actually like that idea.

Patrick Stewart knowing who Lady Gaga is.. for some reason that reminds me of my mother when she would start headbanging to Guns N Roses.

Out of the above I’ve only seen Casey Biggs as a Con, I’d love to see more of these guys. Sounds like fun.

Patrick was offering a photo op for $200.00; Shatner for $100.00. Is the Shat’s stock down a bit or is he just a man of the people? : D

All joking aside, photo ops and autographs meant a lot more when money wasn’t involved. Now, sadly, there is a price on everything.

Looks like Shatner and Stewart session was a hoot!
I wish there was a video of that.

As for cameos – will always welcome The Shat, and I enjoyed TNG cameos in “Countdown”. It may even make sense story-wise in the sequels, to check how survivor Romulans are doing in the Prime universe, for example, and contrast with Vulcans in this AU.

My Suggestion for a Rebooted The Next Gen

Picard – Mark Strong

Riker – Tom Welling

Data – Jim Parsons

LaForge – Sam Jones III

Crusher – Kaley Cuoco

Troi – Kristin Kreuk

Worf – Michael Clarke Duncan

Yar – Allison Mack

Wesley – Cole Sprouse or Dylan Sprouse

Guinan – Halle Berry

Picard Prime –Patrick Stewart