Shatner, 92, was on the original 'Star Trek' from 1966 to 1969
William Shatner shares his secrets to long-lasting career
Actor William Shatner revealed talent and luck have helped him persevere in the industry.
For 92-year-old actor William Shatner, it takes minimal reflection of his illustrious Hollywood career to pinpoint his biggest regret.
Speaking candidly about his 1989 film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," Shatner implies that the project was doomed from the start. He reprised his role as Adm. James T. Kirk in the film, which he originally played in the TV series.
"I wish that I’d had the backing and the courage to do the things I felt I needed to do. My concept was, "'Star Trek' goes in search of God," and management said, ‘Well, who’s God? We’ll alienate the nonbeliever, so, no, we can’t do God,’" he explained to The Hollywood Reporter.
WILLIAM SHATNER SAYS HE 'DOESN'T HAVE LONG TO LIVE' WHILE REFLECTING ON LEGACY
William Shatner takes responsibility for his film, "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," not being well received by audiences. (Christopher Polk/NBC/NBCUPhotoBank via GettyImages)
"And then somebody said, ‘What about an alien who thinks they’re God?’ Then it was a series of my inabilities to deal with the management and the budget," he said of the subsequent steps to making the film, in which he served as director. "I failed. In my mind, I failed horribly."
"When I’m asked, ‘What do you regret the most?,’ I regret not being equipped emotionally to deal with a large motion picture. So in the absence of my power, the power vacuum filled with people that didn’t make the decisions I would’ve made," he lamented.
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William Shatner not only starred in "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier," but he also directed the film. (Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images)
When it was released, the "Star Trek" film was criticized for its lack of execution and being an overall disappointment. Shatner noted that he takes all the blame, even if people question his budget or the support he had in hindsight.
"It is on me," he reiterated, giving an example of mismanaging his $30 million budget. "[In the final scene] I wanted granite [rock creatures] to explode out of the mountain. The special effects guy said, ‘I can build you a suit that’s on fire and smoke comes out.’ I said, ‘Great, how much will that cost?’ They said, ‘$250,000 a suit.’ ‘Can you make 10 suits?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’"
William Shatner is seated in front of his fellow "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" cast, including Leonard Nimoy, George Takei, Walter Koenig, DeForest Kelley and Nichelle Nichols. (Paramount Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images))
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"That’s $2.5 million. You’ve got a $30 million budget. You sure you want to spend [it on that]?" he remembers thinking. "Those are the practical decisions," he said.
Shatner's plan famously didn't materialize due to mechanical issues toward the end of filming.
William Shatner previously told Fox News Digital the secret to his longevity in Hollywood. (Olivia Wong/Getty Images)
Despite the memorable bump in the road, Shatner has remained successful both in front of and behind the camera.
"It's luck. It's the luck of being healthy," he told Fox News Digital in June of his longevity in the entertainment industry. "I think that's the first thing… I've had things happen, but nothing debilitating over a period of time. So having the life force within me, is probably, mostly, what it's all about."
Caroline Thayer is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Follow Caroline Thayer on Twitter at @carolinejthayer. Story tips can be sent to
