He might have brought the most iconic Starfleet captain in the Star Trek universe to life, but William Shatner says he’s dealt with “loneliness” over the course of his career. Shatner spoke with the PA news agency ahead of the release of his new album Love, Death and Horses, which is out this summer. Many of the songs were influenced by his early career. “As a young actor, you’re always balancing on the precipice of failure and you’re about to fall all the time,” he said. “And you stumble back and something comes along and it’s successful, and you’re OK for a while and then you agonize over everything.”
William Shatner’s new album draws from Star Trek “loneliness”
Shatner reflected on things he knows now but wishes he knew back at the height of his Star Trek stardom. “The album is autobiographical and one of the songs is about loneliness, how much loneliness was a part of my life,” he said. “It is a part of everybody’s life, no matter how much attention you get, and how happily married you are, and how many children you have. As the song says, we’re all essentially alone and the big mystery is will there be anybody there at the end?”
It’s a dark but important message coming from the actor, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday.
Shatner appeared in many shows before and after he signed on to Star Trek. While Star Trek had a big audience during its original run, it wasn’t until after the show was cancelled that he achieved the kind of renown he enjoys today. The cult following of the show came later, but even with fame and fortune, loneliness was still an issue.
He also revealed that he’s dealing with a shoulder injury that he sustained after falling from his horse. He credits his DNA for his longevity and looks forward to many more years in the spotlight. “I’ve had the good luck of not having anything really debilitating. So nothing has sapped my energy.”
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h/t The Guardian