Diehard Star Trek fans know William Shatner and George Takei for their roles as James T. Kirk and Hikaru Sulu on the original TV series, which ran from 1966 until 1969. At the time, neither actor could have predicted the show would become a cult hit and one of the most successful sci-fi franchises of all time. Despite becoming incredibly successful thanks to Star Trek, Shatner and Takei have been feuding for years. But which one makes the most money? Here’s what we learned when we pitted William Shatner’s net worth against George Takei’s net worth.
Videos by Suggest
‘Star Trek’ Made George Takei And William Shatner Household Names
Shatner, 90, and Takei, 84, are two of just four still-living actors from the original Star Trek series. Nichelle Nichols (who played Uhura) and Walter Koenig (who played Chekov) are still alive, but the remainder of the beloved cast—including fan favorites Lenard Nimoy as Spock and James Doohan as Scotty—are no longer with us.
Both Shatner and Takei appeared in the original three-season run of the TV show and lent their voices to the short-lived Star Trek: The Animated Series, which aired from 1973 until 1974. They also went on to appear in the first Star Trek movie and its sequels—Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982), Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (1984), Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986), Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989), and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991). Shatner also had a role in the 1994 film Star Trek Generations, which included cast members from both the original series and The Next Generation sequel series.
While many people do think of Captain Kirk when they see William Shatner, the actor has had a long and varied career outside of the Star Trek universe. He starred on hit TV shows like T.J. Hooker, Boston Legal, and The Practice, and has appeared in movies such as Airplane II: The Sequel, Miss Congeniality, and Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous. Shatner has also had a lucrative career as a pitchman, which included more than 10 years of commercial spots for Priceline. And at age 90, he became the oldest person to fly to space.
George Takei has also had many post-Star Trek successes, including appearances on TV shows like Hawaii Five-0, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, The Celebrity Apprentice, and Fresh Off the Boat.
In 2012, Takei produced and starred in a musical called Allegiance, which was based on his own experiences as a child in a Japanese American internment camp during World War II. He also sits on the board of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
Takei has also become somewhat of a pop culture figure thanks to his recurring gig as an announcer on The Howard Stern Show and his wildly popular, meme-filled Facebook page, which has attracted more than nine million followers.
George Takei’s Net Worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth, George Takei’s net worth is an estimated $14 million. Like Shatner, Takei has scored a number of lucrative endorsement deals over the years, including commercials for Sharp TV and Pizza Hut.
We also know he’s smart with real estate. For example, in 2001, Takei and his husband bought a luxe two-bedroom condo in New York City on midtown’s Billionaires’ Row for $475,000. Located on the 35th floor, it features sweeping views of the city skyline and the Hudson River. In 2019, Takei sold the apartment for a cool $1.35 million.
The To Be Takei star does admit that he lost some money while making his passion project, Allegiance—though he said the experience was well worth the expense. “I went overboard on the money I invested in the production of Allegiance,” he said in a 2019 interview with The Guardian. “It did not return, but it was fulfilling that I was able to tell a story that’s dear.”
William Shatner’s Net Worth
Celebrity Net Worth reports that William Shatner’s net worth is around $100 million. It’s no surprise that it’s higher than Takei’s given the fact that Shatner’s Star Trek role both on TV and in the movies was much more prominent. Shatner has also published 16 books, including nine Star Trek novels, two of which were New York Times bestsellers. His nonfiction titles include Get a Life!, Up Till Now: The Autobiography, and Live Long And . . .:What I Learned Along the Way.
While we don’t know much about the actor’s investments or spending habits, we do know that he’s owned his fair share of luxe cars, including the Jaguar D-Type, Citroën 2CV, Dodge Viper, Mercedes-Benz 300SL, a Ferrari Enzo, and a Bugatti Veyron.
We also know that Shatner’s fortune wasn’t affected by his 2020 divorce from his fourth wife, Elizabeth Martin, after close to 19 years of marriage. Thanks to an iron-clad prenuptial agreement, The Practice star was reportedly able to hold on to the bulk of his money.