Walter Koenig, an actor best known for playing Chekov on the original Star Trek television series, has died. He was 90.
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TMZ was the first to report the news of his death.
His reps confirmed his death to PEOPLE, saying the actor died “of old age at home in North Hollywood last night surrounded by his daughter and niece.”
“Walter helped inspire audiences with his optimism, humor, and adventurous spirit. Beyond Star Trek, his long and distinguished career showcased his versatility as an actor and his genuine love for his craft,” the statement continued.
According to the statement, Koenig won the Platinum Award for Best Actor at the 2026 Independent Shorts Awards for appearing in the short film Mr. Fleischmann.
“Walter’s legacy extends far beyond the screen. Through countless convention appearances and interactions with fans, he shared his kindness, wit, and appreciation with everyone fortunate enough to meet him. He understood what Star Trek meant to people and embraced the community that grew around it. Thank you, Walter, for the memories, the inspiration, and for boldly going where few have gone before. Rest in peace.”
Koenig’s original Star Trek costar George Takei also paid tribute to his longtime friend.
“My heart is heavy. Walter Koenig, our Ensign Pavel Chekov, passed away early today,” he wrote.
“Walter and I met on the bridge of the Enterprise in the 1960s, and we stayed friends for nearly six decades. When Brad and I married in 2008, Walter stood beside us as our best man. Just last month, on Sept. 14, he turned 90, on the same day Brad and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. I will always treasure that he and I shared that date. Rest well, my dear friend. Keep navigating a steady course.”
Born in Chicago and raised in New York City, Koenig became an actor after taking a class at UCLA. He then went back to New York, where he studied at the Neighborhood Playhouse.
“I knew then, that first year at the Neighborhood Playhouse, that acting was it for me,” he told Salon in 2020. “I had no idea whether I would have any success. I’m confident that I was not one of those students who anybody anticipated might see some recognition.”
But he found success after joining Star Trek in season two. After the show wrapped in 1969, it continued to be popular with fans.
That popularity turned into a major film franchise that spanned from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. And Koenig starred in all six.
Koenig released two memoirs, 1998’s Warped Factors and Beaming Up and Getting Off: Life Before and Beyond Star Trek, released in 2020. In 2012, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.