George Hosato Takei (武井 穂郷 Takei Hosato?, /təˈkeɪ/tə-KAY; April 20, 1937) is an American actor and author, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the television series Star Trek. He also portrayed the character in 6 Star Trek feature films and in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager. He is a proponent of gay rights and active in state and local politics as well as continuing his acting career. He has won several awards and accolades in his work on human rights and Japanese–American relations, including his work with the Japanese American National Museum.
\2000s
He guest starred on an episode of Will & Grace as himself, after he came out as gay for the first time on television.
In August 2006, Takei was a guest on the Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner. He sat on the dais, and was one of the many people who took part in the roasting, in which he took the time to verbally poke fun at Shatner.
In January 2007, Takei began appearing on Heroes, as Kaito Nakamura, a successful Japanese businessman and father to one of the main characters, time/space-travelling Hiro Nakamura, who also happens to be an obsessive fan of Star Trek. In the first episode Takei is portrayed, "Distractions", the license plate of the limo he arrives in is NCC-1701, another reference to the Star Trek series. Also, in "Run!", Hiro is called "Sulu" by a feisty vixen named Hope. Nakamura is also George's mother's maiden name. He appeared in all four seasons.
Takei made an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a mock public service announcement to show his disappointment over basketball star Tim Hardaway's homophobic remarks. Takei, speaking for the gay community, explained "We don't hate you. As a matter of fact, we like you. We like you very much." Takei then compliments Hardaway's calves and shaved head, letting his hand linger over the crotch of Hardaway's image. Takei ends by letting it be known that one day, when Hardaway least expects it, Takei will have sex with him.[20]
Takei appeared on the first episode of Secret Talents of the Stars, singing country music but was not selected to proceed to the next stage. However the point became moot as the series was abruptly cancelled after the opening episode.
In 2008 he appeared on the 8th season of the reality TV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! on British Television. He lived in the Australian bush for 21 days and nights, doing tasks along with fellow campers in order to gain better meals and survive eviction from the show. His politeness and calmness made him popular with the other campers. Out of 15 participants the British public voted him into 3rd place behind 2nd placed Martina Navratilova and winner Joe Swash.
In 2009, Takei appeared in an episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars as the Neimoidian general, Lok Durd. This was the first time in which an actor from Trek worked with Star Wars.
In April 2009, he voiced a fictitious version of himself in the NASA animated short "Robot Astronomy Talk Show: Gravity and the Great Attractor", part of the web-series IRrelevant Astronomy produced by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.
In 2009, Takei and his husband Brad Altman appeared in a documentary short titled George & Brad in Bed that profiled their relationship.
In 2009, Takei was a guest on NPR's Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!.
2010s
In 2010, Takei recorded a series of PSAs for the Social Security Administration to help promote applying online for benefits.
He appeared as himself in an episode of the fourth season of The Big Bang Theory called "The Hot Troll Deviation". He also starred in All Star Mr and Mrs, a show on ITV in Britain presented by Philip Schofield and Fern Britton in 2011, with partner Brad Altman.[21]
Takei was also one of the celebrities in the 12th season of The Apprentice. He was fired in the third episode, which aired on March 4, 2012.
Takei marked the 70th anniversary of the internment of Americans of Japanese descent, including himself as a child, by asking his readers to contact Congress to block "S. 1253, the National Defense Authorization Act... that would let any U.S. president use the military to arrest and imprison without charge or trial anyone suspected of having any relationship with a terrorist organization."[22]
Takei was featured with Martin Sheen and Jamie Lee Curtis in a performance of Dustin Lance Black's play, '8' — a staged reenactment of the federal trial that overturned California's Prop 8 ban on same-sex marriage — as William Tam.[23] The production was held at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre and broadcast on YouTube to raise money for the American Foundation for Equal Rights.[24][25]
In 2012, Takei starred in the musical Allegiance which Takei described as his legacy project. The show is based on Takei's own experiences and research into the Japanese American internment of World War II and will be performed at the Old Globe Theatre in Balboa Park in San Diego, California.[26]
In 2012, Takei voiced Alpha Trion in an episode of Transformers: Prime.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Takei
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