William Shatner, the actor best known for playing the iconic role of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, is 90 years old.
The tech company StoryFile marked the actor’s 90th birthday by announcing that they were partnering with him as a brand ambassador.
Shatner is partnering with StoryFile to create a cloud-based AI-driven conversational video version of himself that can answer fan questions about his life and work.
Shatner’s AI-powered video double is being created so that the actor’s “family and friends can interact with him for years to come,” according to StoryFile.
The interactive video will be available by May
The AI-powered interactive video version of Shatner will be available for fans to interact with on connected devices by May, StoryFile said.
Fans can ask the AI-powered video questions about the actor’s life and work and get answers.
According to StoryFile, the video is not an avatar and it is not based on deep fake technology. It was designed using the real Shatner answering questions about his life and work.
Shatner said the interactive video is ‘for all my children and all my children’s children’
“This is for all my children and all my children’s children and all my children’s loved ones and all the loved ones of the loved ones,” Shatner said in a statement to explain the purpose of the joint project with StoryFile.
“That’s my gift to you down through time,” he added.
Shatner has been receiving 90th birthday wishes on social media
Fans have taken to social media to share well wishes on Shatner’s 90th birthday.
Among fans who shared well wishes on Twitter were celebs such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and Marie Osmond.
Even NASA shared birthday greetings on Twitter.
Shatner responded by thanking fans and friends for their love.
“Well! I must say that the reaction to a 90th birthday [partying emoji] is overwhelming. [raised eyebrow emoji] Don’t you people have better things to do? [Shrugging emoji and laughing emoji]” he tweeted. “Thank you to everyone for your well wishes and love! [heart emoji]”
William Shatner bio
William Shatner was born in Montreal, Quebec, on March 22, 1931. His parents were Ann and Joseph Shatner.
He obtained a degree in Commerce from McGill University in 1952.
He trained as an actor at the Canadian National Repertory Theatre in Ottawa and performed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in Stratford, Ontario.
He made his screen debut in The Butler’s Night Off in 1951 and appeared in the TV series Space Command in 1953.
He first appeared as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series in 1966. He appeared in subsequent movie productions, such as 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.
He also voiced his iconic character, Captain Kirk, in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973) and in multiple video games.
Although he is best known for portraying the USS Enterprise’s Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek franchise, he also appeared in many TV shows, including Hawaii Five-O, Mission: Impossible, and The Six Million Dollar Man.
He was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983 and inducted into the TV Hall of Fame in 2006.