George Takei facts for kids

Quick facts for kids George Takei
Takei at the 2024 GalaxyCon Oklahoma City
Born	Hosato Takei (1937-04-20) April 20, 1937 (age 88) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Education	University of California, Berkeley University of California, Los Angeles (BA, MA)
Occupation	Actor author activist
Years active	1955–present
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Brad Altman ​ (m. 2008)​

George Takei (born April 20, 1937) is an American actor, author, and activist. He is famous for playing Hikaru Sulu, the helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek TV shows and movies.

Takei was born to Japanese-American parents. During World War II, his family was forced to live in special camps. He started acting in college. In 1965, he got the role of Sulu, which he played for many years. He has also become a strong supporter of LGBT rights and is active in politics. He speaks up for the rights of immigrants. This includes his work on the 2012 Broadway show Allegiance, which is about the experience of Japanese-Americans in the internment camps.

George Takei grew up speaking both English and Japanese. He still speaks both languages very well. He has received many awards for his work on human rights. He also received awards for his efforts to improve relations between Japan and the United States. This includes his work with the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.

Early Life and Education

Childhood During World War II

Takei in 1956

George Takei was born Hosato Takei on April 20, 1937. His birthplace was Los Angeles, California. His parents were Fumiko Emily Nakamura and Takekuma Norman Takei. His father worked in real estate. George was named after King George VI of the United Kingdom. The king's coronation happened shortly after Takei's birth in 1937.

In 1942, the Takei family was forced to leave their home. They lived in converted horse stables at Santa Anita Park. Then they were sent to the Rohwer War Relocation Center in Arkansas. This was an internment camp in swamplands. It was surrounded by barbed wire fences. Later, the family moved to the Tule Lake War Relocation Center in California.

Takei had relatives living in Japan during World War II. His aunt and baby cousin lived in Hiroshima. They were both killed during the atomic bombing of that city. After the war, Takei's family left the internment camp. They had lost their home, bank accounts, and family business. They lived in a difficult area of Los Angeles for five years.

School and College Years

George Takei went to Mount Vernon Junior High School. He was also a leader at Los Angeles High School. He was a member of the Boy Scouts.

After high school, Takei went to the University of California, Berkeley. He first studied architecture there. Later, he moved to the University of California, Los Angeles. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theater in 1960. He also received a Master of Arts degree in theater in 1964. He studied acting in England and Japan too. In Hollywood, he learned acting at the Desilu Workshop.

Acting Career

Starting in Hollywood

George Takei began his acting career in the late 1950s. He did voiceovers for Japanese monster movies. These included Rodan (1956) and Godzilla Raids Again (1955). He appeared in TV shows like Playhouse 90 and Perry Mason. He also had roles in Hawaiian Eye.

Takei acted alongside famous stars. He was in Never So Few (1959) with Frank Sinatra. He also appeared with Richard Burton in Ice Palace (1960). Other films included Hell to Eternity (1960) and A Majority of One (1961). He was in Red Line 7000 (1965) and Walk, Don't Run (1966).

In 1964, Takei guest-starred in The Twilight Zone. The episode was called "The Encounter". He also appeared in Mission: Impossible in 1966. He was in two Jerry Lewis comedies. These were The Big Mouth (1967) and Which Way to the Front? (1970).

Star Trek Fame

Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu

In 1965, Gene Roddenberry chose Takei for the role of Sulu. Sulu was an astrosciences physicist in the Star Trek TV series. When the show was picked up by NBC, Takei continued as Sulu. His character became the ship's helmsman.

Takei's role was planned to be bigger in the second season. However, he was filming The Green Berets (1968). This meant he only appeared in half of the Star Trek episodes that season. Walter Koenig played Pavel Chekov and filled in for him. When Takei returned, he and Koenig became good friends. The image of them sharing the ship's helm became very well-known.

Takei has played Sulu many times since then. He was in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973–1974). He also appeared in the first six Star Trek movies. In the last movie, his character became a captain. He has also done voice acting for Star Trek video games. In 1996, he played Captain Sulu in an episode of Star Trek: Voyager.

Takei has spoken about his relationship with William Shatner. In a 2004 interview, Takei said Shatner was a "wonderful actor." He added that "No one could have done Kirk the way Bill did." Takei appeared on the 2006 Roast of William Shatner. They joked about each other and shared a friendly hug.

Takei also voiced Captain Hikaru Sulu in the 1997 video game Star Trek: Captain's Chair. In 2007, he played Sulu in the fan-made web series Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II.

After Star Trek

In 1979, Takei co-wrote a science fiction novel. It was called Mirror Friend, Mirror Foe. His autobiography, To the Stars, was published in 1994. He hoped to make a movie about his family's experience in the internment camps.

In 2007, Takei joined the TV show Heroes. He played Kaito Nakamura, a Japanese businessman. Kaito was the father of Hiro Nakamura, a main character. Hiro was a big Star Trek fan. Takei appeared in all four seasons of the show.

In 2008, Takei was on the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! in Britain. He lived in the Australian bush for 21 days. He was very polite and calm. The public voted him into 3rd place.

In 2009, Takei voiced General Lok Durd in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This was the first time a main Star Trek actor worked on a Star Wars show. He also voiced a version of himself in a NASA animated short. This was part of the IRrelevant Astronomy web-series. Takei and his husband Brad Altman were in a short documentary. It was called George & Brad in Bed (2009).

In 2010, Takei recorded public service announcements. These were for the Social Security Administration. In 2011, he appeared with Brad Altman on a British TV show. It was called All Star Mr & Mrs.

Takei was a contestant on The Apprentice in 2012. He was fired in the third episode. He also starred in the play 8. This play was about the trial that ended California's ban on same-sex marriage.

In 2012, Takei starred in the musical Allegiance. He called this his "legacy project." The show is based on his own experiences. It tells the story of the Japanese American internment during World War II. Allegiance opened on Broadway in November 2015.

In 2013, Takei was a guest judge on the show King of the Nerds. He helped judge a Cosplay Competition. He also started hosting Takei's Take, a web series. It reviews consumer technology for older viewers. Takei appeared in a viral video for Bonnie McKee's song "American Girl". He also became a spokesperson for Rooms To Go, a furniture store. He used his famous "Oh Myyy!" phrase in their commercials.

In 2014, a documentary film about Takei premiered. It was called To Be Takei. He also participated in a documentary film about how some people talk. In 2015, he produced a YouTube mini-series. It was called It Takeis Two. It featured him and Brad Altman. In 2017, Takei was in TV commercials for Pizza Hut.

In 2019, Takei published They Called Us Enemy. This was a 208-page memoir in graphic novel form. It focused on his family's time in the internment camps. The book won an American Book Award in 2020. He narrated the documentary Who's on Top? in 2020. In 2021, the United States Air Force Academy chose They Called Us Enemy for its reading program. Takei spoke at the Academy in 2022 about his book.

Personal Life and Activism

Sharing His Story

Left to right: Takei, They Called Us Enemy co-author Steven Scott, and Takei's husband Brad Altman at Midtown Comics in New York.

In October 2005, George Takei shared that he is gay. He had been in a committed relationship with his partner, Brad Altman, for 18 years. He decided to share this after California's governor vetoed same-sex marriage legislation. Takei said it was like "a long, long walk through what began as a narrow corridor that starts to widen."

Takei is a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign "Coming Out Project." In 2006, he went on a "Equality Trek" speaking tour. He shared his life as a gay Japanese American. He talked about his relationship with Altman and Star Trek. He encouraged others to share their own stories.

In 2014, Takei raised money for an adult Eagle Scout. This was to start a web series called Camp Abercorn. It showed his experiences in the Boy Scouts of America. He supported the series because the Boy Scouts used to remove gay adults.

Marriage and Family

On May 16, 2008, Takei announced that he and Brad Altman would get married. They were the first same-sex couple to apply for a marriage license in West Hollywood. They held a press conference to share the news. They were married on September 14, 2008. The wedding took place at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. Takei is one of the museum's founders. Walter Koenig was his best man. Nichelle Nichols was his "best woman."

Takei and Altman appeared on a celebrity edition of The Newlywed Game in 2009. They were the first same-sex couple on the show. They won $10,000 for their charity, the Japanese American National Museum. In 2010, they were on the British game show All Star Mr & Mrs.

Political Involvement

Takei was involved in politics early on. He was a delegate from California in 1972. The next year, he ran for a seat on the Los Angeles City Council. He finished second in the election.

Los Angeles mayor Tom Bradley later appointed Takei to a transportation board. Takei helped plan the Los Angeles subway system. He served on the board from 1973 to 1984. In 1978, he cast the deciding vote to create the Los Angeles subway system.

Takei in September 2012

In November 2010, Takei released a public service announcement (PSA). It criticized Clint McCance, a school board vice president. McCance had made very negative comments about gay people. Takei's video got a lot of media attention. McCance later resigned from the school board.

In May 2011, Takei released another PSA. This was in response to a Tennessee bill. The bill would stop teachers and students from talking about homosexuality. Takei suggested people could use his name instead of "gay." For example, they could support Takei marriage.

Takei spoke out against the National Defense Authorization Act. He said it was like the law that led to Japanese-American internment. He asked people to contact Congress to block it.

In December 2015, Takei spoke out against Donald Trump's idea to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. Takei said it was "ironic" that Trump made the comment on December 7, Pearl Harbor Day. This was the event that led to the internment camps. Takei said Trump's ideas would "make his logo 'America disgraced again'."

In 2017, Takei made an April Fools' joke about running for Congress. He then announced his support for Jon Ossoff. Ossoff later became a Senator for Georgia in 2021.

Takei used to be the chair of the Council of Governors for East West Players. This is a theater group for Asian Pacific Americans. In 2018, he acted in their production of Allegiance. He talked about how the musical's World War II setting related to current events.

Takei and his husband Brad Altman own a digital publication. It is called Second Nexus. It shares news and opinions from a progressive viewpoint. In the run-up to the 2024 United States presidential election, Takei supported Kamala Harris. He criticized Donald Trump, saying he creates "cruel chaos."

Religious Beliefs

George Takei is a Buddhist. His father practiced Zen Buddhism. His mother practiced Shin Buddhism. His family kept a small shrine in the internment camp. After the war, Takei went to Sunday school at a Buddhist temple. He and Brad Altman were married in a Buddhist ceremony in 2008.

Social Media Presence

Takei at the 2019 Phoenix Comicon

Takei is very popular on Facebook. His daily posts of funny pictures have millions of followers. Many of these pictures are about science fiction, LGBT culture, and politics. He has been called "the funniest guy on Facebook."

In 2013, Takei used Facebook to defend Nina Davuluri. She was Miss America 2014 and faced negative comments. Takei appeared in an interview with Davuluri. He told her, "In Star Trek we have this creed: 'Infinite diversity in infinite combinations'. That's what Starfleet was all about." Davuluri ended the interview with the Vulcan salute, which Takei returned.

Awards and Recognition

George Takei and David Henry Hwang discussing Allegiance at Columbia University in late 2015

In 1986, George Takei received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This was for his work in television.

In 2004, the government of Japan honored Takei. He received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. This award recognized his contributions to US–Japanese relations.

An Asteroid is named after him: 7307 Takei. When he found out, he said, "I am now a heavenly body."

In November 2007, Takei received a Lifetime Achievement Award. This was from the San Diego Asian Film Festival.

In June 2012, the American Humanist Association gave Takei the LGBT Humanist Award. In July 2013, he received the NAAAP100 award. This was for his contributions to the Asian community.

In May 2014, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation honored Takei. He received the GLAAD Vito Russo Award. This award is for LGBT media professionals who promote equality.

In May 2015, the Japanese American National Museum honored Takei. He received their Distinguished Medal of Honor. This was for his lifetime achievements and public service.

On June 10, 2016, California State University, Los Angeles gave Takei an honorary Doctorate. This was for his contributions. In 2019, he received the Inkpot Award.

On September 28, 2022, Takei received an honorary Doctorate. This was from the University of South Australia. It recognized his service to the community.

Filmography

Film Roles

Television Roles

Video Game Roles

Web Series Roles

Commercials

Stage and Theater Roles

Images for kids

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  Takei at the 2024 GalaxyCon Oklahoma City

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  Takei in 1956

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  Takei as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu

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  Left to right: Takei, They Called Us Enemy co-author Steven Scott, and Takei's husband Brad Altman at Midtown Comics in New York.

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  Takei in September 2012

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  Takei at the 2019 Phoenix Comicon

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  George Takei and David Henry Hwang discussing Allegiance at Columbia University in late 2015

See also

In Spanish: George Takei para niños