TVSquad

I have to say that of everyone I've interviewed, George Takei (for the record it's pronounced "Tah-kay" ... like "okay") has to be one of the most gracious, kind, accommodating, and honest people I've ever met. Not just in the entertainment industry either. He's definitely from the old school of politeness, etiquette and speaking well, yet he has a sharp sense of humor and is always quick to hand out thanks and give kudos where necessary. Just check out Joel Keller's TV Squad interview with him from a year ago (with bonus audio) and you'll see what I mean.

He has no qualms about the fact that his continued success in his acting career is due directly to Star Trek, which made him a fan favorite, and a household name. This past year he's been riding a wave of renewed popularity, thanks in part to his many appearances on The Howard Stern Show, and it has culminated, at least for now, with a recurring role as Hiro Nakamura's father Kaito on NBC's Heroes. It couldn't be happening to a nicer guy.

In all honesty, I have to confess that I used to be a bit of a Star Trek fan. I mean I don't own a uniform or have a phaser or anything, but while I was asking George deep and ponderous questions about life and his character on Heroes, deep inside part of me kept going, "Dude ... you're talking to Mr. freaking Sulu!" However, I was able to stay marginally contained and not geek out too much. If I'd asked him to take it to warp five, I think he might have decked me. He has a pretty big role in the episode of Heroes we saw them filming, where he (spoiler warning) begins training Hiro how to fight with his sword and become tough.


Can you talk a little about how your character has developed over the last few episodes?

Takei: Yes. It's very interesting because with each script I'm making new discoveries about my character. I thought when I was first cast, I was going to be playing this very important, rich and powerful Japanese businessman who's very concerned about his son, period. Then the next script comes and I discover I'm the guy who gave baby Claire to HRG, and now I'm discovering even more. So I know just as much about this show and my character as the fans watching the show do. So this is just as much fun for me as the fans watching the show.

So when they brought you in the first time, they didn't give you a clue that you were doing more than what was obvious?

Takei: No. What I knew was what I saw in the sides. First of all, it was just the sides too, not the whole script, and then the whole script came. It seemed to be consistent with my first impression from reading the sides. So, this is a fascinating show and I'm just as eager, sitting on pins and needles for the next script.

Can you tease a little about this scene or this particular episode? You are teaching Hiro how to sword fight?

Takei: Exactly. I have this line where I say the Nakamura family has always fought for good and tried to be the wind behind the course of history, to direct it toward good. Some of my colleagues went off of the good road, and I wasn't expecting him to be the one that's going to be chosen, anointed. But somehow I found out, and I've got to prepare him for the big challenge. That's why I teach him sword fighting.

The difference between playing a good guy and a bad guy, is that an important thing for you as an actor to consider?

Takei: No. It's the quality of the role, because villains can be just as interesting, and in fact, sometimes more challenging for an actor to do. I fancy myself a very good guy. My birthday I share with Hitler. So I've gone through life trying to do as much good as possible, but because of that I find evil absolutely fascinating, the extreme evil of a Hitler. So a villain is just as interesting as a person who has integrity and has concern for others and fights for good.

Is the concept of what's good and right maybe a little gray?

Takei: Good question, and I'm asking that too. I talk about the Nakamura family's wind guiding history toward good, but what is good in my definition? The next script might tell.

What's your feeling of this new reboot that they're doing with the Star Trek feature film?

Takei: I think it's wonderful. I think it's fantastic. It's really extraordinary that 41 years after we got started, there is still this kind of excitement and enthusiasm about Star Trek. I've been thinking on it and what I've deduced is that the people who discovered Star Trek when we were on television in the first run, and there weren't too many of them, but the ones that discovered them are the studious ones, the organized and disciplined ones who took to that kind of world they saw on the Starship Enterprise, and they each pursued their individual careers. There is a very successful director, J.J. Abrams, who was a Star Trek fan. Now, Paramount had announced that because the last film was a flop, "Well, no more Star Trek." But when you have a J.J. Abrams walking into your offices saying, "For my next project I want to do Star Trek," they click their heels and say, "Yes, sir." So that's the new and interesting wrinkle.

So you're okay if they reboot and re-imagine the entire Star Trek franchise from the early years?

Takei: I would trust that anyone who loves Star Trek knows the elements that made the show and the movies what it is: confidence in our ability to meet challenges, to be inventive, to be creative, to be problem-solvers and to face the challenges of the future as daunting, as they may be, as something that is invigorating, something that really makes you work at your optimum and to see the future as a great adventure. If they keep those elements, and the other element of finding our strength in our diversity, that's what the Starship Enterprise depicted.

One of the things that made Star Trek so great was the social commentary on the show. What would you say the social commentary of Heroes is?

Takei: Again, there is a diversity in a community in this show. We were very optimistic on Star Trek. We were all these wonderful and talented and bright people, but the other people, that diversity that Heroes explores, is a dark mixed with the positive, and how we struggle with that and with the unique gifts that we're given. So in many ways there are echoes of Star Trek, but this is much more complex, and there are other elements of what we call diversity mixed in with it.

Mr. Nakamura, with his flashback to see that he gave Claire to HRG, we learned that he and a lot of these other characters were in this cabal that knew about people with powers. Will we see more characters in that cabal revealed in upcoming episodes?

Takei: Good question. I'm asking that too (laughs). I know as much as I read in the script that I'm given and I'm just as eager as you are about what comes next.

Had you been aware of Heroes before you were approached to play a role?

Takei: Oh, yeah, because in this world of the Internet, fans e-mailed me and told me that there was a Japanese guy on the show who was a Star Trek fan and I thought, "I have to check this out." So, again, it was the Star Trek hook.

I'm sure that you guys saw the license plate on my car in my first episode ...

NCC-1701. That was a nice touch.

My computer again exploded (after that) and one of them, I remember, that this guy said when he saw the license plate, he let out a whoop and a bellow, terrorizing his three children. "My God, what's the matter with daddy?! Is he having a heart attack?!"

Are we going to someday start seeing you at Heroes conventions too?

Takei: Well, these convention organizers are very clever. They had a Star Trek convention scheduled in Burbank, and they also invited Hayden Panettiere (Claire) and Santiago (Isaac) and I'm a 2-for-1. I was originally contracted to do the Star Trek thing, but they want me there to be with the Heroes people as well. As a matter of fact, the guy who put the license plate on my limo is the prop man here, James Clark. I told him, "Show up when I'm on stage and I will let you have your true glory. I will bring you onstage and introduce you to the fans and give you the credit for having come up with the NCC-1701."

How many of these final five episodes are you in?

Takei: Good question (laughter). They don't tell you because they want to help me preserve the integrity of that first page of the script.

If they invited you back for a second season, would you come back?

Takei: I would love to. It's great fun.

What other storylines on Heroes other than yours are you really interested in?

Takei: I think Peter's is interesting and I think Nathan is more dark gray than light gray. I think that family is fascinating and in wardrobe, I met Cristine , their mother, and she's a charming and delightful lady. Matt is also really interesting to me, and of course Claire.

What other upcoming projects do you have this summer?

Takei: Well, it's done already. I have a film called Ninja Cheerleaders coming out It's like Charlie's Angels. I'm the great ninja master and I have these three beautiful young girls who are cheerleaders by day, but at night they're my crimefighters. As a matter of fact, that's where I did a few samurai sword fighting things too. Then, this summer we're going down to New Orleans to do a movie called American Summer. It's not going to come out this summer, but this will be for next year. It's one of those raunchy teenage coming-of-age movies.


That wraps up our Japanese interview triumvirate and Heroes set visit! Be sure to check out our other interviews with Masi Oka and James Kyson Lee as well.