"Star Trek" legend George Takei has seen his career blossom since he went public about his homosexuality in 2005. Besides tongue-in-cheek appearances on "Will & Grace," "Cory in the House" and "Psych," he's become a favorite guest on the Howard Stern radio show.
And he nabbed his biggest role in years playing Hiro's father on NBC's hit show "Heroes." He'll be at Atlanta's Dragoncon festival this weekend to meet fans and gab about "Heroes," the upcoming "Star Trek" film and his upcoming nuptials.
Q: I've already seen the first episode of the new season of "Heroes" and I see you're still in it, even though your character is dead!
A: I'm there for about 10 seconds. That's the way it is with "Heroes." Nothing is ever as it seems on the surface. And you'll manage to see a bit more of me throughout the season.
Q: Are you at all involved in the upcoming "Star Trek" film?
A: Not exactly. But John Cho [of "Harold & Kumar" film fame] is playing my character Sulu. I've known him as an actor for quite some time... He asked me to have lunch with him once he got cast. He told me he was very nervous and anxious and couldn't sleep. I said, "Don't worry. You'll do fine. I know what you can do and you're a perfect fit." It won't be long before I'll be known as the guy who played the older John Cho!
Q: Congratulations on your marriage next month. Does it seem anticlimactic considering you and Brad [Altman] have been together for more than 20 years?
A: We have known each other for a quarter century. We've shared everything in our lives. The wise men and women of the California Supreme Court [in May] said, "Oh right, boys. You have been living in sin all these years. It's about time you made yourself legal!" We're law-abiding citizens. We're going to do it up big!
Q: Can you give us a taste of what the wedding's going to be like?
A:The ceremony will take place at the democracy forum at the Japanese American National Museum. We love the idea of our union happening at the forum of democracy. The theme is diversity.
Randy Guiaya will play the koto, the Japanese harp. Our Buddhist minister is Mexican American. Our best man is Walter Koenig [who played Chekov in "Star Trek."] And our best lady is Nichelle Nichols [who played Uhura on the show.] Some may think that's a little calculatedly "Star Trek." But they really are our best friends...
Then the music will start playing: "One" from "The Chorus Line." We'll come down separate aisles. We come together and enter the circle. It's a Buddhist ceremony. We'll sip from the same cup of saki. It will be very religious and very traditional. And there'll be the sounds of bagpipes outside.
Q: When's the last time you went on Howard Stern?
A: I just did it last week. They gave me a bachelor party. I told them I haven't been a bachelor for over two decades so it could not be what it should be. But they brought in hunks who didn't have a thing on. I said, "What's the point? This is radio!" But it turns out they have cameras [for a subscription-only TV show.]
Q: So Brad didn't mind?
A:He refused to listen.
Q: Did you enjoy yourself?
A: I did indeed. Particularly knowing Brad was not listening. That gave me a little freedom. But he did hear about it from email and phone calls. It got very exaggerated in the second telling. I told him how it happened factually.
Q: What did happen?
A: It was only tactile.
GEORGE TAKEI'S SCHEDULE
(besides autograph signings):
• Friday, 2:30 p.m.: Eric L. Watts interviews Takei.
• Saturday, 2:30 p.m.: "Heroes" panel featuring Takei.
• Sunday,11:30 a.m.: one-hour panel with Takei.
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