Today I got to be a part of history when I witnessed the William Shatner handprint ceremony at the Theater Box. The ceremony is one of the most historic in Hollywood; everyone from Keanu Reeves to Mark Hamill has participated. And while these ceremonies are usually held at the TCL Chinese Theater near Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, the Theater Box made for a more intimate ceremony. I had the chance to attend thanks to Legion M, who’s currently producing an untitled documentary featuring Shatner.
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Back when I first attended SDCC in 2019, I had the opportunity to interview Legion M’s Chief Operating Officer and Head of Content, Terri Lubaroff, and she said that, first and foremost, it was a company made for fans. Anyone attending the ceremony this morning would be hard-pressed to disagree: the majority of fans in attendance were decked from head to toe in Star Trek garb to celebrate Shatner’s iconic role as James T. Kirk. And that wasn’t all: Shatner was also joined by Paul Wesley, who’s set to play Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds‘ sophomore season. Topping off the event was esteemed critic Leonard Maltin, who arrived to speak a few words on Shatner’s behalf. Maltin is one of the most influential critics in the business, and I frequently read every edition of Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide in college, so I hold him in high esteem.
The event kicked off with Legion M’s co-founder and CEO, Paul Scanlan discussing how Legion M is “for the fans” first and foremost and thanking everyone in attendance. He then turned things over to Maltin, who discussed how he remembered Shatner. Strangely it wasn’t for his roles on TV or even his music – it was for his radio work! Maltin continued, praising William Shatner for being a “wonderful” talent as well as a human being. Next up was Wesley, who talked about taking over the iconic role. “How do you fill a legend’s shoes? You don’t even try.” He went on to thank Shatner for giving him advice while taking the role and passed the mic, saying: “You have the conn, Mr. Shatner.”
Then it was Shatner’s turn to shine. He cracked more than a few jokes about how he’d put his face in the concrete, as well as the fact that his hands might have been a little puffy from eating a great deal of shellfish. But he also thanked everyone who came there and said he was truly grateful that his career had led him up to this point. The ceremony closed with William Shatner placing his handprint in the concrete (and using a metal tool to inscribe his signature as well as the date) and plenty of photo ops as fans lined up to meet him and Wesley face to face.
Star Trek is a huge part of my life, as I frequently watched it with my Dad growing up. So to be in the same room as one of the progenitors of Star Trek is a mind-boggling event in and of itself. I’m happy that Legion M gave me this opportunity, and I hope to be a part of many more in the future.
More information about the untitled William Shatner documentary can be found on Legion M’s official website.
