William Shatner On Leonard Nimoy: ‘I Loved Him Like A Brother’
William Shatner has opened up about the death of Leonard Nimoy in one of the most heartwarming ways possible.
With a short and simple yet profound and powerful quote, the man known as the original Captain James T. Kirk explained the close bond that he and Leonard Nimoy shared over the years.
“I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love.” -William Shatner http://t.co/U8ZN98tVYp
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) February 27, 2015
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy also posted a picture of him smiling with Leonard Nimoy on his official WhoSay page.
Leonard Nimoy died on Friday morning at the age of 83. TMZ reports that the Star Trek actor suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nimoy publicly admitted that the disease was caused by his past addiction to smoking even though he quit the habit three decades ago.
As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Leonard Nimoy checked into the hospital last week after suffering intense chest pains.
William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy’s bond dates back over 50 years. They starred alongside together as Captain James T. Kirk and First Officer Spock on the hit television series Star Trek. They also brought their roles as Kirk and Spock to the big-screen in several Star Trek movies, including the 1983 classic film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.
"He's not really dead. As long as we remember him." – McCoy, The Wrath of Khan pic.twitter.com/fNdrUbiuua
— Lars Wilderäng (@Cornubot) February 27, 2015
As is the case with many close friendships that withstand the tests of time, Leonard and William definitely had some disputes, especially during the early years of the Star Trek series.
In his 2009 autobiography, William Shatner spoke openly about what caused the tension between himself and Leonard back then.
“I was supposed to be the star, but Leonard was getting more attention than I was. It bothered me. Leonard and I argued early on.”
Leonard also spoke about his longtime friendship with William Shatner at the Hero Complex Film Festival in 2010.
“Look, everybody knows that we have become very, very good friends. But we’ve always been like two competitive siblings. When Bill Shatner heard I was going to direct a ‘Star Trek’ movie, he went into deep shock. He was really worried. But it worked out pretty well.”
William Shatner is definitely not the only person saddened by the death of Leonard Nimoy. Other Star Trek co-stars, fans, critics, and celebrities have also tweeted about their love and condolences since his death was first confirmed.
[Image Credit: Ben A. Pruchnie]
