William Shatner has been to space — both on TV and in real life — and has over 70 years of experience in the entertainment industry, but at the end of the day, the 93-year-old icon really is just like Us.
“Sometimes I’ll record something during the day [that] I want to watch at night, and by the time I’ve finished watching, it’s two o’clock in the morning,” Shatner reveals exclusively in the latest issue of Us Weekly, on newsstands now. “I think the trick is, apparently, to get six [or] seven hours of sleep, hopefully at a regular time.”
While Shatner admits that staying up late is one of his many “bad habits,” the actor is certainly doing something right.
He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd Annual Saturn Awards Showcase on February 2, 2025, which raised funds to benefit those affected by the Los Angeles wildfires.
“It’s an honor that I’m delighted to receive,” he told Us of the recognition. “I’ve watched with delight how the organization has grown [over the years] and for them to go back and do a lifetime achievement award, that’s great.”
Keep scrolling to see how Shatner is just like Us:
Us: When was the last time you did laundry?
Shatner: Well, I had a face cloth yesterday that I washed in the sink.
Us: What is the last thing you waited in line for?
Shatner: I don’t wait. I send people in line to wait for what I’m going to get — from coffee to gold.
Us: What is the last thing you ordered online?
Shatner: My wife, who’s not in town, ordered [me] some breakfast from one of those places that deliver breakfast. It was a frittata that was ice cold. I asked her not to order from there again.
Us: Who was the last famous person you asked to take a photo with?
Shatner: I took a picture with [former Boston Legal costar] Michael J. Fox [at the Fan Expo in New Orleans] and we had a moment. Something meaningful passed between us.
Us: What time do you wake up and go to sleep every night? How many hours of sleep do you need?
Shatner: It varies. Sometimes I’ll record something during the day [that] I want to watch at night, and by the time I’ve finished watching, it’s two o’clock in the morning. I think the trick is, apparently, to get six [or] seven hours of sleep, hopefully at a regular time.
Us: What was your first job and do you remember how much you were paid?
Shatner: My first job was an actor. I didn’t get paid for many, many years as an amateur actor in Montreal. As an adolescent, I joined a group of actors who were on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio, so there were half a dozen actors that could make some money in Montreal. I was one of them, and it continued on through high school and then university, and then I went on to other places that paid even less money. I think I was earning $30 a week. I could either eat or I could pay for the laundry. The definition of success was that I could do both.
Us: What is one bad habit that you’re currently trying to break?
Shatner: I have so many bad habits. Staying up too late at night.
Us: What’s your family nickname?
Shatner: Papa.
With reporting by Amanda Williams
