Gee Takei on Why There Were No Gay Characters on 'Star Trek' | Time

Contents:

• GEE TAKEI SHAR WHY HE CAME OUT AS GAY AT AGE 68
• GEE TAKEI REACTS TO GAY SULU NEWS: “I THK IT’S REALLY UNFORTUNATE”
• GEE TAKEI EXPLAS WHY THERE WERE NO GAY CHARACTERS ON STAR TREK
• GEE TAKEI CAME OUT AS GAY BEE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER REJECTED MARRIAGE EQUALY BILL
• GAYS, PROGRSIV REBE GEE TAKEI ON ‘SCIENTIFILLY IGNORANT’ BLOGIL SEX
• GEE {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}JAPANE AMERIN ACTOR GEE TAKEI PLAYED LITENANT SULU THE ORIGAL 'STAR TREK' TELEVISN SERI AND MOVI AND IS A POPULAR SOCIAL-MEDIA {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: KEV WTER/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1937-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS GEE TAKEI?GEE TAKEI OVERME THE RACIAL BARRIERS OF HIS TIME TO LNCH A SUCCSFUL ACTG REER. HE STARRED AS LITENANT HIKA SULU DURG THE THREE-YEAR TELEVISN N OF STAR TREK, AND LATER REPRISED THE ROLE FOR SIX MOVI. PROMENTLY VOLVED WH GAY RIGHTS AND JAPANE AMERIN GROUPS, TAKEI HAS BEE A HIGHLY POPULAR SOCIAL-MEDIA PRENCE.EARLY YEARSGEE HOSATO TAKEI WAS BORN ON APRIL 20, 1937, LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. AT THE AGE OF 5, HE AND HIS FAY WERE UPROOTED OM THEIR HOME AND FORCED TO LIVE AT JAPANE TERNMENT MPS ARKANSAS AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THEY RETURNED TO LOS ANGEL AFTER WORLD WAR II, AND TAKEI ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY TO STUDY ARCHECTURE.STAGE AND SCREENWHILE LLEGE, TAKEI RPOND TO A NEWSPAPER AD LOOKG FOR ASIAN VOICEOVER ACTORS FOR THE ENGLISH VERSN OF THE JAPANE MONSTER MOVIE RODAN (1956). THAT LED TO MORE VOICEOVER WORK, AS WELL AS SMALL PARTS TELEVISN PROGRAMS SUCH AS PERRY MASON AND THE FILM ICE PALACE (1960). DECIDG TO FOC ON ACTG FULL TIME, TAKEI TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGEL, WHERE HE EARNED BOTH A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S GREE THEATER. IN 1966, TAKEI BEME ONE OF THE FEW ASIAN AMERINS TO BE FEATURED PROMENTLY ON TV WHEN HE STARRED AS LITENANT HIKA SULU ON THE SCIENCE-FICTN SERI STAR TREK. HE RETURNED AFTER TAKG TIME OFF DURG THE SEND SEASON TO FILM THE GREEN BERETS (1968), BUT HIS ROLE AS SULU WAS TEMPORARILY SHELVED WHEN STAR TREK WAS NCELED 1969. TAKEI NTUED TO MAKE REGULAR TV APPEARANC THE 1970S, ON SUCH PROGRAMS AS THE SIX MILLN DOLLAR MAN AND HAWAII FIVE-O, WHILE PROVIDG THE VOICE OF SULU FOR THE STAR TREK ANIMATED SERI. MOMENTUM GATHERED FOR THE MAKG OF THE MOVIE, AND TAKEI RNED WH THE RT OF HIS OLD STMAT FOR STAR TREK: THE MOTN PICTURE (1979) AND FIVE SEQUELS OVER THE NEXT DOZEN YEARS. THE 1990S BROUGHT A STEADY STREAM OF VOICEOVER GIGS, WH TAKEI'S SIGNATURE BARONE SURFACG THE DISNEY ANIMATED FEATURE MULAN (1998) AND EPISOS OF THE SIMPSONS. THE VETERAN ACTOR ALSO BEME A SEMI-REGULAR GUT ON THE {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}HOWARD STERN SHOW, AND 2006, HE WAS NAMED STERN'S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCER FOLLOWG THE SHOCK-JOCK'S MOVE TO SIRI XM RAD. TAKEI WAS VOLVED A PROJECT CLOSE TO HIS HEART WHEN HE TOOK ON A STARRG ROLE ALLEGIANCE, A PRODUCTN ABOUT THE WORLD WAR II TERNMENT OF JAPANE AMERINS. THE PLAY PREMIERED AT SAN DIEGO'S OLD GLOBE THEATER SEPTEMBER 2012.PUBLIC SERVICE AND PRIVATE REVELATNSTAKEI HAS REMAED A BY MAN AWAY OM SHOW BS. AFTER NARROWLY LOSG HIS BID FOR A SEAT ON THE LOS ANGEL CY COUNCIL 1973, HE JOED THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRANS DISTRICT OM 1973 TO 1984. TAKEI SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE JAPAN-UNED STAT FRIENDSHIP COMMISSN FOR PRINT BILL CLTON AND WAS NFERRED WH THE ORR OF THE RISG SUN, GOLD RAYS WH ROSETTE BY HIS MAJTY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN 2004. HE IS ALSO CHAIRMAN EMER OF THE JAPANE AMERIN NATNAL MM'S BOARD OF TSTE AND SERV AS CHAIR OF THE UNCIL OF ERNORS OF EAST WT PLAYERS, A RENOWNED ASIAN-AMERIN THEATER ANIZATN. IN 2005, TAKEI PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED HIS HOMOSEXUALY TO FRONTIERS MAGAZE. HE MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER, BRAD ALTMAN, SEPTEMBER 2008. IN RECENT YEARS, TAKEI HAS EARNED A FOLLOWG OM A NEW GENERATN OF FANS WH HIS FUNNY, CISIVE POSTS ON FACEBOOK. HIS EXPANSIVE SOCIAL-MEDIA PRENCE, ALONG WH THE 2013 RELEASE OF STAR TREK INTO DARKNS, HAS HELPED KEEP THIS ACPLISHED ACTOR AND ACTIVIST THE PUBLIC {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• GEE TAKEI LGHG HIS A** OFF AT ALL THE GAY JOK IS REALLY SOMETHG GIVEN HIS PEARL-CLUTCHG ABOUT CHAPPELLE
• GEE TAKEI REVEALS HE CAME OUT AS GAY BEE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER REJECTED GAY MARRIAGE BILL: ‘I WAS SO ANGRY’ AT HIM

GEE TAKEI SHAR WHY HE CAME OUT AS GAY AT AGE 68

In the 1980s, Takei joed a gay club lled the Frontnners, and he was stck by the fastt athlete the group, Brad Altman, whom the actor rells as “dashgly good-lookg. ” But as a closeted gay man, he didn’t thk he uld be out and star on a h TV seri.

GEE TAKEI REACTS TO GAY SULU NEWS: “I THK IT’S REALLY UNFORTUNATE”

He publicly me out as gay and troduced his fans to his partner.

On Thursday, the Herald Sun announced that the character Hika Sulu will be revealed to be gay Star Trek Beyond, which hs theaters July 22.

Gee Takei, who played Sulu the origal show and who has been a proment LGBT activist sce g out as gay jt over a ago, told the Hollywood Reporter that he has been agast revealg the character as gay sce he first heard was unr nsiratn last year. “I’m lighted that there’s a gay character, ” Takei told THR.

GEE TAKEI EXPLAS WHY THERE WERE NO GAY CHARACTERS ON STAR TREK

He believed ma more sense to create a new character who has always been gay, rather than brgg Sulu out of a prumed closet.

GEE TAKEI CAME OUT AS GAY BEE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER REJECTED MARRIAGE EQUALY BILL

” But he also exprsed a ncern, which he discsed wh L and -wrer Doug Jung, that a new gay character may have been perceived by the dience as a token gay character, “primarily fed by their sexualy. ” Pegg believ Rodnberry’s cisn not to velop a gay character earlier was a product of his time, not of his visn. ” Based on the movie’s timele, the cisn to make Sulu gay do not necsate his havg been the closet, Pegg explas, and prum that there has been an LGBT prence sce the begng of the anchise’s universe.

GAYS, PROGRSIV REBE GEE TAKEI ON ‘SCIENTIFILLY IGNORANT’ BLOGIL SEX

Actor and activist Gee Takei recently spoke out about why he me out as gay at age 68 ― and how former California Gov. Bee Schwarzenegger prented himself as a movie star who had worked and was iends wh gays and lbians, many of whom voted for him, but then vetoed that bill, ” Takei said.

“I was so angry that I spoke to the prs for the first time as a gay man at the age of 68. “I learned at a young age that you uldn’t be an openly gay actor and hope to be employed, ” Takei said.

GEE {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}JAPANE AMERIN ACTOR GEE TAKEI PLAYED LITENANT SULU THE ORIGAL 'STAR TREK' TELEVISN SERI AND MOVI AND IS A POPULAR SOCIAL-MEDIA {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: KEV WTER/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1937-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS GEE TAKEI?GEE TAKEI OVERME THE RACIAL BARRIERS OF HIS TIME TO LNCH A SUCCSFUL ACTG REER. HE STARRED AS LITENANT HIKA SULU DURG THE THREE-YEAR TELEVISN N OF STAR TREK, AND LATER REPRISED THE ROLE FOR SIX MOVI. PROMENTLY VOLVED WH GAY RIGHTS AND JAPANE AMERIN GROUPS, TAKEI HAS BEE A HIGHLY POPULAR SOCIAL-MEDIA PRENCE.EARLY YEARSGEE HOSATO TAKEI WAS BORN ON APRIL 20, 1937, LOS ANGEL, CALIFORNIA. AT THE AGE OF 5, HE AND HIS FAY WERE UPROOTED OM THEIR HOME AND FORCED TO LIVE AT JAPANE TERNMENT MPS ARKANSAS AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA. THEY RETURNED TO LOS ANGEL AFTER WORLD WAR II, AND TAKEI ENROLLED AT THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY TO STUDY ARCHECTURE.STAGE AND SCREENWHILE LLEGE, TAKEI RPOND TO A NEWSPAPER AD LOOKG FOR ASIAN VOICEOVER ACTORS FOR THE ENGLISH VERSN OF THE JAPANE MONSTER MOVIE RODAN (1956). THAT LED TO MORE VOICEOVER WORK, AS WELL AS SMALL PARTS TELEVISN PROGRAMS SUCH AS PERRY MASON AND THE FILM ICE PALACE (1960). DECIDG TO FOC ON ACTG FULL TIME, TAKEI TRANSFERRED TO THE UNIVERSY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGEL, WHERE HE EARNED BOTH A BACHELOR'S AND MASTER'S GREE THEATER. IN 1966, TAKEI BEME ONE OF THE FEW ASIAN AMERINS TO BE FEATURED PROMENTLY ON TV WHEN HE STARRED AS LITENANT HIKA SULU ON THE SCIENCE-FICTN SERI STAR TREK. HE RETURNED AFTER TAKG TIME OFF DURG THE SEND SEASON TO FILM THE GREEN BERETS (1968), BUT HIS ROLE AS SULU WAS TEMPORARILY SHELVED WHEN STAR TREK WAS NCELED 1969. TAKEI NTUED TO MAKE REGULAR TV APPEARANC THE 1970S, ON SUCH PROGRAMS AS THE SIX MILLN DOLLAR MAN AND HAWAII FIVE-O, WHILE PROVIDG THE VOICE OF SULU FOR THE STAR TREK ANIMATED SERI. MOMENTUM GATHERED FOR THE MAKG OF THE MOVIE, AND TAKEI RNED WH THE RT OF HIS OLD STMAT FOR STAR TREK: THE MOTN PICTURE (1979) AND FIVE SEQUELS OVER THE NEXT DOZEN YEARS. THE 1990S BROUGHT A STEADY STREAM OF VOICEOVER GIGS, WH TAKEI'S SIGNATURE BARONE SURFACG THE DISNEY ANIMATED FEATURE MULAN (1998) AND EPISOS OF THE SIMPSONS. THE VETERAN ACTOR ALSO BEME A SEMI-REGULAR GUT ON THE {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}HOWARD STERN SHOW, AND 2006, HE WAS NAMED STERN'S OFFICIAL ANNOUNCER FOLLOWG THE SHOCK-JOCK'S MOVE TO SIRI XM RAD. TAKEI WAS VOLVED A PROJECT CLOSE TO HIS HEART WHEN HE TOOK ON A STARRG ROLE ALLEGIANCE, A PRODUCTN ABOUT THE WORLD WAR II TERNMENT OF JAPANE AMERINS. THE PLAY PREMIERED AT SAN DIEGO'S OLD GLOBE THEATER SEPTEMBER 2012.PUBLIC SERVICE AND PRIVATE REVELATNSTAKEI HAS REMAED A BY MAN AWAY OM SHOW BS. AFTER NARROWLY LOSG HIS BID FOR A SEAT ON THE LOS ANGEL CY COUNCIL 1973, HE JOED THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRANS DISTRICT OM 1973 TO 1984. TAKEI SERVED ON THE BOARD OF THE JAPAN-UNED STAT FRIENDSHIP COMMISSN FOR PRINT BILL CLTON AND WAS NFERRED WH THE ORR OF THE RISG SUN, GOLD RAYS WH ROSETTE BY HIS MAJTY THE EMPEROR OF JAPAN 2004. HE IS ALSO CHAIRMAN EMER OF THE JAPANE AMERIN NATNAL MM'S BOARD OF TSTE AND SERV AS CHAIR OF THE UNCIL OF ERNORS OF EAST WT PLAYERS, A RENOWNED ASIAN-AMERIN THEATER ANIZATN. IN 2005, TAKEI PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED HIS HOMOSEXUALY TO FRONTIERS MAGAZE. HE MARRIED HIS LONGTIME PARTNER, BRAD ALTMAN, SEPTEMBER 2008. IN RECENT YEARS, TAKEI HAS EARNED A FOLLOWG OM A NEW GENERATN OF FANS WH HIS FUNNY, CISIVE POSTS ON FACEBOOK. HIS EXPANSIVE SOCIAL-MEDIA PRENCE, ALONG WH THE 2013 RELEASE OF STAR TREK INTO DARKNS, HAS HELPED KEEP THIS ACPLISHED ACTOR AND ACTIVIST THE PUBLIC {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Neverthels, Takei — who announced he was gay 2005 — was fully attuned to the gay equaly nversatn gag momentum at the time.

Te to s tle, the latt big-screen outg, Star Trek Beyond, has gone where none have gone before: Star John Cho — who assum the Sulu mantle for the third time the reboots — has told Atralia’s Herald Sun that the character is revealed to be gay.

He had never asked for Sulu to be gay.

GEE TAKEI LGHG HIS A** OFF AT ALL THE GAY JOK IS REALLY SOMETHG GIVEN HIS PEARL-CLUTCHG ABOUT CHAPPELLE

“I’m lighted that there’s a gay character, ” he tells The Hollywood Reporter.

GEE TAKEI REVEALS HE CAME OUT AS GAY BEE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER REJECTED GAY MARRIAGE BILL: ‘I WAS SO ANGRY’ AT HIM

Takei tried to nvce him to make a new character gay stead.