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

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• 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 {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;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;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;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-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} 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;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(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 EXPLAS WHY THERE WERE NO GAY CHARACTERS ON STAR TREK
• HAS STAR TREK'S SULU ALWAYS BEEN GAY? IT'S COMPLITED
• 6 STAR TREK ACTORS YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE GAY IN REAL LIFE!

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 {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;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;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;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-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} 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;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(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

Leonard Nemoy himself gave support 1991, sayg, "It is entirely ftg that gays and lbians will appear unobtsively aboard the Enterprise—neher objects of py nor melodramatic attentn. Are any other Trek actors gay? Other than Gee Takei and Zachary Quto, have any other Trek actors e out as homosexual?

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

Together, they play the science fictn anchise’s first regularly appearg gay uple aboard the U. And of urse, they'll be fans who say, ‘”Oh, they’re killg off the gays aga!

Ennis: As a pneer Star Trek, terms of beg an out gay man, playg a gay character, a relatnship wh another man, do you see that the unfoldg of havg non-bary characters like Adira and a trans character, even a ghostly versn, how do that make you feel terms of the craft and and our muny? Promently volved wh gay rights and Japane Amerin groups, Takei has bee a highly popular social-media YearsGee Hosato Takei was born on April 20, 1937, Los Angel, California.

HAS STAR TREK'S SULU ALWAYS BEEN GAY? IT'S COMPLITED

In 2005, Takei publicly announced his homosexualy to Frontiers magaze.

“I did very privately brg up the issue of gays and lbians, ” said Takei, who played Sulu on the long-nng sci-fi seri.

Hika Sulu is now known as the first openly gay character  Star Trek, but the character's sexualy hasn't always been so clear-cut. In 2005, 36 years after Star Trek: The Origal Seri end, Sulu's origal actor, Gee Takei, publicly me out as gay. Wantg to honor this legacy, Simon Pegg me up wh the ia of havg Sulu be gay  J.

6 STAR TREK ACTORS YOU DIDN’T KNOW WERE GAY IN REAL LIFE!

John Cho supported the ia, as did Zachary Quto, the actor who played Spock and who publicly me out as gay 2011. Why Takei Was Upset That Sulu Beme Gay.

Takei publicly disagreed wh wrer and Stty actor, Simon Pegg about the plan to make Sulu gay. While he wholeheartedly supported the cln of LGBTQ+ characters  Star Trek, he thought a new character should be created stead of makg Sulu nonilly gay.