George Takei memorializes fifth anniversary of Leonard Nimoy's death at C2E2 2020

There are few on the comic convention circuit with the kinds of bona fides boasted by actor George Takei. Star of AMC's The Terror: Infamy, Disney's animated classic Mulan, and — of course — Star Trek, George Takei spoke at his C2E2 2020 panel about his prolific and fabulous history in the world of genre. Opening with a trademark "Oh my!", the actor was ready to gab about his 54-year history with Trek.

Just like his Trek-mate Walter Koenig, who opened up the stage earlier that day, Takei had plenty to remember — and plenty of lessons from back in the day to apply to the current "turbulent" political environment. Drawing comparisons to the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement, the actor found common ground between the present and the America that saw Star Trek debut. He also memorialized Leonard Nimoy, the legendary Spock actor whose death was five years ago yesterday. Not just focusing on Nimoy's creativity or intellect (or the various aspects of Spock that were straight from Nimoy's brain), Takei was all about Nimoy's heart.

Calling him his "political soulmate," Takei explained that he and Nimoy spoke widely about all sorts of progressive issues — a shared interest that kept them linked throughout their lives and careers. "He was a very dear friend," Takei said after telling a story about a very sick Nimoy coming out to support a documentary about Takei's marriage.

Takei talked briefly about the currently airing CBS All Access show Star Trek: Picard, saying that the franchise was "like Tribbles" spawning spinoff after spinoff. The legendary actor has been focused on his activism lately, penning the graphic novel/memoir They Called Us Enemy about his time as a child in a Japanese internment camp during the beginnings of World War 2. But that doesn't mean he's done with Trek. Takei teased that he was hoping for another Trek film that had a promising cameo role for him — maybe he'll be able to come back "as an alien."

Takei's latest role was a voice role on the animated series Love Monster, and he'll also have a featured voice role on the upcoming film Blazing Samurai.

Read the rest of SYFY WIRE's C2E2 2020 coverage here.