Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is closing in on its season four finale, and its fifth and final season has long since completed production. But Paul Wesley, who stars as Captain James T. Kirk on the prequel series, still has a hard time believing he’s playing not just one of the most iconic TV characters of all time but also one of the most memorably performed TV characters, too.
Speaking to People, Wesley admitted he’s, unsurprisingly, very aware that audiences will forever be comparing his Kirk with William Shatner’s original. That’s because he does it himself: “In the back of my head, I’m constantly questioning, ‘Am I doing enough to pay homage to what William Shatner did so beautifully?'”
It’s a little different from the acting challenge that Chris Pine faced in the recent Star Trek movies, since his Kirk was on a different timeline. Wesley is playing the Kirk that fans know from The Original Series, alongside other actors playing younger versions of those much-loved characters. To feel comfortable, he had to embrace the idea that he’s allowed to have his own interpretation.
“I need to let go and understand that I’m creating my own version of Kirk. And hopefully, adding … some new parts of Kirk that are maybe different … so that we can understand why he becomes the man that he is.”
Wesley has also had the benefit of getting to know Shatner, who turned 95 earlier this year. However, Wesley told People he didn’t prod him for Kirk-related advice. “He’s been known as Kirk for so many years, and so when I’m around him, I don’t talk Trek,” Wesley said. “I just try to talk to him about things that two guys would talk about, and I think he appreciates that.”
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