Is William Shatner Still Alive? 'Star Trek' Actor's Agency Slams 'Unequivocally False' Hospital Rumors Amid Cancer Battle

Fears for William Shatner's health erupted online after reports claimed the 94-year-old Star Trek legend had been rushed to hospital following a medical emergency at his Los Angeles home. However, before panic could set in, the actor's agency moved swiftly to shut down the rumours, declaring that Captain Kirk is in fine health.

Agency Slams 'False' Hospitalisation Rumours About William Shatner

At the age of 94, such headlines can rapidly incite apprehension. Shatner's agency, TalentWorks, moved swiftly to quash the speculation, declaring in a statement that the actor is in 'fine health,' had not been hospitalised, and that the reports were 'unequivocally false.'

The rumour, which spread swiftly through social media, focused on an alleged blood sugar problem. However, as TalentWorks highlighted, Shatner remains in good health and continues with his everyday activities, unaffected by the false reports. The agency's action not only ended the speculation but also demonstrated the actor's continuing resiliency.

'You Are Going to Die': Inside William Shatner's Past Cancer Battles

Last year, the former host of Rescue 911 disclosed that he had triumphed over stage 4 melanoma, despite a grim prognosis. Without disclosing the timing of the diagnosis, Shatner told Healio in March 2024: 'They said if this [treatment] they used did not work, I had about 5 months'. He remembered a medical practitioner expressing regret in a manner that said, 'Better pack your things'.

Shatner noted: 'That person who said 'sorry' ... was very sad, like, 'You are going to die.' And I was.' The T.J. Hooker star had previously been diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2016, which ultimately proved to be a misdiagnosis. Speaking with NBC News in 2018, he shared: 'That was really scary. I was told by a doctor I had a terminal disease. That I was going to die.'

Beaming Up, Not Slowing Down: The Busy Schedule of William Shatner at 94

William Shatner has maintained an active career in subsequent years, reprising his role as Kirk onscreen as recently as 2024 in the short film 765874 – Unification. Additionally, he has been making regular public appearances, including Dragon Con last month, and is slated to participate in a Space 2 Sea event in the Galapagos Islands in November.

The Better Late Than Never star has been married four times and is the father of three daughters: Leslie, 67, Lisabeth, 64, and Melanie, 61. He finalised his most recent divorce with Elizabeth Shatner in 2020, only for the couple to reconnect after the coronavirus pandemic.

William Shatner Has Faced Down Real Death Scares — US Embassy from New Zealand, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

What We Know About William Shatner

Who is William Shatner?

William Shatner is a Canadian actor, author, producer, director, and singer, born on March 22, 1931, in Montreal. He is known for his unique performance style and self-deprecating humour.

What is William Shatner most famous for?

William Shatner is best known for his iconic television roles as Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek, the tough police sergeant T.J. Hooker, and the acclaimed attorney Denny Crane on Boston Legal.

What is William Shatner's unique space record?

In 2021, at the age of 90, William Shatner made history by becoming the oldest person to fly into space aboard a Blue Origin flight.

Key Career Highlights

Star Trek: His role as Captain Kirk in the original series (1966–69) and subsequent films cemented his place as a science-fiction icon.
Boston Legal: His performance as Denny Crane earned him both an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award.
T.J. Hooker: He starred as the title character in the popular police drama throughout the 1980s.
Rescue 911: He was the long-running host of the popular emergency services docudrama series.

Beyond Acting

Author: Shatner has written numerous science fiction and autobiographical books.
Recording Artist: He is also known for his unique spoken-word albums.
Producer and Director: He has worked behind the camera on various projects throughout his extensive career.