AHS Awards: Ethel Waters TV Tribute To The Groundbreaking Sci-Fi Actor George Takei
George Takei is the second recipient of the AHS Awards Ethel Waters TV Lifetime Achievement Award. As a pioneer in science fiction and Asian American activism, Takei’s 60 plus years in entertainment are unparalleled. His legacy has stretched across television, film, theater, video games, and web series. If that was not impressive enough, Takei acted in a musical inspired by the experiences of his own family. His work has touched the hearts of people around the world and categorized him as a trailblazer for the AAPI and LGBTQIA+ communities.
George Takei is a Los Angeles native who studied at UCLA, receiving a bachelor’s degree in 1960 and a master’s degree in 1964. He began with voiceover work for Japanese monster films like Godzilla Raids Again and Rodan, and he portrayed George in the 1961 musical Fly Blackbird!. While he studied at UCLA, Takei landed guest roles on some television series, including Perry Mason, Hawaiian Eye, and My Three Sons. Upon finishing his master’s degree, Takei portrayed a Japanese landscaper in a 1964 episode of The Twilight Zone entitled “The Encounter.” During these years, Takei worked alongside Frank Sinatra in Never So Few (1959), Richard Burton in Ice Palace, Jeffrey Hunter in Hell to Eternity (1960), Alec Guinness in A Majority of One (1961), James Caan in Red Line 7000 (1965), and Cary Grant in Walk, Don’t Run. He also guest starred in an episode of Mission: Impossible and the Jerry Lewis comedies The Big Mouth and Which Way to the Front? In 1969, Takei expanded his repetoire to nonfiction, narrating for The Japanese Sword as the Soul of the Samurai documentary.
Takei grew to be a household name when he played Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek from 1966 to 1969. Lt. Sulu is a put together, soft-spoken officer whose hobbies include gymnastics, botany, fencing, and weaponry. Between 1969 and 1973, he acted in guest roles until reprising his role as Lt. Sulu in Star Trek: The Animated Series between 1973 and 1974. The character of Lt. Sulu maintained relevance in the Star Trek world, allowing Takei to appear in all five original Star Trek films — Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home, and Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. The fandom for his iconic character grew when he voiced Lt. Sulu in six video games, including Star Trek: 25th Anniversary Hikaru Sulu, Star Trek: Judgment Rites, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy, Star Trek: Starfleet Command, Star Trek: Starfleet Command II: Empires at War, and Star Trek: Shattered Universe. Takei’s presence in the franchise continued when Takei portrayed Sulu in two web series and also appeared at countless Star Trek conventions and fan events.
Over the course of his career, Takei has appeared in over 100 television roles, 33 films, 15 video game voiceovers, and multiple theater productions. More recently, he starred in Aladdin twice and Allegiance three times. Allegiance is a musical set during World War II at Japanese internment camps in the United States. The story follows the Kimura family after the attack on Pearl Harbor, focusing on their journey from Salinas, California to the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in rural Wyoming. Takei’s own family inspired the musical, and he played the patriarch on stage. The musical premiered in San Diego in 2012, four years after creator Jay Kuo spoke to Takei about his family at a Broadway show. Allegiance ran on Broadway from October of 2015 until February of 2016. More recent productions opened in Los Angeles in 2018 and London in 2023.
In 2014, Jennifer M. Kroot directed To Be Takei, a documentary about Takei. The film covered his entire career, highlighting his wit, humor, and grace as he navigated activism and the entertainment world. Audience members got a closer look into Takei’s personal life, specifically his relationship with his husband and business partner, Brad Takei. To Be Takei premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and Starz distributed the film to theaters later that year.
Takei is a cultural icon for the entire country, and especially for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. His presence in Hollywood allowed AAPI communities to see themselves portrayed in sci-fi films and television. Additionally, he played a substantial role in portraying and sharing the story of Japanese American internment camps during World War II. Takei holds a beautiful legacy not only as an Asian man in entertainment, but also as an LGBTQIA+ man, a storyteller, and an international symbol. The ripple effect of Takei’s career is profound. Asian American boys and girls will grow up with a role model cemented in entertainment. Young Americans of all backgrounds and identities have witnessed the inclusivity that Takei represents and the pride he embodies. This has opened doors for future Americans to be bold in their career and storytelling pursuits.
Importantly, Takei’s decades-long commitment to the Star Trek franchise, which he acted in with heart and brilliance, created a rich experience for viewers who were able to grow extremely devoted. Still active in the entertainment industry, Takei’s longevity is a testament to his talent and dedication, from which all people in the industry can learn.
