Canadian actor William Shatner’s gay rumors keep coming in the media every now and then but the truth is he is not gay. He rather has played some significant roles as a womanizer in a lot of his movies.
Well, in this article, we are going to talk about the 92-year-old’s view on the LGBTQ+ community. Also, find out if he is straight and a lot about his sexuality.
Insights On William Shatner
Full Name | William Shatner |
Birthday | March 22, 1931 |
Birthplace | Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Quebec, Canada |
Age | 92 |
Father Name | Joseph Shatner |
Mother Name | Ann (Garmaise) Shatner |
Ethnicity | Ashkenazi Jewish |
Sexuality | Straight |
Profession | Actor, Director, Producer, Musician |
Marital Status | Divorced |
Spouses | Gloria Rand (m. 1956; div. 1969) Marcy Lafferty (m. 1973; div. 1996) Nerine Kidd (m. 1997; died 1999) Elizabeth Anderson Martin (m. 2001; div. 2020) |
Children | 3 |
Is William Shatner Gay? What’s The Truth?
No, William is not a gay man but rather straight. The 90-year-old hyperactive actor is a heterosexual who has had a fair share of relationships with multiple women in the past.
However, several websites still doubt Shatner’s sexuality and don’t shy away from labeling him as gay.

But, believe us, he is not what some of the skeptics claim him to be. As a matter of fact, his orientation is the polar opposite of their claims. So, keep scrolling through the article because we have gathered all of the information required to prove that he is straight.
The Rumors Started After William Shatner’s Character, James T. Kirk
There have been rumors going around for years where fans have been theorizing that Star Trek Captain James T. Kirk is a man that swings both ways. Even though the series clearly portrays James as a womanizer, fans can’t stop thinking that he is bisexual with romantic feelings for his best friend Spock.

However, William who has played Krik in multiple movies and series has a different opinion regarding the character’s sexuality. He doesn’t believe that he is bisexual and blames the social constructs of the 60s for making fans believe he is. On February 2, 2021, Shatner shared his thoughts on Krik’s orientation. He wrote,
“If Kirk were bisexual Star Trek would have never have happened. It would not have influenced Star Wars & it would be a blip in the history of the Roddenberry family. How is it you don’t understand the social constructs of the 60’s? Why did Stonewall happen in 69 if all was👌🏻?🙄🤷🏼♂️”
While many fans agreed with the Rescue 911 star, one fan by the name of Holly didn’t. She wrote, “I’m usually more of a Trekkie but this is a hell of a lot more compassionate than @WilliamShatner refusing to accept Kirk could be Bi.”
William Shatner Talked About The Matter On Twitter And Addressed His Fans To Not Harass Him
Several reports online talk about CBS trying to make a queer version of Captain James T Kirk in the upcoming series. Hence, it has led many to question whether William is bisexual in real life.
The celebrity shared that he was ok with the idea of introducing a bi-Kirk in the franchise. Likewise, he is fine with people who believe his character to be a member of the LGBTQ community. But, Shatner mentioned that he had problems with those who harassed him by talking about his sexuality. He wrote,
“Someone came late to the party. Already said that if Kurtzman wants to create a Kirk that’s asexual, bisexual, etc… I have no problem. I also don’t have a problem if you want to believe my Kirk was any of those. Just don’t harass me; because then we have a problem. Got it?”
The 92-Year-Old Star Has Been Married Four Times? Who Were His Wives?
The two-time Emmy Award winner has been married four times. He walked down the aisle with Canadian actress, Gloria Rand on August 12, 1956. The pair was together until Shatner started acting in Star Trek. They parted ways in March 1969.
His second marriage was to Marcy Lafferty, daughter of television producer Perry Lafferty. The couple got hitched in 1973 and were together for 23 years separating in 1996.

Similarly, William’s third marriage was to Nerine Kidd. They became life partners in 1997. However, their marriage came to a bitter end after Kidd was found dead in the couple’s backyard swimming pool on August 9, 1999. After the autopsy, doctors found that she had alcohol and diazepam in her blood, which was the reason for her death.
In 2001, the Star Trek actor married Elizabeth Anderson Martin. They were happily married for almost 18 years. Shatner filed for divorce in 2019 and their divorce was finalized in January 2020.
His Other Relationships
Besides William’s marriage, he has been in several relationships in the past. The multi-talented star dated Vera Montez from 1994 to 1996. Similarly, he was in a relationship with Angie Dickinson from 1973 to 1974 and Nancy Kovack from 1968 to 1969.
Moreover, Shatner was rumored to have dated Celeste Yarnall in 1971, Kirstie Alley from 1980-81, and Joan Collins in 1967.
He Has Three Children From His Past Marriages
As mentioned above, William has been married four times but he only became a father from his first marriage. Here is the list of his kids.
Children | Birthdate |
Leslie Shatner | 1958 |
Lisabeth Shatner | 6th June 1961 |
Melanie Ann Shatner | August 1, 1964 |

He shares a great relationship with all his kids.