William Shatner sparks reaction with tribute to late Star Trek co-star Leonard Nimoy

William Shatner left his fans emotional after he paid a “touching” tribute to his late Star Trek co-star, Leonard Nimoy, on what would have been his 95th birthday.

The Captain Kirk star took to Instagram on Thursday and shared a photo of himself and Leonard, who portrayed Mr. Spock, sitting at what appeared to be a signing booth.

Captioning the photo, which featured Leonard smiling at the camera as William rested his arm on his shoulder, he penned: “Remembering Leonard on what would have been his 95th Birthday.”

The post sparked a big reaction from the actor’s followers, with one commenting: “Touching photo. Thank you so much for sharing. From the beginnings until now STAR TREK is an important part of my life. Love all characters and the wonderful personalities who embodied them.”

A second said: “Two amazing men! I wish there were more men like you!” A third added: “What a wonderful photo. I read your book about him. What an amazing man he was. I quit smoking because of him. He was so special. As are you.”

Leonard died on February 27, 2015, in his home in Bel-Air, Los Angeles, at age 83, due to end-stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which he attributed to years of smoking.

Leonard starred in the sci-fi TV show Star Trek between 1966 and 1969. His character, Mr. Spock, half-human and half-Vulcan, was known for the line, ‘Live Long and Prosper,’ and he also starred in subsequent films throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s.

At the time of his death, William wrote on Twitter (now X): “I loved him like a brother. We will all miss his humor, his talent, and his capacity to love.”

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However, shortly before his death, William revealed that his relationship with Leonard had become strained.

“At the end, I don’t know what happened. He just wouldn’t answer my calls. I wrote him a heartfelt letter saying how much I loved him and I wished him well ’cause he was dying and I wanted to see him,” he told Entertainment Tonight in 2022.

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Their rift is reported to have developed in 2011 when William used footage of Leonard in his film The Captains without his permission.

Describing the situation as “heartbreaking,” William said: “One of my greatest regrets is that Leonard and I were not as close as we had been during those last few years of his life.”

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William also missed Leonard’s funeral, explaining that a previous commitment meant he was unable to attend.

“I am currently in FL, as I agreed to appear at the Red Cross Ball tonight,” he tweeted at the time. “Leonard’s funeral is tomorrow. I can’t make it back in time. I feel really awful. Here I am doing charity work, and one of my dearest friends is being buried.”