William Shatner has a lot of celebrity friends, but the story of how he started a friendship with a country music legend is particularly interesting. Here are the details on the friendship between Shatner and one of the biggest names in country: how it started, how it was sustained, and how these two men have even collaborated on music together.
How Brad Paisley and William Shatner Became Friends
Amanda Edwards/Getty ImagesActor William Shatner poses with singer Brad Paisley at the 14th Annual Hollywood Charity Horse Show on May 1, 2004.
In an interview with the Murfreesboro Voice, Shatner revealed that he first crossed paths with Paisley when the two celebs happened to be doing publicity at the same radio station.
“The host of the show introduced us, and we became very close,” Shatner said. “I think of Brad Paisley as a good friend of mine. It’s been a wonderful relationship. I admire him for his talent and for the man he is.”
Over the years, the two men stayed in touch. Their friendship grew, with fans of both stars coming to recognize the friendship between the country music star and the noted sci-fi actor. Shatner and Paisley famously shared the stage together in 2015, when Shatner dressed as a stormtrooper alongside his friend at the Country Music Awards.
Paisley & Shatner Once Co-Hosted a ‘Star Trek’ Screening
Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesCo-host Brad Paisley, actor William Shatner, and co-host Carrie Underwood speak onstage at the 49th annual CMA Awards at the Bridgestone Arena on November 4, 2015 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Back in 2020, Nashville residents were given a rare treat. The city was home to a one-night screening of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. While a screening of an old movie doesn’t normally make headlines, in this case, the screening featured a conversational Q&A segment, with Paisley interviewing Shatner.
The Tennessean reported that tickets to the event were $51.25 at the time.
Sounds Like Nashville reported that Paisley and Shatner shared some amusing stories at the event, including a tale that shows how close Paisley and Shatner have become over the years.
Paisley told a tale about Shatner playing video games with sons Huck and Jasper.
“[Shatner] put on VR goggles and did ‘Star Trek Bridge Crew’ for the first time,” Paisley told the crowd. “The other kids who were online playing didn’t know he was going to do that. They were playing with Captain Kirk.”
Paisley also reached out publicly to comfort Shatner after the passing of Leonard Nimoy in 2015.
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan is generally considered one of the better films in the history of the franchise. It was ranked 3rd best Star Trek movie by Rotten Tomatoes, and topped a list of best films in the franchise by Collider in 2020.
Paisley Sang on Shatner’s 2004 Album
Rick Diamond/Getty Images for CMTActor William Shatner, Honoree Brad Paisley and Rock Legend Joe Walsh perform during the 2011 CMT Artists of the year celebration at the Bridgestone Arena on November 29, 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee.
You might not think “William Shatner” when you hear the words “country music”, but the former Star Trek actor has some serious country chops, which explains part of the reason these two have remained friends.
In 2004, Brad Paisley sang on Shatner’s album Has Been. Later, in 2019, Shatner collaborated with Alabama’s Jeff Cook to record the country album Why Not Me?
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