“I do 100 push-ups every morning,” reveals 85-year-old George Takei, causing this 36-year-old interviewer (with dismal upper body strength) to gasp audibly. “You’ve got to,” he adds. “The more you age, the more your muscles atrophy. Strength training is important.”
We’d be fools not to ask George for his tips on ageing gracefully. Not only is he as handsome as he was in 1966, when he first boldly went where no man had gone before as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu on Star Trek, but he’s almost as fit, too. In January 2023, for example, he’ll take on a West End stage run — a physically gruelling challenge for an actor of any age — in Allegiance, a musical partly based on his own life. “I’m a fish and fall person: lots of vegetables and fruits,” he continues. “Be prudent with alcohol. Green tea has lots of antioxidants. It’s the usual, boring things: eat, exercise, sleep properly.”
“When I did come out, I was fully prepared to retire from my acting career. It turned out to be the reverse”
We’ve heard it all before, sure. But delivered in his rich, wise voice, via Zoom from his LA home, George’s advice sounds like scripture. We want it tattooed onto our bodies, so we never forget it. Then again, are we simply perpetuating our youth-obsessed culture with our line of questioning? Is ageism among gay
