William Shatner

The original Star Trek captain, 87, has been busy. He released a country album (Why Not Me) and a memoir, acted in two upcoming movies and announced plans to return as host for the 2019 reboot of his 1989–96 CBS series Rescue 911. His new project is Shatner Claus: A Christmas Album, which finds him duetting with Iggy Pop, Brad Paisley and Judy Collins.

How is your Christmas album

different? Some of our songs are classics not done in a particularly classic way. I’ve bent the traditional songs a little bit and had fun with them.

How did you find your duet

partners? This is not my first album, and over the years a lot of terrific musicians have appreciated the fact that I’m searching for the way to fuse words to music. Some of them heard I was making an album and said, “I’d like to be part of it.” I’m appreciative of these great musicians lending their talents.

What is your family Christmas tradition? We give gifts and celebrate the humanity of the holiday by being kind to each other and remembering there are things more important than the individual.

What are some of your favorite Christmas

albums? Elvis Presley and Nat King Cole are certainly wonderful ones to turn up during the Christmas season, absolutely.

What are some messages from your memoir, Live Long And…? One message is “Say yes to the experience of life.” Don’t say no. Saying yes flies in the face of denial: “I’m not going to believe that, I’m not going to try something new, I’m not leaving the house and no, no, no.”