George Takei

George Takei is an acclaimed American actor, author, and activist, widely recognized for his breakout role as Hikaru Sulu, helmsman of the USS Enterprise in the Star Trek franchise. Born as Hosato Takei on April 20, 1937, his life has been marked by a blend of remarkable career milestones and profound personal experiences. As a child, Takei lived in a Japanese-American internment camp during World War II, but that did not deter him from pursuing a successful acting career later on. In 1965, he secured his iconic role in Star Trek as Sulu, which he returned to periodically till the 1990s. Though an established actor, Takei announced to the world that he was gay in 2005, leading him to become a vocal advocate for LGBT rights. Besides his English proficiency, he speaks Japanese fluently and has won several awards for his work on human rights and Japan–United States relations. Takei has an extended acting portfolio including various other television series and film productions, and he has also made a significant contribution to state and local politics.