George Takei unhappy that Sulu is gay in new Star Trek film
Actor George Takei said it is "really unfortunate" that his Star Trek character is revealed as being gay in the new movie release, saying that it twisted the vision of the show's creator.
Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in the 1960s television series, said he tried to convince the director of Star Trek Beyond to create a new character with a same-sex partner.
The openly gay actor insisted that Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was a "strong supporter of LGBT equality" but he envisaged Sulu as a heterosexual.
He told the Hollywood Reporter that he would have preferred the character to remain heterosexual.
"I'm delighted that there's a gay character. Unfortunately, it's a twisting of Gene's creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it's really unfortunate," he said.
John Cho, who plays Sulu in the new film, revealed his character is now a father with a same-sex partner in Star Trek Beyond - the first openly gay character in the sci-fi series.
The film's writer Simon Pegg, who plays Scotty in the new films, and director Justin Lin reportedly made the character gay in homage to Takei's legacy as a sci-fi icon and LGBT activist.
Takei said he tried to persuade Lin to "honour" Roddenberry on the 50th anniversary of Star Trek by creating a new character.
"I urged them," Takei said. "He left me feeling that that was going to happen."
79-year-old Takei said he learned about his character's new sexuality after receiving a call from Cho.
"I told him, 'Be imaginative and create a character who has a history of being gay, rather than Sulu, who had been straight all this time, suddenly being revealed as being closeted," Takei said.
Cho told Australia's Herald Sun newspaper that the character's sexuality was a sign that times have changed.
"I liked the approach, which was not to make a big thing out it, which is where I hope we are going as a species, to not politicise one's personal orientations," Cho said.
Star Trek Beyond is in UK cinemas from July 22.