Editor’s Note: This article previously appeared in a different format as part of The Atlantic’s Notes section, retired in 2021.

The Star Trek alum and activist turns 79 today. Earlier this year, Jim Hamblin sat down with Takei for an episode of “If Our Bodies Could Talk,” where the pair discussed his time in a Japanese internment camp, Donald Trump, and Takei’s status as a “social media icon”:

At the time, Takei was starring in the Broadway musical Allegiance, based on his internment experience (which he talked about in depth with Democracy Now!). During the show’s run, Takei saved a seat in the audience for Trump. The day before the show’s final performance, Takei tweeted that the GOP front-runner was still a no-show:

Allegiance closed with mixed reviews. Since then, Takei has been spotted doing a guest voice appearance on The Simpsons and narrating a video for the forthcoming movie X-Men: Apocalypse.

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