Walter Koenig‘s “Star Trek” colleagues are remembering the actor who played Chekov in the original “Star Trek” series, calling him “a loyal friend.” Koenig died Sunday in Los Angeles. His “Star Trek” co-star George Takei reminisced over Koenig serving as best man at his wedding.
Takei, who played Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu, wrote on Instagram, “My heart is heavy. Walter Koenig, our Ensign Pavel Chekov, passed away early today.
“Walter and I met on the bridge of the Enterprise in the 1960s, and we stayed friends for nearly six decades,” the post continued. “When Brad and I married in 2008, Walter stood beside us as our best man. Just last month, on Sept. 14, he turned 90, on the same day Brad and I celebrated our 18th wedding anniversary. I will always treasure that he and I shared that date. Walter was more than Chekov. He was a writer, a teacher, a thoughtful man, and a loyal friend. To the fans who loved him for so many years, thank you. He loved you too. Rest well, my dear friend. Keep navigating a steady course.”
Adam Nimoy, Leonard Nimoy’s son, wrote, “So sad to hear about the loss of Walter Koenig. Such a nice guy and when we were on the convention circuit together a pleasure to hang out with. Here he is with Celeste Yarnall in ‘The Apple,’ one of my favorites of the oddball episodes. Farewell.”
Michael Okuda, a scenic artist and technical consultant on several “Star Trek” installments, recalled his interview for the Roddenberry archive, writing, “Mourning the passing of Star Trek legend Walter Koenig. He was 90. A couple of years ago, Walter gave us a nice…
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The post “George Takei, Adam Nimoy Remember Walter Koenig” by Isabelle Farina was published on 10/26/2026 by variety.com