At 95 years old, Star Trek legend William Shatner is still boldly going about his life—and he wants his fans to know it.
The iconic actor recently took to social media to denounce a wave of malicious, AI-generated fake news circulating on Facebook that falsely claims he is battling stage 4 brain cancer.
Shatner called out the bad actors for fabricating realistic-looking images of him in a hospital bed to profit off of concerned fans. "They have created stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer and that I’m dying," he shared on X (formerly Twitter). "All their stories are monetized. Most of the stories use an AI image of me."
He expressed frustration that the hoax appeared convincing enough to trick his dedicated fanbase into sharing the posts and sending condolences, inadvertently lining the pockets of the scammers.
The cruel rumor mill even reached Shatner's own family. His 64-year-old daughter, Lisabeth, rushed over to check on him after her own child caught wind of the alarming gossip. To put the speculation to rest once and for all, Lisabeth snapped a photo of her father happily relaxing in a patio chair, which he quickly uploaded as undeniable proof of his vitality.
"The people who are ill are those that are spreading these ridiculous stories," Shatner assured his followers alongside the new photo. "I'm fit as a fiddle. You don't have to worry."
This isn't the first time the Boston Legal star has had to swat away exaggerated gossip regarding his well-being. Following a brief hospital visit last fall, rumors quickly spiraled out of control. Shatner later brushed off the incident in an Instagram update, explaining he had simply "over indulged" and leaving his fans with a firm warning: "Don’t trust tabloids or AI!"