William Shatner Slams 'Bizarre' AI-Generated 'Fake News Stories' Claiming He's Dying

Brenton BlanchetThu, April 2, 2026 at 5:49 PM UTC

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William Shatner attends the 53rd Annual Saturn Awards on March 8, 2026Credit: JB Lacroix/WireImage -

William Shatner is calling out a Facebook page for posting "fake news stories" about him

The Star Trek legend warned fans about AI-generated stories about him that are circulating the internet

"They have created stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer, was in some kind of fight with Erika Kirk and that I’m dying. All their stories are monetized. Most of the stories use an AI image of me," he wrote

William Shatner is asking fans to take any shocking social media posts they see about him "with a grain of salt."

The Star Trek icon, 95, called out a Facebook page that he claims is profiting off of his likeness with AI-generated photos and news stories about his well-being. On Thursday, April 2, Shatner addressed the matter on Instagram and X, slamming the page labeled "The Beanstalk Functions Group" for using his image to generate "horrible fake news stories," including one about him dying.

"I wanted to put this out yesterday but given the day and the possibility that it would look like a joke I waited for today," Shatner wrote, referring to April Fools' Day. "There is a page on Facebook that is using AI to create horrible fake news stories about me... They have created stories that say I have stage 4 brain cancer, was in some kind of fight with Erika Kirk and that I’m dying. All their stories are monetized. Most of the stories use an AI image of me."

Shatner added that he reported the page to Facebook but the platform yet to remove it. He also wrote that he got in contact with the group's apparent CEO asking him to remove the stories himself.

William Shatner appears at MegaCon Orlando 2026 on March 20, 2026Credit: Gerardo Mora/Getty

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PEOPLE has reached out to reps for Facebook and Meta for comment.

Shatner's screenshots of the AI-generated posts include fake stories about him "fighting cancer," being insulted by Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, lying in a hospital bed and being diagnosed with brain cancer. "None of these stories are true but they apparently seem genuine enough for fans to repost them across social media and send messages of support to me and my family all while the culprits behind the account make money," the actor wrote. "This is the downside of AI and yellow journalism. While can be a wonderful tool in the right hands; it can be used as a weapon in the wrong hands."

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He concluded, "If you see a bizarre story about me; unless you see it posted on one of my verified accounts take it with a grain of salt."

Shatner later added in follow-up posts that "you'd be surprised at how many of my 'fans' believed the images are of me," and that people have to "jump through hoops to get content pulled."

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On March 22, Shatner celebrated his 95th birthday on social media, when he joked that he's "still smokin" in an Instagram post. In the images, Shatner could be seen puffing on a cigar and smiling in front of a sunset. "At 95, I'm still smokin'! 😝," he captioned the snaps. "I’ve learned two things: Never waste a good cigar. Never trust anyone who says you should ‘act your age.’ 😉👍🏻"

The actor later confirmed to PEOPLE that he celebrated his big day with a "large family gathering." He previously opened up to PEOPLE about his his heartfelt birthday tradition in 2024. "For the last many years, I have celebrated my birthday by working on a very successful charity called The Hollywood Charity Horse Show. We have been doing it for 35 years and raised millions of dollars for children and veterans," he said.

Shatner added that he was spending that birthday with his family in Las Vegas, saying, "It’s going to be a family experience in that wonderful, entertaining city. I’m really looking forward to it.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”