George Takei and his husband Brad are celebrating 18 years of marriage — though, technically, their love story had already been running for more than twice that long.
The Star Trek star marked the occasion on Monday, September 14, 2026, sharing a photo of himself and Brad in New York City on Threads.
“Brad and I are celebrating our 18th wedding anniversary today, September 14, 2026, in New York City.”
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Eighteen years of marriage is lovely on its own. But George and Brad have actually been together for 40 years, meaning their wedding anniversary is only one chapter of a much longer story.
And honestly, four decades together deserves more than a card from the drugstore.
George Takei and Brad waited decades to marry legally
Takei and Brad first met through the Los Angeles Frontrunners running club in the early 1980s. The couple eventually married on September 14, 2008, at the Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
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Their wedding came after the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, finding it unconstitutional.
“Brad and I were married on Sept 14, 2008, at the Democracy Forum of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. We have been together for 40 years, but we couldn’t get married legally as ‘husband & husband’ until 2008, thanks to a ruling by the California Supreme Court that found the state ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.”
That makes the anniversary more than a celebration of a wedding date. George and Brad had already spent decades together before the law finally allowed them to make their relationship official.
For a couple who waited that long, September 14 has understandably become a pretty important date on the calendar.
How did George and Brad Takei meet?
The story started in the Los Angeles Frontrunners, where Brad was a member when he and George met in the early 1980s.
Years later, their relationship would become one of the most recognizable long-running partnerships connected to Star Trek. Takei joined the cast of the original Star Trek television series as Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu in the 1960s and went on to reprise the role in six feature films.
But his personal story would eventually become just as important to many LGBTQ+ fans. Takei publicly came out as gay in 2005 in an interview with Frontiers magazine, where he also spoke about his relationship with Brad. He had been with Brad for 18 years at the time.
For fans who knew Takei primarily as Sulu, the revelation offered a glimpse into the private life of an actor who had spent decades in the spotlight.
Since then, Takei has frequently spoken publicly in support of LGBTQ+ rights, while Brad has remained a constant presence in his life.
George Takei’s journey to Hollywood
Takei was born on April 20, 1937, in Los Angeles, California. During the early 1940s, he and his family were sent to an internment camp in Arkansas because of their Japanese heritage. He also lost relatives, including an aunt and an infant cousin, in Hiroshima.
He went on to attend the University of California before beginning his acting career in the late 1950s, including work providing English dialogue for dubbed Japanese monster movies. Then came Star Trek.
Takei landed the role of Lieutenant Sulu in 1965, becoming part of one of television’s most recognizable science-fiction casts. He would continue playing the character across the original series and six feature films.
In 2005, Takei also publicly discussed his sexuality and his relationship with Brad, opening another chapter in a career that had already spanned decades.
His coming-out came after then-California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed same-sex marriage legislation, prompting Takei to speak publicly about his sexuality and his relationship.
40 years together, 18 years married
Now, nearly two decades after their wedding, George and Brad are celebrating another anniversary — this time in New York City.
The couple’s post quickly attracted congratulations from friends and fellow actors.
Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Wil Wheaton wrote, “Happy anniversary, you guys! Love to you both.”
Star Wars actor Mark Hamill also congratulated the couple in a post on Bluesky.
For you & Brad:
— Mark Hamill (@markhamillofficial.bsky.social) 2026-09-14T18:11:19.696Z
Brad later reshared George’s post on his own social media, revealing that the photo was taken the previous day in New York City. Takei appeared in the photo using a wheelchair.
Celebrating my anniversary with my husband George today in New York City ❤️ 40 years together, 18 married thanks to a ruling by the California Supreme Court that found the state ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.
— Brad Takei (@bradtakei.bsky.social) 2026-09-14T15:51:27.865Z
Forty years together is a milestone by any measure. Eighteen years of marriage is another one. And after waiting decades for the right to legally call each other “husband & husband,” George and Brad have plenty of anniversaries worth celebrating.
For a couple whose story began in a running club, they have certainly gone the distance.
Souce: georgetakei.com