Star Trek actor Walter Koenig dies aged 90

Actor Walter Koenig, who played Pavel Chekov in the original Star Trek television series, has died at the age of 90. TV Insider reported that Koenig died of natural causes in Los Angeles on October 25. Reports from Deadline, Collider, TV Line, SlashFilm, GoldDerby, BBC News, and TV Insider all confirmed the actor's passing. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Former co-star George Takei led industry tributes following the news. TV Line and Deadline reported that Takei shared a photograph of himself alongside Koenig, writing that his heart was heavy and noting that the two had remained friends for nearly six decades since meeting on the show's set in the 1960s. Collider reported that showrunner Terry Matalas also joined in paying tribute to Koenig. [1][2][4]

Koenig began acting professionally in the mid-1960s before being cast as Ensign Pavel Chekov in Star Trek, playing the navigator on the USS Enterprise. He portrayed the character across the original NBC series and reprised the role in seven Star Trek feature films, including all six original-cast movies and Star Trek: Generations. BBC News noted that Koenig also later appeared in the television series Babylon 5. [2][3][6][10]

In addition to his screen acting career, Koenig worked as a screenwriter on network television projects including Land of the Lost, Family, What Really Happened to the Class of '65?, and The Powers of Matthew Star, and authored several books. [10]