Star Trek’s William Shatner had one condition for his Big Bang Theory cameo.

One of the indicators of a successful sitcom is the ability to attract cameo roles from stars from the respective media. You can judge about the unchanging popularity The Big Bang Theory through a series of cameos on Star Trek. he boasted until the end of his 12-year season. The show included guests like Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton and George Takei – and of course, Wil Wheaton (aka Professor Pratton) also played himself.

However, one coveted cameo that was long absent from the show was the iconic original Captain James T. Kirk “Star Trek”, ie. William Shatner.

When season 10 came out, Shatner clarified publicly that despite fitting the genre, he didn’t appear on the show because he wasn’t happy with the writing of the potential role. U New York Post interview in 2019executive producer and showrunner Steve Holland elaborated, “For one reason or another, it didn’t quite work out, whether it was scheduling or whatever.” Holland added that before the show’s final season, Shatner remained on their celebrity roster. As of late, the series has backed away from that, with Shatner agreeing to an extended and recurring guest appearance in Season 12, Episode 16, “The D&D Vortex.” In the episode, the Star Trek icon plays a parody of himself as a member of Will Wheaton’s coveted celebrity D&D crew. The factor that convinced Shatner to finally show up? Shooting with Kaley Cuoco again.

In an interview with the New York Post, showrunner Steve Holland explained that Shatner fully signed on to the show because of the opportunity to perform with Kaley Cuoco again. In Holland’s own words: “I think what changed in the last season is that he knows (series co-star) Kaley (Cuoco) from commercials together (Priceline) and they’re friendly. When I called, one of the things he asked was, “Can I do a scene with Kaylee?”

U a career littered with great roles outside of science fictionone of Shatner’s most iconic roles was as a Priceline negotiator. He’s been portrayed for generations as a man who looks for the best deal – and some of those commercials over the years have featured his character’s daughter brokering hotel deals. This new generation shopper was played by Cuoco, and Shatner clearly enjoyed playing alongside the Big Bang Theory star. When he heard that his appearance on her show meant he would get another chance to perform with Cuoco, it was an offer too good to refuse, and the rest is history.