Simon Pegg 'Respectfully' Disagrees With George Takei Calling Gay Sulu 'Unfortunate'

Simon Pegg has responded to George Takei‘s criticizing comments about the decision to make his old character Sulu – now played by John Cho – openly gay in the new movie Star Trek Beyond.

“I’m delighted that there’s a gay character,” George expressed. “Unfortunately, it’s a twisting of Gene‘s creation, to which he put in so much thought. I think it’s really unfortunate.”

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“I have huge love and respect for George Takei, his heart, courage and humor are an inspiration,” Simon, who stars as Scotty and also co-wrote the latest addition, wrote in a statement (via THR). “However, with regards to his thoughts on our Sulu, I must respectfully disagree with him.”

“He’s right, it is unfortunate, it’s unfortunate that the screen version of the most inclusive, tolerant universe in science fiction hasn’t featured an LGBT character until now,” Simon added. “We could have introduced a new gay character, but he or she would have been primarily defined by their sexuality, seen as the ‘gay character’, rather than simply for who they are, and isn’t that tokenism? I like this idea because it suggests that in a hypothetical multiverse, across an infinite matrix of alternate realities, we are all LGBT somewhere. Whatever dimension we inhabit, we all just want to be loved by those we love (and I love George Takei). I can’t speak for every reality but that must surely true of this one. Live long and prosper.”