The actor and author opens up about the deep emotional bond he shares with his Star Trek: The Next Generation co-stars, revealing how LeVar Burton and Jonathan Frakes filled a parental void left by estranged family ties.
Wil Wheaton, best known for his roles in Stand By Me and Star Trek: The Next Generation, is opening his heart in a new, emotionally candid conversation about love, family, and the unique support he’s found in his Star Trek castmates.
In a recent episode of Michael Rosenbaum’s Inside of You podcast, Wheaton, 51, opened up about the complexities of being estranged from his parents and how, during major moments in his life, he has turned to his Star Trek family for the emotional grounding and affirmation he once sought from his biological parents.
“There were moments where I wanted to call them to tell them about things,” Wheaton said, referencing the release of his 2022 memoir Still Just a Geek and his latest creative endeavor, the speculative fiction podcast Storytime with Wil Wheaton. “That is a supernatural impulse… and I’ve just accepted that when I have that impulse, I text my Star Trek family.”
That family includes the likes of Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Gates McFadden, Michael Dorn, Marina Sirtis, and Brent Spiner. But it was Burton and Frakes who, Wheaton shared, gave him something even more profound: a glimpse of what true parental love feels like.
When Wheaton was preparing to announce Storytime, he sent Burton a heartfelt message thanking him for his early encouragement. “I just want you to know that we’re announcing today, and I’m excited and kind of nervous. But this wouldn’t exist without you,” he texted Burton.
To his surprise, Burton didn’t reply with a message — he called.
“[He] told me how proud of me he was,” Wheaton said, visibly emotional. “He said, ‘I couldn’t just text you. I had to hear your voice.’”
It wasn’t the first time Wheaton had felt such warmth from a castmate. He recounted a similarly touching moment when Frakes appeared on his Ready Room aftershow and expressed pride in his work.
“Twice in my life, I have felt what I imagine it is like when your parents love you and approve of you,” he said. “Once was when Frakes was on Ready Room… And then last night, I felt that way from LeVar.”
After ending the call with Burton, Wheaton took a moment to soak it all in. “I set the phone down and I just put my arms around myself and I just sat there,” he shared. “‘Remember what this feels like… This is the closest you’re ever gonna get, buddy. So love that feeling.’”
Wheaton’s honesty highlights the often unseen emotional labor of healing from childhood trauma, and the unexpected places where love and belonging can be found. For the actor, who once portrayed the young Wesley Crusher navigating the stars, it seems his real journey has always been one of discovering what family truly means — and now, he knows where to find it.
