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William Shatner’s daughter Melanie has recently opened up about her own cancer battle. Here’s what to know about the actress and her health story.
William Shatner may be the most famous member of his family, but his daughter is having her own moment in the spotlight. Melanie Shatner Gretsch, the Star Trek legend’s youngest child, recently opened up alongside her father in a July 22, 2026, joint interview with People, revealing the two-faced simultaneous stage 4 cancer diagnoses. Melanie has since made a full recovery, and her story has resonated with fans who have long known her from her own acting days.
Find out what we know about Melanie’s health story and her Hollywood roots.
How Many Kids Does William Shatner Have?
William Shatner has three daughters, all from his first marriage to actress Gloria Rand, according to People. His oldest is Leslie Carol Shatner, an occupational therapist in California, followed by Lisabeth Mary Shatner, a writer, and finally Melanie. All three have appeared alongside their father on the Star Trek franchise at various points, as HELLO! reported. Though William married three more times after his divorce from Gloria in 1969, he had no children with any of his subsequent wives.
Who Is Melanie Shatner?
Of William’s three daughters, Melanie is the one who followed most closely in his Hollywood footsteps. She appeared in Star Trek V: The Final Frontier in 1989 and took a small role in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home three years earlier, according to IMDb. She also acted in the TV show T.J. Hooker alongside her dad in the 1980s. Beyond acting, Melanie is a wife and mother who has kept much of her personal life out of the public eye.
What Type of Cancer Does Melanie Shatner Have?
Melanie was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2022, as she and her father revealed in their joint People interview. She underwent treatment at UCLA Health under Dr. Carlie Thompson and is now cancer-free thanks to a chemotherapy that Thompson had developed specifically for her cancer type. Melanie’s diagnosis came just before her father’s stage 4 malignant melanoma diagnosis, meaning the pair faced their battles at the same time.
How Old Is Melanie Shatner?
Melanie is 61 years old. She was born on August 1, 1964, in Los Angeles, California.
Melanie’s story is a testament to modern medicine, family strength and the fighting spirit that seems to run in the Shatner family. She and her father are both cancer-free today, and their bond is a reminder that even Hollywood royalty faces real-life challenges together.
