George Takei Slams Utah Governor for Refusing to Recognize Same-Sex Marriages

On the eve of the Sundance premiere of George Takei's documentary To Be Takei, the Star Trek icon and LGBT activist offered strong words about Utah governor Gary Herbert's refusal to recognize the 1,360 same-sex marriages that took place in the state during the brief time such unions were legal last year, reports Deadline.

"[Herbert] consciously and mean-spiritedly refused to recognize the marriages that already happened," Takei told Deadline. "I'm stunned by his stupidity. Apparently he believes in governing by hysteria -- that's the only way it can interpreted. This governor now is trying to put the toothpaste that's been squeezed out back into the tube. It's something that can't be done."

Takei said he and his husband "were absolutely delighted" when they learned To Be Takei had been accepted at the Sundance Film Festival, which is going on now through January 26 in Park City, Utah, because they thought they would be debuting the documentary in "a marriage equality state."

"We thought the timing would amazing," Takei told Deadline. "Important historically events were happening in the progress of equality for the LGBT community and so to have this chronicled would be a fantastic thing to have, and so we agreed to do it. And here we are premiering in a state that still reflects that struggle that we have."

To Be Takei chronicles the actor's life from his childhood in Japanese internment camps through his career in entertainment to his recent turn as an Internet celebrity and champion of social justice.

Watch a minute-and-a-half sneak peek at the documentary in the video below.