Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols passing away at the age of 89 came as a shock to many fans and co-stars. The condolences and tributes began pouring in as soon as the news reached the media. Fellow Star TrekWilliam Shatner (and George Takei) paid tribute while Star Trek vet Whoop Goldberg shared a heartfelt response to Nichols’ death on The View. However, one voice was missing Star Trek chorus – the veteran actress’s successor Zoe Saldaña. Now the Kelvin universe’s Uhura opened up about her Star TrekMeeting the franchise icon and playing a role.
The Star TrekActress finally broke her silence by paying tribute through hers to Nichols this week Instagram Stories. Saldaña penned a moving message pointing out the influence the late actress had not only on television, but on pop culture at large. The Guardians of the GalaxyStar spoke out about how Nichols helped with her transition to the role of iconic star during their first meeting.
It was a special moment in my entire life when I met Nichelle. Nichelle’s energy was contagious every time she was around me. She made me believe that anything is possible if you put your mind to it. I mean she inspired Mae Jemison to follow her dreams of becoming an astronaut and that’s exactly what Mae did. When I was selected to play Uhura I knew that I had big shoes. Nichelle helped me feel secure and encouraged me to act her with all of my confidence. I want to continue to preserve her memory by honoring her extraordinary work and spreading the message about equality and peace between all people. She lived a long and impactful life, helping so many people succeed.
Meeting with Nichelle Nichols about playing Uhura appeared to help Zoe Saldaña deal with the expectations Trekkies had for the iconic character. You can read the full Instagram message of Nichols below, with a nice nod towards the space-traveling franchise.
Nichols’ reassuring words to the Kelvin universe actress echoed the sentiment of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. when he convinced the Star TrekStay on icon The Original SeriesAs Nichols was close to quitting the show after the first season, Thankfully, she stayed on the show and not only inspired Saldaña, but millions of others like Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel into space. She also promoted NASA programs and recruitment. The late entertainer’s reach went beyond just television or the six original Star Trek films.
It was an easy way to sum up the impact that Nichelle Nichols had on the world by using the Maya Angelou quote. But as Zoe Saldaña pointed out, the film and TV actress’ words and actions were as impactful as the feelings she provoked across multiple generations of viewers. That’s why the Star TrekIcon was described as a pioneer in sci-fi and television.
Of course, Lieutenant Nyota Uhura and Nichelle Nichols’ legacy will continue to live on as Saldaña is expected to return as the communications head in the fourth Kelvin installment, which will be the first movie without co-star Anton Yelchin. Celia Gooding is a young Uhura character in Christopher Pike’s television series. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. Paramount+ subscribers can stream the Emmy-nominated series’ first season. You can also subscribe to Amazon Prime to view Nichols’ performances on the first six seasons if you are not on Paramount+. Star Trek films.