Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols dies at 89

[upnorth]

American actress Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role in 1960s sci-fi TV series Star Trek, has died aged 89.

Ms Nichols broke barriers in her role as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the series, becoming one of the first black actresses in the US to play a figure in authority. She was later employed by Nasa in an effort to encourage more women and African-Americans to become astronauts. She died of natural causes on Saturday night, her son Kyle Johnson said. In a statement posted on Facebook, Mr Johnson wrote: "I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years.

Trailblazing Star Trek actress Nichelle Nichols dies at 89

She became one of the first black American actresses to play a figure in authority on US television.

www.bbc.com

 

[show-Zi]

For me, Star Trek had a stronger impression on this TV drama than on recent movies. RIP

 

[upnorth]

Late actress Nichelle Nichols, who for 25 years portrayed the USS Enterprise's communications officer Lieutenant Nyota Uhura, is set to be memorialized among the stars later this year.

A portion of Nichols' ashes will lift off – along with those of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, his wife and multi-role Star Trek actress Majel Barrett Roddenberry, and James Doohan, who portrayed Enterprise chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott – sometime later this year.

Nichelle Nichols' ashes set for trek to the stars

The memorial 'Enterprise Flight' later this year will include ashes from other Star Trek alum too

www.theregister.com