Nichelle Nichols, the groundbreaking actor who played Lt. Nyota Uhura on the original “Star Trek” series, has died.
She was 89 years old.
Nichols’ death was confirmed Sunday by his son, Kyle Johnson, on his website. Johnson said her mother died of natural causes.
“Their light, however, like the ancient galaxies now seen for the first time, will remain for us and future generations to enjoy, learn from and inspire,” Johnson said in a statement posted on the website.
Johnson said his mother’s life was “well lived and a role model for” everyone. He asked for privacy for the family.
Nichols and her “Star Trek” character Uhura broke barriers as one of the first black female leads on television.
Rod Roddenberry, executive producer of the current iterations of “Star Trek” and son of show creator Gene Roddenberry, mourned Nichols’ death Sunday.
“It is with great sadness that we report the passing of legendary icon Nichelle Nichols,” he tweeted. “Without words.”
Nichols, was born in Illinois as Grace Nichols. She was discovered in Chicago by composer and musician Duke Ellington as a teenager while working as a dancer and choreographer, according to the National Space Societyfor which Nichols was part of the governing council.
“As I learned to believe in my talent, in my voice, in myself, I learned that I could make others believe, too,” Nichols wrote of herself. web site.
Before appearing on “Star Trek,” Nichols was an accomplished dancer, but had only a handful of acting roles.
Nichols appeared on “Star Trek” in its debut season in 1966. Initially, he considered leaving the show, feeling that his character lacked depth. However, after meeting Martin Luther King, Jr., who was a fan of the show, he decided to stay.
It was then that he worked alongside Roddenberry to give Uhura revolutionary authority and mastery that had not been seen before in that era of television.
“When I was on those wonderful sets with all the cast members, the Star Trek universe began to feel not so much a fantasy, but an opportunity to lay the groundwork for what we could really achieve in the 23rd century… a bold aspiration and affirmation from Uhura as we eagerly await her arrival,” Nichols wrote on her website.
One boundary-breaking moment, in 1968, was a kiss between Nichols’ Uhura and William Shatner’s Captain James T. Kirk in the episode “Plato’s Stepchildren.” The episode helped reshape what viewers considered acceptable on television and was an early statement about the acceptance of interracial marriages.
After the original “Star Trek” ended, Nichols became a spokesperson for NASA, according to its website. He helped recruit astronauts and appeared in PSAs.
According to NASA, Nichols helped recruit Sally Ride and Frederick Gregory Los Angeles Times.
“By motivating them as others once did me, it’s like my life has come back, full circle, where a young woman’s dreams began,” she wrote of the experience on her website.
In his autobiography, he wrote that he loved attending “Star Trek” conventions, the LA Times reported.
Following the news of his death, his colleagues and admirers mourned his loss.
“I will have more to say about the trailblazing and incomparable Nichelle Nichols, who shared the bridge with us as Lt. Uhura of the USS Enterprise, and who passed today at the age of 89. For today, my heart is heavy, my eyes shine like the stars among which you now rest, my dear friend,” he tweeted George Takei, who starred opposite Nichols as “Star Trek” helmsman Hikaru Sulu.
Bernice King, daughter of Martin Luther King, Jr., praised Nichols for his portrayal.
“Representation matters. Excellence in representation matters even more. Thank you, #NichelleNichols“, he wrote. “Rest well, ancestor.”
