A day after the death of “Star Trek” star Nicholas Nichols, fellow Lt. Col. Aura Zoe Saldana paid a tribute to the leading actor.
From 1966 to 1969, Nichols portrayed Nyota Ora – the communications officer for the USS Enterprise – in the groundbreaking science fiction series “Star Trek”, and later reprized the role in six films released between 1979 and 1991. It was significant as one One of the first black women on American television to be portrayed in a position of strength, the famous actor had been persuaded by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. not to leave the series after the first season. Saldaña will portray an alternate universe version of the character in the 2009 reboot “Star Trek”, as well as the sequel to two films in 2013 and 2016.
in Instagram post On Monday, Saldaña wrote about Nichols’ death and its impact as a black woman in the entertainment industry, saying, “We have lost a true star – a unique artist who has always been ahead of her time.”
“She’s an icon, an activist and most importantly a wonderful woman – and she has pioneered a path that has shown so many how to see women of color in a different light,” Saldaña wrote in her post. “Her quest for equality has been consistent.”
Saldaña also discussed first meeting Nichols after she was cast as Uhura in the 2009 film, calling it a “very special moment” in her life, and saying the actor helped her feel confident playing the iconic character.
“Her energy was contagious every time I was in her presence. She convinced me to believe anything could be achieved, if you put your heart into it,” Saldana wrote. “I knew I had big shoes to fill when I was selected to play Uhura, and Nichelle made me feel safe, telling me to play her with confidence in the world. I hope we can continue to keep her memory alive by celebrating her wonderful body of work, and by spreading the message of peace and equality to all people.” She lived a long and influential life and not only thrived but helped many to thrive as well.”
Saldaña is said to be returning as Uhura in an upcoming sequel to the movie franchise. On TV, Celia Rose Gooding portrays a younger version of the character in the previous series “Strange New Worlds,” which recently finished airing its first season.
Read Saldaña’s full statement below:
I am saddened to learn of the passing of Nichelle Nichols. We lost a real star – a unique artist who was always ahead of her time. She is an icon, an activist, and most importantly a wonderful woman – she has pioneered a path that has shown many how to see women of color in a different light. Her quest for equality has been consistent.
Meeting Nichelle was truly a very special moment in my life. Her energy was contagious every time I was in her presence. You have convinced me to believe that anything is achievable, if you put your heart into it. I mean, she inspired Mae Jameson to pursue her dreams of becoming an astronaut and that’s exactly what Mae did.
I knew I had big boots to fill when I was selected to play Uhura, and Nichelle made me feel safe, telling me to play her with the confidence of the world. I hope we will continue to keep her memory alive by celebrating the body of her remarkable work, and by spreading the message of peace and equality to all people. She lived a long and influential life and not only prospered but helped many to prosper as well.
Maya Angelou once said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” I agree with this statement except for Nichelle Nichols. It would be hard to forget what she said, hard to forget what she did, and it would definitely be impossible to forget how you made us feel.
Relax in POWER QUEEN NICHELLE
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