Y&R Alum & Star Trek Icon Nichelle Nichols Has Passed Away At 89

Cultural icon Nichelle Nichols, best known for her role as Nyota Uhura in Star Trek: The Original Series, passed away at age 89 in Silver City, New Mexico on July 30, 2022.

Remembering Nichelle Nichols: The Final Frontier

Somewhere in space, Dr. Leonard McCoy’s (the late DeForest Kelley) words “Dammit, Jim!” are echoing in hearts everywhere as fans of Star Trek mourn the loss of Nichelle Nichols. The iconic actress was born on December 28, 1932, in Robbins, Illinois. One of ten children, she was the only child struck with the entertainment spark. She was a singer and a dancer before trying her hand at acting.

After a couple of early roles in Porgy and Bess, Gettin’ Up in the Mornin’, and Made in Paris, Nichols had her first dip into daytime television on the serial Peyton Place as a nurse in 1966. But later that year, she took on the role that changed everything. The actress signed on to the ground-breaking series Star Trek as Uhura, a beloved role that paved the way for women in space (and television), and women of color everywhere.

In 1968, in an episode titled “Plato’s Stepchildren,” Nichols shared the first interracial kiss with castmate William Shatner (Captain Kirk) on the series. It was a landmark moment at a pivotal time in American history. And when she wanted to leave the series after the first season, it was Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. who talked her out of it, explaining the importance of her character paving the way for African Americans and women on television and beyond.

In a career that has spanned more than seven decades, Nichols has inspired many with her gifts in singing, dancing, acting, and her voice work. The talented lady has worked with such greats as Duke Ellington, Sidney Poitier, Dorothy Dandridge, Sammy Davis Jr., and Isaac Hayes. She has performed extensively in theater in cities such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles.

Television credits include Tarzan, Insight, The D.A., Gargoyles, Head of the Class, Futurama, The Simpsons, Downward Dog, and Space Command. Nichols gained new fans joining the cult series Heroes in 2007 as Nana Dawson and as Neil Winters’s mother, Lucinda Winters, on The Young and the Restless in 2016.

Besides the Star Trek films other film credits include Truck Turner, The Supernaturals, Antony and Cleopatra, Snow Dogs, Are We There Yet?, Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes, Lady Magdalene’s, Tru Loved, The Torturer, This Bitter Earth, White Orchid, American Nightmares and Surge of Dawn.

For fans, Nichelle Nichols will always be out there in space, exploring new worlds and going boldly where no one has gone before. Thank you for your service. She is survived by her son Kyle Johnson, friends, family, and colleagues. Soap Hub sends our sincere condolences.

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— Kate Mulgrew (@TheKateMulgrew) July 31, 2022