Every Star Trek fan was devastated by the death of Nichelle Nichols, the actress and icon who played Nyota Uhura for three seasons of the original series and six movies, but none more than Zoe Saldaña. She portrayed the Enterprise’s communications officer in 2009’s Star Trek, 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness, and 2016’s Star Trek Beyond (a.k.a. the Kelvin Timeline reboot series). On Monday, Saldana shared a tribute to Nichols.
“I’m saddened to learn of Nichelle Nichols’ passing. We have lost a true star- a unique artist who was ahead of her time always. She’s an icon, an activist and most importantly an amazing woman- who blazed a trail that has shown so many how to see women of color in a different light. Her strive for equality was unwavering,” she wrote on Instagram.
Saldana continued:
I knew I had big shoes to fill when I was chosen to play Uhura, and Nichelle made me feel safe, told me to play her with all the confidence in the world. My hope is that we continue to keep her memory alive by celebrating her amazing body of work, and by spreading the message of peace and equality amongst all people. She lived a long, impactful life and not only prospered, but helped so many others prosper too.
The post ends with, “REST IN POWER QUEEN NICHELLE.” You can read it below.