Zoë Saldana May Be The New Uhura

TrekMovie.com has another Star Trek casting scoop (remember we were first with Quinto as Spock). Sources close to the production tell TrekMovie.com that 29-year-old actress Zoë Saldana has been offered the part of Uhura – the USS Enterprise’s communications officer originally played by Nichelle Nichols. Apparently the deal is not yet final and one outstanding issue may be related to her schedule starring in the James Cameron sci-fi mega movie Avatar which is still in production. Sources indicate that Avatar will be doing location shooting starting in October and Star Trek is slated to start shooting in November. Dealing with a busy actor’s schedules is not new to the Star Trek producers – the same had to be done for  Quinto. Insiders tell TrekMovie.com that casting for other Star Trek characters is still ongoing.

UPDATE: Confirmed Zoe Saldana Is The New Uhura 

Active film career + Abrams and Trek connection
Beyond Avatar Saldana has seventeen feature film credits but is probably best known starring along with Orlando Bloom in the 2004 drama Haven or for her starring role in the 2005 comedy Guess Who with Ashton Kutcher and Bernie Mac. The actress also had a small role in the 2003 hit Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, but the lead in Avatar and being cast as the new Uhura puts her into the genre film top tier. Saldana has a connection to Star Trek producer/director J.J. Abrams as she was in two episodes in the recent ABC series Six Degrees produced by Abrams and fellow Star Trek producer Bryan Burk. But the new Star Trek is not actually her first brush with Trek. Saldana played a Trekkie customs officer in the 2004 film The Terminal starring Tom Hanks (see clip below).

More info on Saldana.

Excerpt from Wikipedia entry:

Zoë Saldaña was born in New Jersey to immigrants from the Dominican Republic. Her first languages are Spanish and English. She was raised in Queens, New York, but when she was nine, her father died in a car accident, and her mother moved her and her sisters back to the Dominican Republic. While there, she enlisted in a ballet class and gained experience as a dancer, enlisting in one of the most prestigious dancing schools of that country, which benefited her during her later role in Center Stage. Saldaña returned to the USA after her sophomore year in high school, and enrolled in the Faces Theater Program, an acting course. She also worked in Burger King as a cashier in the mid 90s. She is currently dating actor Keith Britton. 

More Video:

Trailer for Haven introduced by Saldana

AOL Moviephone Q&A for Guess Who with Bernie Mac, Ashton Kutcher and Saldana (launches new window)

 

Links:

Official Site

IMDB Page

TrekMovie.com  "Star Trek" cast page

 

VOTE: Thumbs up for Zoe?
The new TrekMovie.com poll asks for your thoughts about the Zoe Saldana being the new Uhura (see right column)

Zoë Saldana as TOS Uhura (as envisioned by TrekMovie.com resident artist Steve Moss)

 

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Ha, First!

Good looking, close to JJ, and it’s TrekMovie’s source. I call that a winning combination.

JJ sign her up!

Allow me to be the first to say…..Yeow! I’d hit it.

Hmm….

Well, she certainly looks like Uhura. Apart from that, I have absolutely no opinion. Oh, and is the Zoe-as-Uhura picture another photoshop or a real one?

Keep up the good work!

How about Jennifer Garner as Nurse Chapel?

in keeping with tradtion Chapel will have to be played by someone sleeping with J.J….hmmm technically Uhura will have to as well

Damn damn damn! Hot!

great when cast sheet came out my first pick was acually Zoe Saldana .

I hope she gets the part. She’s a great actress and she’s quite hot. Uhura has to be hot, just look at Nichelle.

WOW. What a great choice, if she accepts the part. And congrats on another scoop, Anthony!

Zoë is very charming young woman indeed. But still, Tamara Taylor of Bones fame is *true* Uhura in my heart. Have a look – http://www.imdb.com/gallery/granitz/6297/Events/6297/ActressTa_Leste_14561148_400.jpg.html – she simply IS Uhura! :-)

She has my vote. In addition to being abso*f***ing* lutely beautiful, she is also a really good actress. She was the best part of that movie Guess Who. All I got to say is that whoever is making these casting decisions is spot on so far.

Bonita Applebaum, you gotta put me on.

#3

Safe rule-of-thumb with pics is they are ALWAYS photoshopped until official production stills are out. Plus the caption says ‘envisioned by’. Not to mention production won’t begin until November.

UBER hottttttttttttttttt

I wonder what happened to her “Pirates” character?

She seems to fit the bill.

Kirk anticipation is building……………

She’s got MY hailing frequencies open.

Well…..I guess you can’t have centerfold material but I think that they should reconsider as she looks average at best. Start up with a much better looking actress who can age gracefully over time….this lady may be able to act just fine but if decide to carry on with more films then she has nothing but a uphill battle awaiting her…..Wise up Paramount!

Waitiminnit! Didn’t she play a character who was a Trekker in THE TERMINAL? Cool!

Very hot…and presumably Uhura will be more of a character than “eye candy” this time around so her age shouldn’t be too much of an issue.

She certainly has the look. Let’s hope she has a good part as well.

She’ll do nicely.

Well I hope they don’t make her wear that awful Bill Theiss classic costume! They should dress her in something with lots of zippers and pockets that will appeal to young people who have never watched Star Trek! Out with the old! Everything must be completely new except the character names and possibly the pointed ears!

Don’t worry, they won’t be dressing them up in TOS costumes. ;)

They better be in TOS costumes!!! Classic style is still the best. Change the material or whatever, but keep the look the same!

:)

No way.

They’ll probably integrate the “classic” colors into whatever uniform designs they come up with.

No TOS costumes… no velour! Banned!

Now, this is a lovely young lady… but can she sing?

She’s too skinny. Baby needs a little more back. And front.

I’m with #10. Tamara Taylor is a better chioce. They’re both beautiful but Ms. Taylor shapely like Nichelle.

I mean, Ms. Taylor *is* shapely…

This gal looks good to me! Put her in a red miniskirt and stick a plug in her ear and she’s there!

Ooooohhh,,,

She seems like a very solid choice. I would be pleased if they producers go with an actress rather than some singer trying to launch yet another aspect of their career.

I’m surprised that there isn’t more buzz about the possible role of Uhura from Hollywood since the role is so historical and iconic for African-Americans. Why there isn’t a gaggle of actresses fighting it out over the Uhura role I cannot understand.

Zoe Saldana was in the movie DRUMLINE (2002) which opened the same day as Nemesis, and kicked it’s ass.

Strange but true.

Well they could do an awful lot worse!!!
WHAT are you guys bitching about?

And (modified) Pike-era costumes, please.

Will this be more ensemble acting like Next Gen or will the new Kirk and Spock hog up the screen like in TOS?

I’m fascinated with the surnames of actors cast so far…….Quinto…….Saldana…….sheesh, sounds like the model names you’d give cars built in Albania!
Me? Yeah, I drive a ’98 Quinto!

Ms. Saldana can do a fan dance for me anytime, but first, lose the fan…..

I approve. A lot, in fact. :)

#16

I know looks are subjective, but are you out of your mind? I don’t think Paramount needs to worry about her aging poorly. Casting on acting ability instead of hotness is a plus for this production, not a minus.

Based on the comments, I think you’re in the minority in thinking she’s ‘average at best’.

Okay…Yelchin, Saldana and Quinto…30 Quatloos for whoever photoshops their faces in an old cast photo with question marks over the ones that have not been cast yet…

22. ” Don’t worry, they won’t be dressing them up in TOS costumes”

They won’t, eh? For someone who likes to use fact to pick apart the slightest assumptions some have of this movie, you sure painted a pretty broad stroke of generalization with this one!

Good. I like her a lot.
Now, here’s an idea: What about Ray Liotta as captain Pike. He certainly has the age for the part as a soon to be retired Starfleet Cap. and also looks a lot more like Jeffrey Hunter than most of the runner-ups.

A very good choice, I think. I would think she’d be a little bit older than what they’re looking for, though. Loved her in Pirates and she was good in Terminal. She hasn’t done much else that is watchable, though, which is sad considering her talent and the potential for her to become a big star.

Something tells me they’re going to get all of the other crew members out of the way before announcing who’s playing Kirk. Betcha he’s already cast and they’re holding out on us.

For those interested, a preliminary page for Ms. Saldana is up at Memory Alpha (http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/User:Shran/Zo%C3%AB_Salda%C3%B1a). If she’s cast, it’ll be moved to the main namespace; if she’s not, it’ll be deleted immediately. So, in case the latter happens, enjoy it while you can. :-P

#40 Goodstuff

Mr. Liotta has been suggested for Pike pretty much since this project was first announced. I, too, think he would be a good pick.

#41 Charles Trotter (Chuck Amuck)

You goof, you were supposed to make a direct link! GOSH!
http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/User:Shran/Zo%C3%AB_Salda%C3%B1a

definitely looks promising…

Two thumbs here! :D

er.. thumbs up.

Yesss…comely…..quite comely. She would be a good choice for Uhura.

#30 What would be so wrong with an Uhura that could sing? Wasn’t that Nichelle Nichols primary talent before acting? I think ALL actors (and people for that matter) should practice music.

As to the uniforms, plant me firmly in the camp that wants the classic TOS unis. The Pike era unis were even rejected by Roddenberry as not working. My opinion is that they are too “clunky”. A revamped version doesn’t interest me as I worry that it would be too far removed with my own preference. But you can take that for what it’s worth.

She’s a very attractive girl. Count me out where classic uniforms are concerned, though. I don’t want to see replicas of 60s uniforms: I want to see something new! Even when I see these Photoshopped images of potential actors in classic uniforms, I kinda think ‘Oh Gawd! Not again!’

And I also hope we get to see Uhura be a bit more than eye candy and have dramatic importance (although nude scenes will also be acceptable! ;))

I myself am torn i wanna see revamped but….awww screw it…. bring on the miniskirts!!!

Glad to see that they took someone who is closer to 30 then 20. I’m not so sure about her voice thought, It doesn’t sound as rich as it should be.