Zoe Saldana Is The New Uhura

In another case of you heard it here first, both Variety and The Hollywood Reporter just confirmed the TrekMovie.com scoop that Zoe Saldana has been picked to be the new Uhura for the new Star Trek movie. THR notes that Saldana is in ‘final negotiations,’ but Variety reports that Saldana has indeed ‘signed on’ as the Enterprise’s communications officer originally portrayed by Nichelle Nichols. As reported here earlier, Saldana is also the star of James Cameron’s sci-fi epic Avatar which which is currently filming and TrekMovie.com sources indicate that dealing with conflicting schedules was the focus of negotiations. Saldana joins Anton Yelchin (Chekov), Zachary Quinto (Spock) and Leonard Nimoy (older Spock). Still no word on Scotty, Sulu, McCoy and of course…..Kirk!

If you didn’t catch it in our previous story, here is Saldana showing she knows a thing or two about Trek already.. 

 

More on Saldana at The Hollywood Reporter and Variety.

Original Aug. 29 TrekMovie.com Saldana Scoop (includes more info on Saldana) 

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Not last. Word.

I’m really excited about this. She looks just like Uhura!

Good for her.

She DOES look like a young Uhura! Good casting call for sure.

Awesome… Wonderful casting choice for the film. Just keeps getting better and better. Hey I am so happy with what they are doing for casting. Can we promise not to hi-jack this thread and make it a Shatner in the movie protest. A huge congrats to Saldana hope you get those pesky details hammered out soon…

Aaron R.

Great choice.

Linguacode friendship messages are extended.

I thought she was great in The Terminal and I love this choice for the new film. Who’s next???

I’d be happy if she got her hands on my Captain’s log!

Seems like a good choice. But WHEN will they announce the biggest two remaining characters — McCoy and Kirk?

Is there some big SF/TV-geek event between now and they start shooting that might be a likely announcement venue (a la ComicCon)?

Anthony–

Did you see the AP report from several days ago that Russell Crowe could in the New Movie…from Wikipedia “In August 2007 it was announced that Crowe may be approached by the producers of the new Star Trek film due for release in 2008, for the role of the villain.[13] another story that first appeared on TrekMovie!

Harry – you are a very bad boy.

JBS, you’re absolutely right! As punishment I think Ms. Saldana should spank me for……oh, say…..half an hour….yeah, that should do it!!

Derek, the last “This week in Trek…” had a link to a New York Post article on Russell Crowe, that included the info “Crowe was actually a “Star Trek” fan as a kid.” So, there is hope.

Wonderful choice, I think…

I wonder, are we going to get any new background on characters… say, an established first name for Uhura (or, for that matter, establishment that Uhura IS her only name).

I really really want to see it mentioned that McCoy is NOT an Academy grad… I love the whole backstory of joining Starfleet to get away from his divorce.

And WOW is she gorgeous… Let’s hope she has more to do than say “hailing Frequencies open”!

Yay.

good choice, can’t wait to see this movie and the news as the months roll on!

It occurs to me that, if they stick with the core seven members mentioned in the post, Zoe as Uhura would be the only woman in the main cast. I’ve heard absolutely nothing about the possibility of Yeoman Rand or Nurse Chapel being cast, but doesn’t it seem like having them would be a good idea for the sake of it not being a sausage fest?

How ’bout ANOTHER Heros cast member..Hayden Panty-air as Janice Rand…

I come here

1) for the absolute freshest Trek news

and

2) To read what outrageous things Harry Ballz has written today to make me laugh.

Yeah I hope they do more with Uhura.

Zoe seems like a great choice to portray her.

Re 16
Isn’t she Nyota Upenda Uhura ?

I think Zoe is a great choice to play Uhura. Incidentally, I really enjoyed The Terminal, even if it didn’t do that well at the box office. Zoe was great in it.

Indeed she seems like a very good choice. Now bring on the big two!

“Now bring on the big two!”

Funny, I thought they just did!!

But can she do a a naked fan dance?…

Only 42 days left. I think we’ll hear even more casting news this week.

Why did you stick the word “fan” in that sentence?

It’s a good thing Uhura’s station was behind Kirk instead of where Sulu or Chekov’s stations were. Otherwise Kirk might have said “Warp Factor Legs!”

I Should have said *49* days left. :-)

Good choice for Uhura. I liked her in Guess Who.

Just wondering, do they have the sets, props and customes done yet? I know they said shooting begins in November but does that mean set, props and custome construction starts in November or shooting does start in November?

Great choice!
I hope all the characters get something meaningful to do in the movie, but since this is a “and that’s how we all became the Starfleet Bunch” movie, there may not be time for much for the supporting cast. Still, we know it’s at least a three-fer!
And Harry, Zoe can say “Hello, boys!” to my boys any day.

Re 21…
As far as a name, it has never been said On Screen. Until that happens, everything is non-canon, regardless of how dearly we hold it and know it to be true.

We knew Sulu’s name to be Hikaru (at least, that was the popular choice out of a few names) but it was not said until Trek VI.

ya got me 32. We’ll have to wait for the film (or the casting sheets)

ooo, hot gypsies. I like her. :)

I was really hoping for Rosario Dawson, but I really like the casting of Zoe Saldana. I think she’s a good up and coming actress and just shows how committed the crew is to making this a great cast.

All three castings have been very good because these people obviously show some level of talent… which is something you don’t hear a lot of people say about the original series cast, but all those people were good actors.

That’s what made TOS great and it’s going to be what makes the new movie great.

“which is something you don’t hear a lot of people say about the original series cast, but all those people were good actors” ???!!!
how ‘kind’ to add that last part

3 down, 4 or 5 to go. Almost half the main characters are cast.

Waiting on 1.Kirk 2.McCoy 3.Scott(y) 4.Sulu 5.Pike?
I wonder if they will cast Rand and or Chapel?

Some of you may be thinking of certain cast member combinations might conflict with canon. I guess we wait and see.

In any case, this is going to be interesting to see “other” people playing characters most Trek fans have woven into their mental fabric. I wonder how many of us when we see the ‘new’ characters will have reflex thoughts to compare to the original characters.

Any word if Majel Barrett will be playing any character? Even a computer voice? I can smell the popcorn now!

465 dtST

RE 27
“Why did you stick the word “fan” in that sentence?”

I believe he was referring to the naked dance with the fan that Nichelle Nichols subjected us to in Star Trek V …

ridiculous

Fantastic choice. Simply fantastic.

My money’s on Scotty being cast next.

“subjected us to..” HAHAHAHAH HHE and…. a HO!

Will Zoe be able to warble ‘Beyond Antares’ as well as Nichelle?

Hey, if Zoe was a singer I could look at her “voice” for hours!!

Oh, and to #38: “I believe he was referring to the naked dance with the fan”

Yes, I know……and all I can say is, “would Zoe be willing to have a naked dance with THIS fan?” (lick, slurp, pant………yowza…)

#43
That comment was Leering…Sexist and Voyeuristic!…Thank You.

My pleasure, and I mean that in more ways than one!
Bwahahahahaha……………..

……i wish shatner was in the movie . lol , but hmm , come on want to hear the rest of the cast , i think after kirk , scotty will be the big one for me , as i can see alot of people being about to do a good sulu and bones , but scotty and kirk will take something special

HOLY SCREAMING YUM!

As Woody Allen would say, “I’d sell my mother to the Arabs for that girl!”

Umm…just a reality check here – she really doesn’t look much like Nichelle Nichols, apart from having approximately the same skin tone.

But, she is cute, and she turned a good performance in The Terminal.

I think I remember reading somewhere that her first name is Penda. Don’t blame me, I’m just reporting what I’m remembering. I think I read it in one of the novelizations of a film, I think it was Search for Spock. I’m not exactly sure. Penda Uhura.