It appears that Leonard Nimoy and William Shatner are not the only Original Series cast members to get briefed by J.J. Abrams. In a new interview with MTV, Nichelle Nichols revealed the new Star Trek director contacted her to talk about the new Uhura – Zoe Saldana. Nichols is quoted as saying:
I talked with J.J. Abrams, and he was telling me about her, that he felt she brought to Uhura what he found fascinating in my having created the character. He says that she has the charisma and presence [I did]."
The original Uhura again said that she would like to talk to Saldana about the background of Uhura and also about some areas that were never explored:
There are a lot of stories that Gene wanted to do with Uhura that we never got to do, and I would love to talk to her about that. Mostly you saw the no-nonsense woman in charge. [In those other stories you] get a little glimpse of the poignant Uhura, the lovelorn Uhura, the serious Uhura, and the fun Uhura. I would like to see her [get to] do those.
For more read the full interview at MTV.com
Nichols on Heroes later this month
Nichelle Nichols will next be seen in the 5th episode of Heroes (October 22nd) titled "Fight or Flight." NBC have released a photo (below) of the episode. Episode 2 of Heroes, "Lizard," featuring George Takei and Zachary Quinto airs on NBC tonight at 9pm.
Dana Davis (Monica Dawson), Noah Gray-Cabey (Micah Sanders) and Nichelle Nichols (Nana Dawson)
(Heroes – NBC Universal)
This is excellent, I love that JJ has been in contact with the original actors to better cast these pivotal characters. She looks excellent and it’s great to see GT and now NN on Heroes!
Nice. Maybe finally this film will rock!
Eh — first? Again?
No. :(
Good :)
Hardly, this first phenonmenon is highly annoying. But I won’t waste space complaining about it.
Does anyone know if they will incorporate Uhura’s first name into the movie, which I don’t believe has ever been spoken on screen, but has been used in several of the novels. It’s Nyota, I believe. Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
^ There has to be something one can be happy about. ;) I don’t know — I really don’t take it THAT seriously.
Back to the subject. Yes, indeed it would be nice to finally hear her name on-screen.
My, what a beautiful and classy woman Nichelle was 40 years ago and still is today. It’s hard to believe she’s only one year younger than Nimoy and Shatner, she looks 10 years younger, or more. And she seems so nice to boot.
She does seem super nice. Unfortunately besides the Shat, she is the only original series actor I haven’t met yet.
Will Nuhura sing to Zpock?
Really really good that JJ is talking to people. The most scathing thing I’ve heard about some of the recent movie directors is they didn’t know Trek, or wanted a movie that was totally NOT Trek (which shows disrespect no matter what the intent.)
Good news!!
Found this part really interesting:
“I have a few things to tell her — where Uhura came from, what her feelings are, what her background is and how she came to be,” Nichols explained. “What qualities that were necessary for her to be chosen as the fourth in command crew on the Starship Enterprise, boldly going where no woman has gone before.”
Uhura certainly COULD take the center seat. Would make a great scene in the movie. It’s just that I always thought Sulu was #4. There was also the dude in Catspaw who stepped up that one time. If she was third-mate, we should have seen it.
Love the Trek/Heroes connection. Beause of that I’ve been able to claim to have met many castmembers of Heroes!
And because of Heroes I got to meet the new Spock! Quinto’s got the aura of someone who is destined to be a huge movie star. This is just too fun.
Strange and cool, she is starring in Heroes, episode ‘Fight or Flight’ the same as the Enterprise episode, another Trek link!!
10# Uhura is the fourth is command but atthe time they was filming Star Trek the network was uncomfortable with the character Uhura and Sulu becuase of race and sex reason. That is why Uhura changed uniform. The only way they was able to put a woman in command on TOS was to make her an (watch the Enterprise incident) alien.
^ I know what you’re saying. I’m just saying that it would be nice to quietly consign the “Turnabout Intruder” Starfleet is a swingin’ dicks’ club to the scrapheap of bad Trek. Uhura SHOULD be able to command. I don’t think she WAS actually 4th in TOS. Her quote sounds like something Roddenberry told her or promised her (for reasons most of us are aware of but we won’t go into in this forum.)
Is it *possible* that Ms. Nichelle Nichols is even more-strikingly beautiful *today* than ever before? My hailing frequencies are shouting out a resounding “affirmative”! God a’mercies, there’s still so much I’d love to see the *original* Uhura performing in new TOS movies featuring Sulu, Chekov and her.
Just to add to this… I honestly think Trek, Nichelle Nichols et al, broke through so many barriers it isn’t funny. I only regret they weren’t able to end all the network/corporate stupidity there is. (That may take until the 23rd century.)
Yes, let Nichols coach the new Uhura for what I hope is about 5 seconds of screen time.
I hope Koenig is coaching the new guy on what kind of foot powder he used.
#17 Stanky
Welcome back again…. you haven’t changed a bit.
Yes, “you haven’t changed a bit”, Stanky. You’re just as warm and sociable as ever.”
Who said that?
19. GarySeven
Dr. McCoy in STTMP said that.
re: 18
Nor have you, Xai, as your continued predilection for irrelevancy demonstrates ;)
I love Nichelle. Uhura is one of my favorite Star Trek characters.
Neither Takei or Quinto were seen in tonight’s Heroes episode, at least not physically. Takei was only seen in photographs; Quinto only in the promo for next week’s episode. The only major Trek actor we saw was Dominic Keating at the very beginning. He was there for about one minute and had one line (“He’s awake”) after splashing water on Peter (I think that was his name).
Nichelle always looks stunning, I don’t know how she does it. She’s 75!
One should keep in mind Uhura’s revolutionary part in TOS. Much has been said about her role as a black woman on that particular bridge. It would be fantastic to see this character being more developed in the new movie than it was possible 40 years ago. She deserves a “piece of the action”.