Nichelle Nichols, from the original "Star Trek" TV series, will appear at Wizard World Madison, Nov. 30-Dec. 2.
Nichelle Nichols has never really stopped boldly going. The 85-year-old actress, best known for playing Lt. Uhura on the original Star Trek TV series from the late ‘60s (as well as the big-screen “Extra Trek” movies) was a trailblazer from the get-go. She was one of the first black women to have a starring, recurring role on television, and, after the show ended in 1969, also worked to recruit women and people of color to the NASA program. In recent years, she’s been involved in work related to NASA’s ongoing missions to Mars and Saturn.
You can still catch her on TV — she just scored a Daytime Emmy nomination for her work on The Young and the Restless — she spends much of her time exploring a different frontier: the con scene and modern geek fandom. Nichols will be in Madison this weekend, as will her Star Trek co-star William Shatner, as one of the celebrity guests at the fourth annual Wizard World Comic Convention at the Alliant Energy Center. She took a few minutes to chat with Isthmus about her wide-ranging career.
The public is clearly still fascinated with space travel and science fiction — recent case in point, the movie First Man — and yet government support for the NASA program has flagged in recent years. Why is supporting the space program so important to you?
Politics come and go, but public inspiration and excitement about NASA continues to be as high as ever, at least as I see it. A probe is landing on Mars this week, and that’s all that is on the news! Humankind has always dreamed about the stars, and now we’re seeing companies out making waves as well. I think we all know our future will one day take us beyond our own planet.
Like the late Stan Lee, who headlined last year's Wizard World Madison, you’ve spent decades coming out to interact with fans, now at a point in your life where other celebrities might have decided to dial back. What keeps you coming out to these events?
The fans are what keep me going through everything, not just through shows! I continue to act and record music because there’s people out there who want me to do it, and I am a natural born performer. Coming to these shows is the same way; it gets me out of the house, meeting new
people, seeing new places, and keeping active and engaged. I don’t think there’s ever an age where you just want to hang up your hat.
The version of Lt. Uhura actor Zoe Saldana plays in the Star Trek reboot films is much more sexualized that your television character was. What’s your reaction to that? Did you consider yourself a sex symbol in the 1960s?
I absolutely love how Zoe fit into the character; she brought new life to the show. What we did on Star Trek back then was as surprising to audiences at the time as what is happening now. I think the directors knew what they were doing. And darling, I have held onto some of those old magazine covers.
You were one of the first African American women to have a recurring lead role on a television series. How do you feel about the opportunities for black women in entertainment?
Opportunities are better than ever. A few years ago I wasn’t sure, but you don’t have to look hard any more to find a strong minority leading woman. I think they need to keep it up. Now what we need are exciting new stories. The talent is out there — go make it!
What are some of the more rewarding moments you've experienced with fans at Wizard World conventions?
Sometimes I just can’t get over the costumes. I’m a people person. I love watching crowds, and some of the people who come to me, I need to take a picture with them!
