George Takei Pays Tribute to Late Star Trek Co-Star Nichelle Nichols
Star Trek’s Nichelle Nichols died at the age of 89 this past Saturday. Co-star of the original series, George Takei, shared a heartfelt message on Facebook as a tribute to the passing of the beloved actress and his long-time friend.
Nichols — who portrayed Uhura, the head of communications on the show — was one of the first Black women to star in a major TV series.
Her kiss with Captain James T. Kirk (William Shatner) in the episode "Plato's Stepchildren" made headlines and served as a revolutionary and pivotal TV moment.
The interracial kiss on the lips was radical at the time and it was one of the first such kisses on TV.“I have been truly moved by the tributes and messages honoring the life and work of Nichelle Nichols, our very own Lieutenant and later Commander Uhura on Star Trek,” Takei wrote on Monday.
