There's nothing like a Northern FanCon Q&A with Star Trek's Lt. Uhura.
Nichelle Nichols, a most beautiful 85-year-old woman, took to FanCon's main stage Sunday afternoon at CN Centre and answered questions from Citizen reporter Frank Peebles.
At the time the series began in 1966, Nichols broke new ground. She was one of the first African American females on American television not portraying a servant and when she and Captain Kirk, portrayed by William Shatner, shared a kiss it was noted as the first interracial kiss seen on an American television show.
During her Q&A at FanCon Nichols recalled that she wanted to leave the show to pursue a career on Broadway, as she a singer and dancer early on in her career. When she met Martin Luther King Jr. at a fundraiser, he encouraged her to stay with the show because she was part of American history and a role model for those watching Star Trek as she boldly went where no woman went before.
Nichols told the captive FanCon audience that throughout her career portraying Lt. Uhura she never stopped singing and the cast and crew would often ask her to serenade them.
When Peebles asked her about what it was like being surrounded on the set with macho men, Nichols did not disappoint the audience with her response.
"We un-machoed them," Nichols said with a big smile. "We worked together really well."
She remembers getting direction from her fellow cast mates and she supported them in the same way. The whole experience is a treasured memory for Nichols.
"I loved every minute of it," Nichols said.
