35 Star Trek Actors Who Died In 2022

35. Nichelle Nichols

What is there to say about Nichelle Nichols that hasn't already been said? She was an icon. She was a trailblazer. She changed the face of television, as she simply dared to be present when being present was an act of revolution in itself. TrekCulture has covered her contributions to Star Trek extensively, so let us look instead at the impact she had on the wider world.

Grace Dell Nichols has had one of the greatest impacts on the current trajectory of humanity out of anyone in history. In 1977, she became involved with NASA. With her help, the organization opened its doors to women and people of colour to join the strive to send humanity out into the stars. She was deeply involved in this for many years, much of which is chronicled in the fascinating documentary Woman In Motion.

In addition to attending the christening of the space shuttle Enterprise, she would later in life take part in an eight-hour, high-altitude survey of the atmospheres of Mars and Saturn. She was a talented singer, and dancer. Nichelle Nichols broke ground for so many people in film and television. She is both dearly missed, and fondly remembered as one of the most incredible people to have ever donned a Starfleet uniform.