Nichols \u2013 who played communications officer Nyota Uhura in the original series \u2013\u00a0passed away last year. <\/p>
The first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds<\/a> season 2 has been dedicated to franchise legend Nichelle Nichols.<\/p>\n Nichols, who played communications officer Nyota Uhura in the original series, passed away aged 90<\/a> in July 2022, leading to a flood of tributes from the sci-fi show\u2019s fans and cast members.<\/p>\n And a dedication at the end of the new episode \u2013 the first to broadcast since her death \u2013 reads: \u201cFor Nichelle who was first through the door and showed us the stars. Hailing frequencies forever open\u2026\u201d<\/p> Nichols starred in all three seasons of Star Trek: The Original Series between 1966 and 1969, and went on to reprise her role in six feature films, beginning with Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979 and ending with Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country 12 years later.<\/p>\n Following her death, William Shatner wrote on Twitter that \u201cshe was a beautiful woman & played an admirable character that did so much for redefining social issues both here in the US & throughout the world\u201d.<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n And George Takei called her \u201ctrailblazing [and] incomparable\u201d, adding:\u00a0\u201cMy heart is heavy, my eyes shining like the stars you now rest among.\u201d<\/p>\n Her iconic character Nyota Uhura features prominently in Strange New Worlds, now played by Celia Rose Gooding.<\/p>\n The second run of Strange New Worlds has just begun on Paramount Plus and has so far received positive reviews from critics<\/a>.<\/p>