Where is Star Trek Actress ‘Nichelle Nichols’ Now? How is She Doing?

where is Nichelle Nichols now
Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura in the original “Star Trek” series.(CBS)

Where is Star Trek Actress ‘Nichelle Nichols’ Now? How is She Doing these days? – Nichelle Nichols, who has dementia, is embroiled in a ‘heartbreaking’ three-way conservatorship dispute with her son and her former manager, who is accused of ‘exploiting her.’

Nichelle Nichols, the star of Star Trek, is embroiled in a nasty conservatorship struggle with her son and her former manager, who is accused of exploiting her. After being hired as Nyota Uhura on Star Trek in 1966, the 88-year-old became one of the country’s first black women to star in a primetime show. She was diagnosed with dementia in 2018. Let’s learn more about this subject.

Nichelle Nichols was a pioneering actress in the 1960s, best known for her role as Nyota Uhura in ‘Star Trek: The Original Series‘ and subsequent films. However, due to her worsening health, Nichelle has been placed under guardianship in recent years. While Nichelle’s son, Kyle Johnson, has been designated as her conservator, a lengthy court struggle involving her former manager, Gilbert Bell, and a friend, Angelique Fawcette, has been ongoing.

Protector vs. Predator,’ the second episode of ABC News’ ‘Who Do You Believe?‘ focuses on the situation’s complexity and what led up to it. So, if you’re curious about Nichelle’s fate, here’s what we know.

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Who is Nichelle Nichols?
Nichelle Nichols in a scene from the film ‘Mister Buddwing’, 1966. (Photo by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/Getty Images)

Nichelle Nichols Biography

Grace Dell Nichols was born in Robbins, Illinois, in December 1932. Her mother was a stay-at-home mom who cared for the six children, while her father worked as a factory worker and was elected official. Nichelle got the role of Nyota Uhura in ‘Star Trek: The Original Series’ after appearing as a singer and dancer in numerous clubs in Chicago, Illinois, throughout the 1940s and 1950s.

Nichelle wanted to leave ‘Star Trek‘ after the first season to pursue a career on Broadway because she thought her position in the programme was being diminished. A chance encounter with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., however, altered her thinking. He stated she was a role model for many people because it was the only show he let his kids watch.

Nichelle’s casting was remarkable at the time since a black woman in a prominent part in a popular show in the 1960s was unusual. Nichelle went on to repeat her part in six ‘Star Trek’ movies and an animated series after the show concluded in 1969. Nichelle went on to have roles in various TV shows and movies, as well as lending her voice to animated shows, in the years that followed.

She was also a Civil Rights activist before being hired by NASA in 1977 to assist with astronaut and other personnel recruitment. Nichelle made public appearances on TV and spoke out on the importance of women and people of colour applying.

In 1992, Nichols was honoured with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her contributions to the film business. She was also the first woman to earn a lifetime achievement award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Films in 2016.

When pop diva Britney Spears asked to be released from a conservatorship held by her father, Jamie Spears, since 2009, the role of conservators became a hot topic. She claimed the appointment had created havoc on her life, stopping her from marrying and having a child with her long-term lover. Last week, the ‘Hit Me Baby One More Time‘ singer won a big triumph when her father announced his retirement from the post.

Nichelle was rushed to the hospital after falling at her house in January 2013. She was diagnosed with pancreatitis and suffered a minor stroke in 2015. Gilbert Bell, Nichelle’s manager at the time, had her sign a health care directive and power of attorney, making him the primary agent. When Nichelle’s son, Kyle Johnson, filed a petition for conservatorship in 2018, the case reached the courts.

What Happened to Nichelle Nichols and Where Is She Now?

Nichelle was diagnosed with dementia in 2018 and has difficulty with her short-term memory and “sense of time, place, and instant recall,” according to court filings. Kyle claimed that his mother’s dementia made her a target for exploitation. Gilbert, Kyle and his family suspected, had financially mistreated Nichelle by embezzling money and removing items from her home.

Kyle was a “greedy abuser” who simply wanted his mother’s money, according to Gilbert and his lawyer, who refuted the charges. Kyle was designated as Nichelle’s conservator in 2019, but Angelique Fawcette, a friend of Nichelle’s, objected. She claimed that the actor didn’t require the services of a conservator because she could manage her affairs with the help of an assistant. Kyle, she also suspected, was not acting in Nichelle’s best interests.

Nichols’ guest home
Gilbert Bell is photographed earlier this year by Nichols’ guest home. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times)

Kyle is Nichelle’s conservator for the time being, and she recently sold her property in Woodland Hills, California. He said that the funds would be utilised to support Nichelle. She was said to have relocated to New Mexico, where she now resides with Kyle as her primary carer.

Nichelle, who is now around 89 years old, had her last public appearance in December 2021 in Los Angeles, California, as part of a farewell tour. However, concerns about her health and well-being remain. “I feel like I’ve already lost my sister in so many ways,” Marian Nichols Smothers remarked recently. She’s not the energetic, in-charge, take care of everything person she used to be.”