Nichelle Nichols

Actor · Died July 30, 2022, aged 89 · Robbins, Illinois, USA

Nichelle Nichols (born Grace Dell Nichols; December 28, 1932 - July 30, 2022) was an American actress, singer and voice artist. She sang with Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton before turning to acting. Her most famous role is that of communications officer Lieutenant Uhura aboard the USS Enterprise in the popular Star Trek television series, as well as the succeeding motion pictures, where her character was eventually promoted in Starfleet to the rank of commander. In 2006, she added executive producer to her résumé.

What are Nichelle Nichols' films like?

Across their 23 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Society and Self.

Genres

Action6 titles74^th

Documentary5 titles63^rd

Adventure4 titles39^th

Comedy3 titles25^th

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight

Society

34%

Self

18%

Bonds

18%

Morality

12%

Ideas

9%

Survival

9%

Community9 Legacy5 Purpose4 Identity5 Friendship4 Loyalty3 Family bonds2 Survival2

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films

ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category

Earnest

Tone · Sincerity

ironicearnest

Ironic 1 · Wry 0 · Earnest 20

Light

Tone · Weight

lightdark

Light 10 · Serious 9 · Dark 2

Stylized

Tone · Style

naturalisticheightened

Grounded 9 · Stylized 9 · Heightened 3

Charged

Feel · Intensity

gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 10 · Charged 7 · Intense 4

Steady

Feel · Swings

steadyswings

Steady 11 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 1

Some laughs

Feel · Humor

noneconstant

Straight-faced 7 · Some laughs 10 · Funny 4

Even-paced

Demand · Pace

slowrelentless

Slow burn 9 · Even-paced 11 · Relentless 1

Engaged

Demand · Attention

casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 14 · Engaged 3 · Full focus 4

Easy watch

Demand · Emotional cost

easyheavy

Easy watch 13 · Affecting 7 · Heavy 1

Resolved

Demand · Resolution

resolvedambiguous

Resolved 18 · Open-ended 2 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

2 analyzed roles

Allyas Uhura in Star Trek: The Animated Series (1973)
Tricksteras Dorinda in Truck Turner (1974)

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense

11

Warm

10

Joyful

8

Contemplative

8

Thrilling

7

Other

18

How their films linger

Feel-good10 Hopeful12 Fun6 Bittersweet6 Thought-provoking4 Rousing3

How their films end · 2 with a twist

Happy14
Bittersweet5
Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Nichelle Nichols' films?

As of October 24, 2026, 21 of their 30 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Paramount+ (9).

Also on these channels

FOX One1 title, show their title on FOX One
ScreenPix1 title, show their title on ScreenPix

Subscription and free streaming for Nichelle Nichols' titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 30 with a MovieCove page; 36 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Surge of Power: Where There's Smoke(2024)
as Omen
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Star Trek: Prodigy(2021)
Show 1 episode · as Uhura (voice)
Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows
Unbelievable!!!!! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)
as Sensei
Surge of Dawn (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
as Omen
American Nightmares(2018)
as Mystic Woman
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
The White Orchid(2018)
as Teresa
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Sharknado 5: Global Swarming(2017)
as Secretary General of NATO
Midcredits score: 6th percentile of all films
Downward Dog(2017)
Show 1 episode · as Deejay Devine
Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows
Star Trek: The Original Series – The Roddenberry Vault (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
Show 6 episodes · Actor
The Order (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)
as Athena
Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster(2010)
as Senator
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Tru Loved(2008)
as Grandmother
Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films
Lady Magdalene's (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
as Lady Magdalene / Maggie, Singer
The Torturer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)
Actor
Heroes(2006)
Show 5 episodes · as Nana Dawson
Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows
Are We There Yet?(2005)
as Miss Mable
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Surge of Power: The Stuff of Heroes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)
as Oman
Birth of a Timeless Legacy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Actor
Kiss 'N' Tell: Romance in the 23rd Century (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)
Actor
Snow Dogs(2002)
as Amelia
Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films
Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)
Show 1 episode · as Chief (voice)
Futurama(1999)
Show 2 episodes · as Nichelle Nichols' Head (voice)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)
as Sagan
Spider-Man: The Animated Series(1994)
Show 2 episodes · as Miriam (voice)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows
Gargoyles(1994)
Show 3 episodes · as Diane Maza (voice)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Commander Toad in Space (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)
as SS Stella (voice)
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine(1993)
Show 1 episode · as Lt. Uhura
Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows
Batman: The Animated Series(1992)
Show 1 episode · as Thoth Khepera (voice)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country(1991)
as Cmdr. Uhuru
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
The Simpsons(1989)
Show 1 episode · as Nichelle Nichols (voice)
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier(1989)
as Cmdr. Uhura
Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home(1986)
as Cmdr. Uhura
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The Supernaturals (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)
as Sgt. Leona Hawkins
Star Trek III: The Search for Spock(1984)
as Cmdr. Uhura
Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films
Antony and Cleopatra (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)
as Charmain
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan(1982)
as Cmdr. Uhura
Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all films
Star Trek: The Motion Picture(1979)
as Lt. Cmdr. Uhura
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Woman in the Rain (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1976)
as Singer
Truck Turner(1974)
as Dorinda
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films
Star Trek: The Animated Series(1973)
Show 22 episodes · as Uhura (voice)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all shows
Tarzan's Deadly Silence(1970)
as Ruana
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)
Tarzan's Jungle Rebellion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)
as Ruana
Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!(1967)
as Jenny Ribbock
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
Star Trek(1966)
Show 79 episodes · as Uhura
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
Mister Buddwing(1966)
as Dice Player
Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all films
Made in Paris(1966)
as Eleanor
Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films
The Lieutenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1963)
Show 1 episode · as Norma Bartlett
Porgy and Bess (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1959)
as Dancer

Career shape

Star power in the 96^th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 47 titles from 1959 to 2021; peak year 1983.

Biggest box office

Snow Dogs (2002)

$115M worldwide

Highest rated

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Midcredits 96^th

Film career

19592021

Peak 1983 · back in prominent film roles after a quiet stretch. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

1959Screen debut· Porgy and Bess
1991Career best· Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country

By role

only this rolewith another role

Acting47 of 47 · 65^th

By decade

1950s1 · acting1960s6 · acting1970s5 · acting1980s7 · acting1990s8 · acting2000s10 · acting2010s8 · acting2020s2 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 0% of 14 roles

0%

5989

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Nichelle Nichols' films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 30^th percentile, the median of all 19; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 60^th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

60^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

57^thpercentile

Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

61^stpercentile

Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 30 titles, by percentile

75^th and up12
50^th to 74^th5
25^th to 49^th6
Below 25^th7

Shape of the crowd

11 of their 30 titles are Mixed.

Universally Loved7
Divisive2
Crowd Pleaser10
Mixed11

Most divisive · actor

Surge of Power: Where There's Smoke (2024)

99^th percentile spread · 59% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Midcredits 96^th · 85% liked

Reviewers score the acting 58/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 71, detractors 36. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Nichelle Nichols' work okay for kids?

Across up to 10 MovieCove titles with content scores, sex & nudity runs lighter than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles

Violence & Gore9 titles30–68 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all films

Sex & Nudity10 titles8–41 · median 19 · mildlighter than most films

Profanity8 titles22–45 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all films

Alcohol & Drugs8 titles18–31 · median 28 · mildnear the median of all films

Frightening / Intense7 titles31–53 · median 36 · moderatenear the median of all films

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.