Another Former Star Trekker Joins the Cast of Heroes This Fall

Heroes is hot. The buzz about the show last season was terrific, and the anticipation for the next season is electric. Last season, Trekkies got an extra jolt of excitement when George Takei, formerly Sulu on Star Trek, showed up as Hiro's father. I am a veteran trekkie, my younger husband is second generation trekkie (from the show in syndication,) but he could hardly stay in his seat, he was so excited.

No fools, the folks at Heroes continue to mine the Star Trek connection this season when Nichelle Nichols, who played the groundbreaking Uhuru, joins the cast. As Uhuru, not only was she a black woman officer in a day when black women on tv were generally maids, but she shared the first interracial kiss with Captain Kirk in 1966.

At DragonCon 2007, during a press conference, Ms. Nichols talked about ther new role:

"Immediately after I got the news, I was at a Star Trek convention. They told me it was top secret, and not to talk about it. But Trekkies are smart, and they have ways of knowing things. The minute I got there, they were asking me questions about it!"

She went on to say that the day after she found out she was joining the staff, she got a phone call congratulating her on the role. She tried to pretend she didn't know what they were talking about, and her caller asked, "But didn't you get the secret memo this morning?"

She'd actually gotten it the night before.

Now that the secret's been officially broken, Ms. Nichols went on to explain a little more about the role she will be playing.

"I play the part of Nana," she said, "and I live in New Orleans."

In fact, Ms. Nichols shows up in the fourth episode, playing a strong, unstoppable grandmother who lost a daughter in Katrina, and is now raising her two grandchildren, one of whom is a new hero with a mission concerning New Orleans.

In addition, Nana is the great-aunt of junior hero Micah, and will be very involved in his life this season.

When asked if she has a superhero, Nichelle slyly replied,

"Well, that remains to be seen, now doesn't it?"

I, personally, think she already has a super power. How else can she stay so beautiful and charismatic in her 70's?