How much is Nichelle Nichols really worth? Find out now!.

What was Nichelle Nichols' net worth?

Nichelle Nichols, an American actress, singer, producer, and author, had a net worth of $500 thousand at the time of her death in July 2022. Nichelle Nichols passed away on July 30, 2022, at the age of 89.

Nichelle Nichols was widely recognized for her portrayal of Lieutenant Uhura on the original "Star Trek" television series, which aired from 1966 to 1969. She reprised her role in six "Star Trek" films. In her later career, she gained popularity in conventions, earning between $10,000 and $50,000 for appearance fees, depending on the size and her commitment to the event. Prior to her retirement due to health issues, Nichols earned hundreds of thousands of dollars per year through these conventions. She had an extensive acting career with over 60 credits to her name, including notable films such as "Snow Dogs" (2002), "Are We There Yet?" (2005), and the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" (2016).

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Aside from her acting career, Nichols also produced films such as "Lady Magdalene's" (2008) and "Unbelievable!!!!!" (2020), as well as the documentary "Woman in Motion," which explores her work with NASA. She lent her voice to various animated projects, including "Gargoyles" (1994), "Batman: The Animated Series" (1994), "Futurama" (2000, 2002), and "The Simpsons" (2004). As an accomplished author, she published the memoir "Beyond Uhura: Star Trek and Other Memories" (1994) and the science-fiction novels "Saturn's Child" (1995) and "Saturna's Quest" (2002). Nichols also released two albums, "Down to Earth" (1967) and "Out of This World" (1991).

Early Life

Nichelle Nichols, born as Grace Dell Nichols on December 28, 1932, in the Chicago suburb of Robbins, Illinois, had a humble upbringing. She grew up with her mother Salish, father Samuel, and younger brother Thomas. Her father worked in a factory and served as mayor and chief magistrate of Robbins. Tragically, Nichelle's brother, a member of the Heaven's Gate cult, passed away in March 1997 during the mass suicide committed by the members. Nichols embarked on her show business career as a teenager, initially working as a dancer with Duke Ellington's band at the age of 16. Ellington was impressed by her singing talent, which led her to become the frontwoman of the band.

Career

Nichelle Nichols made her mark on the entertainment industry with various notable roles. In 1961, she starred in the Oscar Brown musical "Kicks and Co." and gained the attention of "Playboy" publisher Hugh Hefner, who hired her to perform at the Chicago Playboy Club. She also portrayed the title character in a production of "Carmen Jones" in Chicago and appeared in the New York production of "Porgy and Bess." Her first film appearance was an uncredited role as a dancer in the 1959 film adaptation of "Porgy and Bess," which starred Sidney Poitier and Dorothy Dandridge. Subsequently, Nichols appeared in films such as "Tarzan's Deadly Silence" (1966), "Made in Paris" (1966), "Mister Buddwing" (1966), and "Doctor, You've Got to Be Kidding!" (1967). She graced the cover of "Ebony" magazine in January 1967.

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In 1964, Nichols guest-starred on the Gene Roddenberry series "The Lieutenant," and two years later, she landed the role of Lieutenant Uhura on the science-fiction series "Star Trek." The show premiered on NBC on September 8, 1966, and aired 79 episodes before its cancellation in 1969. During the first season, Nichols considered leaving the series to pursue a career on Broadway, but Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. convinced her to stay, emphasizing the importance of her role in the fight for civil rights. In the famous 1968 "Star Trek" episode "Plato's Stepchildren," Nichols and co-star William Shatner made history with the first interracial kiss shown on a scripted U.S. TV series.

After the conclusion of the original series, Nichols reprised her role as Uhura in multiple "Star Trek" films, including "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" (1979), "Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan" (1982), "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" (1984), "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" (1986), "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier" (1989), and "Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country" (1991). She also appeared in the animated series "Star Trek: The Animated Series" (1973) and provided her voice for the video games "Star Trek: 25th Anniversary" (1992) and "Star Trek: Judgment Rites" (1994). Nichols' acting career extended beyond "Star Trek" with roles in films like "Truck Turner" (1974), "The Supernaturals" (1986), "The Adventures of Captain Zoom in Outer Space" (1995), and the TV movie "Antony and Cleopatra" (1984).

In the early 2000s, Nichols had notable appearances in box office hits like "Snow Dogs" (2002), which grossed $115 million worldwide, and "Are We There Yet?" (2005), which earned $97.9 million. Her television credits include a recurring role as Nana Dawson on NBC's "Heroes" (2007), as well as appearances in films such as "Tru Loved" (2008), "The Torturer" (2008), "This Bitter Earth" (2012), "Renegades" (2016), "American Nightmares" (2018), and "Surge of Dawn" (2019). Nichols also had a recurring role as Lucinda Winters on "The Young and the Restless" (2016) and guest-starred on various shows like "Renegades," "Downward Dog," and "Star Trek: Renegades." She appeared in the TV movie "Sharknado 5: Global Swarming" as well. In May 2019, she announced her retirement from convention appearances and planned a "farewell tour," which was later postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Personal Life

Nichelle Nichols had a romantic relationship with "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry in the 1960s, although they had separated prior to the start of the series. When Roddenberry passed away in 1991, Nichols performed a song she co-wrote, titled "Gene," at his funeral.

She was married to dancer Foster Johnson in 1951, but they divorced later that year. They had a son named Kyle, born on August 14, 1951. Nichols then married Duke Mondy in 1968, but they divorced in 1972.

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In 2012, Nichols had the opportunity to meet with President Barack Obama at the White House. She shared her experience on Twitter, mentioning that President Obama had admitted to having had a crush on her when he was younger and expressing his admiration for "Star Trek."

Later Years

In June 2015, Nichelle Nichols was hospitalized after suffering a mild stroke. It was revealed in 2018 that she had been diagnosed with dementia. In August 2020, Nichols' son filed a lawsuit against her manager/caretaker, Gilbert Bell, accusing him of committing "financial elder abuse." The lawsuit claimed that Bell unlawfully misappropriated income earned by Nichols from her convention appearances and misused funds from her financial accounts. Nichols' son relocated her to New Mexico in November 2020, assuming the role of her primary caregiver.

Work with NASA

Following the end of "Star Trek," Nichelle Nichols collaborated with NASA to recruit females and minorities to become astronauts. Notable individuals she helped recruit include Dr. Sally Ride, Air Force Colonel Guion Bluford, Dr. Judith Resnik, and Dr. Ronald McNair. She also served as a member of the board of governors for the National Space Society in the mid-1980s. In 2015, she participated in an eight-hour NASA mission aboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy Boeing 747SP to study the atmospheres of Saturn and Mars. Nichols and other "Star Trek" cast members attended the dedication ceremony for the first space shuttle, Enterprise, in Palmdale, California, in September 1976. Furthermore, NASA named Asteroid 68410 "Nichols" in her honor in 2001, recognizing her as a global ambassador for NASA and her significant contributions to the field of science fiction.

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Awards and Honors

Throughout her career, Nichelle Nichols received numerous awards and honors. In 2016, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. She also earned a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her role in "Star Trek: The Motion Picture" in 1980. Nichols was inducted into the Online Film & Television Association Hall of Fame in 2015 and received the Millennium Award from Germany's Golden Camera awards in 1999 for her contribution to "Star Trek." She received a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Special Guest Performer in a Drama Series for her appearance on "The Young and the Restless" in 2017, as well as an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" in 1987. Additionally, Nichols and her "Star Trek" co-star William Shatner were nominated for two TV Land Awards: Most Memorable Kiss in 2006 and TV Moment That Became Headline News in 2007. She was honored with Comic-Con International's Inkpot Award in 2018 and received an honorary degree from Los Angeles Mission College in 2010. In 1992, she was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Real Estate

Nichelle Nichols purchased a house in Woodland Hills, California, for $110,000 in 1983. In August 2021, the house was sold by her son to Baron Construction & Remodeling Co. for almost $2.2 million.