TrekWeb.com - It is Official : Zoe Saldana is the New Uhura in J.J. Abrams Star Trek Movie

It is Official : Zoe Saldana is the New Uhura in J.J. Abrams Star Trek Movie

By GustavoLeao / 16:57, 17 September 2007 / Feature Films

According to Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, 29-year old model and actress Zoe Saldana has signed on to play the young Nyota Uhura in J.J. Abrams' upcoming Star Trek prequel movie. The role was played by actress Nichelle Nichols in the Original Series and movies.

This confirms a rumor posted by Trek Movie Report website last month (story).

According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Saldana is in final negotiations to play Uhura, who is the chief communications officer on the USS Enterprise."

Saldana, whose credits include Guess Who, recently wrapped the Sony thriller Vantage Point. She is filming James Cameron's sci-fi movie Avatar.

Saldana was in two episodes of the TV series Six Degrees produced by Abrams and fellow Star Trek producer Bryan Burk.

The original reports can be found here and here.

38 comments Post New | Help

Imitations are lame. | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 08:12:40 on Sep 20, 2007

Quote:
There is no way of making the assumption that any of the other guys would of worked out or would of had the chemistry the TOS cast had. So you can knock off your Shatner/fan bashing.

What I am trying to ask you is this:

Will you accept a young actor playing a young Captain Kirk? Or will you accept nothing less than a young actor doing an impression of Shatner playing Kirk?

I believe the latter would be silly, hence the reason why I have been so harsh on the obsessed Shatner faithful.

Quote

Shatner wasnt the first choice. | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 20:37:49 on Sep 18, 2007

Quote:
Since Gene casted Shatner as Kirk and he held the job for the length of the series. I would think that it is safe to assume that Shatners "portrayal" of Kirk was EXACTLY what the character of Kirk WAS to be...So this statement of yours doesn't make any sense.

Shatner was NOT Gene's first choice to play Captain Kirk for the second pilot. Do your research. He first tried to get Lloyd Bridges (busy with Sea Hunt and uninterested in the role) and then Jack Lord (from Hawaii Five-O). The young William Shatner was the THIRD choice... if either of the other guys would have been cast, we would have accepted THEM as Kirk for the next 40+ years.

So please spare me the Shatner worship. I love the guy too, but this new actor doesnt have to be a clone... that would look silly. My statement makes perfect sense.

Quote

RE: Shatner wasnt the first choice. by Captain Patti @ 11:04:00 on Sep 19
RE: Shatner wasnt the first choice. by Sam Cogley @ 09:46:43 on Sep 19

You know what? | Report this post to moderator
By: dphizler (Odo's file, contact) @ 14:00:43 on Sep 18, 2007

You know what would really make me happy when the movie comes out?

If everyone here hated the movie, I loved the movie and the movie was a mega blockbuster.

Though, there are no chances of that happening, it's just a thought.

People who only believe in shatner or stuff like that, it's just tiresome. This movie is going to be successful even if in the end we hate it, because everybody will be curious. Stop saying you won't go seeing it, we all know you will.

Quote

Kirk's casting IS important | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:29:11 on Sep 18, 2007

Quote:
...However, I have a feeling that this movie is going to lead into a series, and these actors are signing contracts to that effect.

No, that won't be the case. They will not turn this film into a new series, because you would essentially be stepping on the toes of TOS. Besides, this would only happen in today's Hollywood if the movie is a BLOCKBUSTER of Titanic scale. Usually, the series gets turned into movies - if anything.

I do very much believe they will make future films if this one is successful however, like X-Men, Spiderman, Pirate's, etc. The role of the young Kirk will be one of the last to be cast, simply because he is such a PIVOTAL character. I can't wait until the people freak on here when J.J. goes with an actor who best personifies the character Kirk... NOT Shatner's portrayal per se.

Quote

RE: Kirk's casting IS important by Captain Patti @ 09:33:31 on Sep 18
RE: Kirk's casting IS important by Sam Cogley @ 20:31:45 on Sep 20
RE: Kirk's casting IS important by sb2004 @ 07:34:55 on Sep 18

Terminal Trekkie | Report this post to moderator
By: TRexx (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:49:27 on Sep 18, 2007

I recall Zoe Saldana only from The Terminal.

Trekkie Torres in "The Terminal"

Saldana as Anamaria in "The Curse of the Black Pearl"

----------------

"Guess Who" with Zoe Saldana

Quote

RE: all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: StillKirok (Odo's file, contact) @ 04:01:21 on Sep 18, 2007

Without Shatner in the film, it really doesn't matter.

Quote

RE: all we need is a kirk by JD @ 07:12:26 on Sep 18
    RE: all we need is a kirk by StillKirok @ 07:20:12 on Sep 18
       RE: all we need is a kirk by Terry212 @ 11:36:38 on Sep 18
       RE: all we need is a kirk by The Magrathean @ 07:49:05 on Sep 18
          RE: all we need is a kirk by StillKirok @ 07:57:20 on Sep 18
             RE: all we need is a kirk by The Magrathean @ 08:05:20 on Sep 18
                RE: all we need is a kirk by GustavoLeao @ 08:46:12 on Sep 18
                   RE: all we need is a kirk by The Magrathean @ 10:48:37 on Sep 18
                      RE: all we need is a kirk by GustavoLeao @ 15:21:30 on Sep 18
       RE: all we need is a kirk by sb2004 @ 07:31:55 on Sep 18
RE: all we need is a kirk by Danpaine @ 06:19:11 on Sep 18

I dunno... | Report this post to moderator
By: Hbasm (Odo's file, contact) @ 23:52:00 on Sep 17, 2007

hmmm, can she be made to look like Uhura?

Quote

all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: SkyGuy (Odo's file, contact) @ 18:19:43 on Sep 17, 2007

After all this buildup, the Kirk casting better be good! I frankly don't see who they can possibly hope to find to fill that gold shirt.

--------

GET A LIFE, will you people? I mean, for crying out loud, it's just a TV show!.... You've turned an enjoyable little job, that I did as a lark for a few years, into a COLOSSAL WASTE OF TIME! -- William Shatner on Saturday Night Live (1986)

Quote

RE: all we need is a kirk by GustavoLeao @ 19:45:49 on Sep 17
RE: all we need is a kirk by Captain Patti @ 19:19:35 on Sep 17
    RE: all we need is a kirk by timmer33 @ 05:45:07 on Sep 18
    RE: all we need is a kirk by Sam Cogley @ 21:25:38 on Sep 17
       RE: all we need is a kirk by Captain Patti @ 03:37:39 on Sep 18
          RE: all we need is a kirk by Sam Cogley @ 10:44:04 on Sep 18
             RE: all we need is a kirk by Captain Patti @ 15:03:15 on Sep 18
                RE: all we need is a kirk by Sam Cogley @ 17:57:50 on Sep 18
             RE: all we need is a kirk by Let That be your Last Lemmiwinks @ 12:02:06 on Sep 18
                RE: all we need is a kirk by c.p. @ 12:08:47 on Sep 18
                   RE: all we need is a kirk by Captain Patti @ 15:02:05 on Sep 18
       RE: all we need is a kirk by SuperDave @ 23:55:06 on Sep 17
          RE: all we need is a kirk by Captain Patti @ 03:37:02 on Sep 18
RE: all we need is a kirk by Chaotic Asimov @ 18:33:05 on Sep 17

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Imitations are lame. | Report this post to moderator By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 08:12:40 on Sep 20, 2007

Shatner wasnt the first choice. | Report this post to moderator By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 20:37:49 on Sep 18, 2007

You know what? | Report this post to moderator By: dphizler (Odo's file, contact) @ 14:00:43 on Sep 18, 2007

Kirk's casting IS important | Report this post to moderator By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:29:11 on Sep 18, 2007

Terminal Trekkie | Report this post to moderator By: TRexx (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:49:27 on Sep 18, 2007

RE: all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator By: StillKirok (Odo's file, contact) @ 04:01:21 on Sep 18, 2007

I dunno... | Report this post to moderator By: Hbasm (Odo's file, contact) @ 23:52:00 on Sep 17, 2007

all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator By: SkyGuy (Odo's file, contact) @ 18:19:43 on Sep 17, 2007

Imitations are lame. | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 08:12:40 on Sep 20, 2007

Shatner wasnt the first choice. | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 20:37:49 on Sep 18, 2007

You know what? | Report this post to moderator
By: dphizler (Odo's file, contact) @ 14:00:43 on Sep 18, 2007

Kirk's casting IS important | Report this post to moderator
By: cdydatzigs (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:29:11 on Sep 18, 2007

Terminal Trekkie | Report this post to moderator
By: TRexx (Odo's file, contact) @ 05:49:27 on Sep 18, 2007

RE: all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: StillKirok (Odo's file, contact) @ 04:01:21 on Sep 18, 2007

I dunno... | Report this post to moderator
By: Hbasm (Odo's file, contact) @ 23:52:00 on Sep 17, 2007

all we need is a kirk | Report this post to moderator
By: SkyGuy (Odo's file, contact) @ 18:19:43 on Sep 17, 2007