Trekkies probably expect Nichelle Nichols to be living in luxury and enjoying the continuous royalties from the original Star Trek series. However, the OG Uhura is reportedly not as comfortable as we would like to think. Nichols' family has just started a GoFundMe in an effort to get financial support in their ongoing legal battle against her manager.
According to the GoFundMe page started by Nichols' sister Marian Smothers, Nichols' manager Gilbert Bell has been taking advantage of the actress' weakened state after a hospitalization. In the page, it is stated that Bell lives in the guest house in Nichols' property and has been using her finances for his own gain. Additionally, Bell is accused of financial elder abuse, negligence, and unjust enrichment by Nichols' immediate family, who are unable to reach the actress.
Nichols' son Kyle Johnson explained to io9 that Bell's abuse of his mother needs to be stopped. "What's happened to my mother has been rather extreme, and I can't be limited to a single thing. Indeed, having filed the suit, we're eager to begin our discovery process to uncover that—which not only we're aware of generally and then are seeking specifics, but what else there might be that we are not aware of," Johnson said.
For now, Nichols' current condition has not yet been revealed. In addition to that, Bell could not be reached for comment. However, Nichols' family continues to hope that Star Trek fans will take their side and help the actress. You can learn more about the full story here.
Related: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Will Prioritize Standalone Episodes Over Season-Long Arcs
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