The opportunity to live your dreams rarely come around twice; so when it happens, you have to do all you can to hold on to it. Star Trek's Nichelle Nichols was aware of this, although before starring in the series, she made a name for herself as a dancer, singer, and actress on stage.

At just 14, she told her mom about her dreams of becoming a star. "I went to my mother and said I wanted to be a star, but not with this name," she told The Idaho Statesman in 1967. Nichols was born Grace Dell Nichols and felt like her birth name wouldn't stand out; her mom recommended Nichelle, and the actress used it ever since.

She used to love skiing and flying, but gave it up for her dream career. "I took flying lessons, and during my third one, I landed the plane myself without realizing it. I was shook for weeks. I've given up skiing and flying. I'm a coward about anything that might interfere with my career. I don't have six months to spare for a broken leg or back."

There was one exception, though. "If a flying saucer landed, I'd hop aboard in spite of my career," she added. It wasn't something unusual for the actress to say, seeing how she portrayed Uhura, the Swahili communications officer aboard the United Space Ship (USS) Enterprise on Star Trek: The Original Series.

"There's nothing I'd like to do more. I would be the communications officer — if they'd also let me sing."

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