'Star Trek's' New Lt. Uhura Consults Nichelle Nichols

[Brian Damage]

Zoe Saldana is taking her much-coveted role as Lt. Uhura in the upcoming Star Trek prequel so seriously she has called on the 74-year-old who first created the part for advice. Saldana has turned to "Star Trek" veteran Nichelle Nichols for help in a bid to give her iconic sci-fi character a full history.

And Nichols is thrilled the young actress is taking the role so seriously.

She tells MTV News, "I have a few things to tell her - where Uhura came from, what her feelings are, what her background is and how she came to be. Also, what qualities that were necessary for her to be chosen as the fourth in command crew on the Starship Enterprise, boldly going where no woman has gone before."

Nichols has revealed "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry came up with her character's name by studying Swahili - Uhura means 'freedom' in the African language.

She adds, "There are a lot of stories that Gene wanted to do with Uhura that we never got to do, and I would love to talk to Zoe about that. Mostly you saw the no-nonsense woman in charge... (But there's a) poignant Uhura, the lovelorn Uhura, the serious Uhura, and the fun Uhura."