Actress Nichelle Nichols, 88, is now the target of an ugly conservatorship battle between her son, Kyle Johnson, and her former manager and other industry friends.
In 2018, Johnson successfully petitioned a court to become Nichols’ conservator. As her only child, it made sense. However, her former manager, Gilbert Bell, has continued to make the situation hell for Johnson, reported the Los Angeles Times.
Since Johnson won control over the conservatorship, Bell has engaged in a back-and-forth game of lawsuits with the two men accusing each other of various missteps. In 2019, Bell claimed that Johnson tried to have him aggressively removed from Nichols’ guest home. Johnson countersued in 2020 and claimed that Bell misappropriated his mother’s finances as her health declined.
Meanwhile, Nichols’ friend and successor, Angelique Fawcette, claimed that Bell, who tried to marry the actress, messed up her estate. That claim was echoed by Johnson.
In the midst of the fight over her estate, the trailblazing actress has dementia.
While the actress has continued to work, she has reportedly had trouble memorizing her lines. During the filming of the pilot for Renegades: Ominara, expected to be her final on-screen performance, she needed a teleprompter.
In fact, Nichols’ declining mental capacity led Johnson to initially seek conservatorship years ago. He claimed that she had severe short-term memory loss, and he selected finance professionals to control her affairs temporarily.
However, Fawcette, who is currently suing to win the right to see Nichols, believes that the 88-year-old actress can live without a conservator despite her waning mental capacity. In essence, she wants both Johnson and Bell precluded from controlling the actress’ affairs.
“She’s not getting the life that she wished for. She’s getting the life that other people have chosen for her,” Fawcette said.
Nichols is no longer in her home. Her son took her to New Mexico to live with him and his wife.
The actress is a pioneer. She was the first Black American actress to playing a leading role on television. Her role as Communications Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek paved the way for Black actresses in the industry.
