That sounds highly illogical! Star Trek legend Nichelle Nichols reveals Spock was originally a woman



His logical nature and famous nerve pinch has made him one of the most iconic sci-fi characters of all time.



But Star Trek legend Nichelle Nichols has revealed the show's famous Vulcan science officer Spock was originally envisaged as a woman.

The actress, who ended up playing communications officer Lt Uhura, said when she auditioned for the show she was asked to read the script as the pointy-eared intellectual.

Boldly going where no woman has gone before: Nichelle Nichols, top left, has revealed she almost ended up playing pointy eared Vulcan Spock

Speaking on Science Channel special Trek Nation, Nichelle, 78, said: 'They gave me a three-page script to read from that had three characters named.

'There was Bones, Kirk and someone called Spock and they asked me to read for the role of Spock.'

Sci-fi sex symbol: Nichelle went on to become hugely popular with the show's legion of male fans

No doubt the shows legion of Trekker fans will be shocked to discover one of the programme's most adored characters was almost a woman instead of a man.

Nichelle admitted that when she audtioned for the show back in the 1960s she had no idea who she would be playing.

She said: 'I said to myself, "I'll take any one of these roles,' but I found the Spock character to be very interesting.'

Amazingly the the show's creator Gene Roddenberry still did not offer the role to Leonard Nimoy, who ended up becoming so synonymous with the character he named his autobiography I Am Not Spock.



Instead he first offered the part to DeForest Kelley, who declined the role in favour of a part as the Enterprise's Doctor Leonard 'Bones' McCoy.

In the end Roddenberry asked Nimoy to play the part, and his portrayal become one of the most memorable in science fiction.

Leonard will pinch himself when he finds out: No doubt he would have given Nichelle a Vulcan death grip if he had lost out on the plum role



