• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World

With "Star Trek Beyond" (starring Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba) coming to theaters this weekend, we just had to round up our favorite Black actors cast in Sci-Fi roles. From Will Smith kicking alien booty in "Men In Black" to Nichelle Nichols' famous first interracial TV kiss on "Star Trek", our inner nerds are pretty much freaking out. Take a look at all our fave intergalactic characters here!
By Joslyn Winkfield · Updated October 27, 2020
01
Black In Space

With “Star Trek Beyond” (starring Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba) coming to theaters this weekend, we just had to round up our favorite Black actors cast in Sci Fi roles. From Will Smith kicking alien booty in “Men In Black” to Nichelle Nichols’ famous first interracial TV kiss on Star Trek, our inner nerds are pretty much freaking out. Take a look at all our fave intergalactic characters here!

Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
02
Idris Elba
Idris Elba as Krall in “Star Trek Beyond”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Pictures
03
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana as Nyota Uhura in Star Trek (2009), Star Trek Into Darkness (2013) and Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Pictures
04
John Boyega
John Boyega as Finn in “Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
LucasFilm
05
Zoe Kravitz
Zoe Kravitz as Senshi Raige in “After Earth”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Sony Pictures
06
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jada Pinkett Smith as Niobe in “The Matrix Reloaded” and “The Matrix Revolutions”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Warner Bros.
07
Laurence Fishburne
Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus in “The Matrix” Trilogy
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Warner Bros
08
Iman

Iman as Martia in “Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country”

Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
09
Sophie Okonedo
Sophie Okonedo as Sithandra in “AEon Flux”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Pictures
10
Billy Dee Williams
Billy Dee Williams as Lando Calrissian in “Star Wars V-VI”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Lucasfilm
11
Whoopi Goldberg
Whoopi Goldberg as Guinan in “Star Trek: the Next Generation”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Television
12
Idris Elba
Idris Elba in “Thor”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Marvel Studios
13
Will Smith
Will Smith as Captain Steven Hiller in “Independence Day”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
1996 Twentieth Century Fox
14
Vivica Fox
Vivica Fox as Jasmine Dubrow in “Independence Day”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
© 1996 Twentieth Century Fox
15
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu in “Star Wars: Episode I – III”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Lucasfilm
16
Lupita Nyong’o
Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata in “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Lucasfilm Entertainment
17
Lanei Chapman
Lanei Chapman as Lt. Vanessa Damphousse in “Space: Above and Beyond”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Village Roadshow Pictures
18
Alfre Woodard
Alfre Woodard as Lily in “Star Trek: First Contact”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
19
Jessie T. Usher
Jessie T. Usher as Dylan Hiller in “Independence Day: Resurgence”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Twentieth Century Fox
20
Michael Dorn
Michael Dorn as Lt. Worf in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Television
21
Sanaa Lathan
Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Woods in “Alien vs. Predator”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
20th Century Fox
22
Zoe Saldana
Zoe Saldana as Neytiri in “Avatar”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
23
Tyrese Gibson
Tyrese Gibson as USAF Tech Sergeant Epps in “Transformers”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
24
Tina Turner
Tina Turner as Aunty Entity in “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Kennedy Miller Productions
25
Grace Jones
Grace Jones as Zula in “Conan the Destroyer”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Dino De Laurentiis Company
26
Nichelle Nichols

Nichelle Nichols as Lt. Uhura in “Star Trek”

Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World

Desilu Productions,

27
Chris Tucker
Chris Tucker as Ruby Rhod in “Fifth Element”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Gaumont
28
LaVar Burton
LaVar Burton as Lt. Comm. Geordi LaForge in “Star Trek, The Next Generation”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
CBS Photo Archive
29
Viola Davis
Viola Davis as Major Gwen Anderson in “Enders Game”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Summit Entertainment
30
Will Smith
Will Smith as Agent J in the “Men in Black” trilogy.
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Columbia Pictures Corporation
31
Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton as Dame Vaako “Chronicles of Riddick”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Universal Pictures
32
Avery Brooks
Avery Brooks as Captain Sisko in “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Television
33
Paul Winfield
Paul Winfield as Captain Clark Terrell in “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan”
Black Sci-Fi Actors That Are Out of This World
Paramount Pictures
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now