If this writer's strike continues, who knows if we'll ever see more of Nichelle Nichols on Heroes. So far, Nana has just been babysitting while the kids get free cable and copy WWE moves. But she was on Star Trek so that’s awesome. The sci-fi veteran shared stories of joining the cast of Heroes, old Trek memories and thoughts on the new prequel in development.

CraveOnline: Heroes is so much about family, and now you’re the grandmother to heroic kids. What do you think is the importance of family on the show?

Nichelle Nichols: That’s a very good question because family is very important in Heroes and especially a New Orleans family. I’m feeling that it’s very similar to my own family. I come from a large family and we’re always at each other’s beck, there for one another. It’s a very loving family and a very diverse family. AI find the same thing here. I have these two young grandchildren who bring out [that] I’m a strong woman who’s gone through an awful lot and has lost her daughter and now is raising and providing a home for these two beautiful grandchildren. That’s the focus of my life now because we’ve gone through Katrina. We’ve survived and to establish a strong and safe environment for these beautiful children whom I’m very proud of.

CraveOnline: How did you get involved with Heroes? Did you have to audition?

Nichelle Nichols: Well, it was a magical moment I’d say, in a point in time that just stood still. I was passing through. I was doing a film in Denver called The Torturer and I came to LA to pass through, pick up some more clothes and go to another film. My agent said, “Oh this is great. Since you’re here, you can…” I said, ‘But I’m only going to be here two days. One day to pack and one day to leave.” And he says, “One of those days they’ve asked for you to come out and interview for this role.” And I said, “I can’t go. I can’t go.” He says, “You have to go.” He’d never said anything like that and he said, “I’m sending you the sides and it’s for Heroes.” I’d only seen a couple of episodes of Heroes because I’ve been traveling so much  but I knew that I really liked it. I thought they were talking about like a day, a guest appearance for a day. So I came out to the studio and there sat all these men and women. And then I went, “Uh-oh, the last time I saw this many people out, I got Star Trek.” I’m laughing to myself. And of course, it was for a recurring role and they asked me if they could film me, and if I would do this scene. I had looked at the scene kind of and I had gotten it the night before. This was early in the morning, so I looked at the scene and I thought I felt her. They said that day they were delighted but I heard that before and I said, “Thank you, thank you so much.” I left and they said, “Thank you so much.” They were laughing and enjoying me, you know. And I left and got on a plane for Phoenix to do another movie, This Bitter Earth. So it was quite wonderful when I get a call, someone not even affiliated with me had tracked me down and said, “Isn’t this incredible? You’re going to be on Heroes.” I called my agent and said people are telling me I’m going to be on Heroes. He said, “How would they know?” I said, “They’re Trekkers, they know everything.” That’s almost the way I found out.

CraveOnline: If powers are hereditary, do you know if you have a power yet/

Nichelle Nichols: I couldn’t tell you if I knew. We very jealousy guard what is coming. That’s because it’s kind of wonderful for the audience to discover it in the moment. But I don’t know. All that I keep hearing is we will see what we will see. So that remains to be seen, a little haunting remark from the producers and executive producers, people who would or should know. But maybe they haven’t decided yet or maybe they’re planning it and they really don’t want anyone to know, including me.

CraveOnline: How many episodes are you signed for? Can we at least assume you’re going to be part of the “Generations” of heroes?

Nichelle Nichols: I couldn’t be part of anything else but, could I? But I would be honored. Right now it’s a recurring role and it keeps growing. I’m liking it very, very much. I don’t know how many more I’m doing because it continues to extend and I hope it continues to extend and extend, and extend. Those scenes keep growing. I’m just interested in watching it and letting them know what my schedule is so that I can come and do their bidding and become Nana. It’s an absolutely lovely match.

CraveOnline: What do you think of the idea of a Star Trek prequel film, and Zoe Saldana as Uhura?

Nichelle Nichols: I think it’s just terrific to know that Gene’s legacy shall not only live in what was there when he was here, but that it’s going on in that same image and like. I think that in J.J. Abrams’ hands, it’s there, all the respect and all of the wonderful characteristics that made Star Trek what it was will be honored. But I think he will also take it to even new heights as Gene would have loved. I know that he’s up in heaven going like, “Right on.” So I’m delighted and I’m looking forward to meeting Zoe and to meeting with J.J. I talked with him and he was a delightful man, although I had met him before. It was just a joy to know that he’s taking the helm for Star Trek. I’d say as Trekkers that said Star Trek lives and they can just say now Star Trek lives on and on.

CraveOnline: Do you think any more classic Trek veterans will be joining the cast of Heroes?

Nichelle Nichols: I have no idea. Oddly enough, like I said, I was traveling so much that I was not aware that George had been on, had joined the cast for the time that he did until almost the time just before I signed on. I thought that was just amazing. Of course, then I got the first season box of DVDs and it was so much fun to watch.

CraveOnline: What is doing TV like now as opposed to Star Trek?

Nichelle Nichols: On Heroes, it’s quite different because of the timed elements can change on you. You can go four months back. You can do flashbacks and you have to adjust to what your emotion was and who you were. Star Trek, we were going forth in peaceful exploration and meeting any difficulties head on that we might have. I find such a correlation between the two in terms of the human dignity within us. That is inspiring. No matter if there is an evil situation, there is a counter good. I’m finding the adjustment from one to the other is very natural.

CraveOnline: Do you have any tips for Zachary Quinto as Spock?

Nichelle Nichols: No. I believe Zach has talked with Leonard and I just saw him the other day at a premiere, or an awards show. He is very, very excited. He himself is a Trekker and you can imagine how excited he is to be chosen to play Spock, the young Spock. I gave him my best wishes. When I first came on the show, all I had seen of Zach were some pictures in the makeup room. I said I wasn’t sure about that actor, as I was seeing him in a picture, in a photo which is totally different, totally of the role he’s playing in Heroes. The moment I met him, I saw him in one of the episodes. I said, “Oh my God, what an actor.” Then when I met him in person, I said, “This is the young Spock,” so they did a brilliant job in casting him.

CraveOnline: Any chance of you having a cameo role in the new Star Trek movie?

Nichelle Nichols: Wouldn’t that be nice? I will be blasting it all over the world if and when that should happen. I think that would be so wonderful.

CraveOnline: What similarities have you seen between Trekkers and die hard Heroes fans?

Nichelle Nichols: That’s a good question because die-hard Trekker fans are die-hard Hero fans. I discovered when shortly after within days that I had been cast as Nana and had not reported yet, so it was still almost thought to be like a secret. It was still a surprise and of course Trekkers had heard the rumor and here I am in Las Vegas before 30,000 people and a couple of weeks later in Atlanta before 40,000 people and when I had gotten permission to say, yes I am, I can confirm the rumor that I will be joining cast of Heroes. That place came apart, like you absolutely could not believe, it was thunderous. So the approval of it and the joy that their Star Trek star was going in the cast of the stars of Heroes was was amazing and it went on for a good four or five minutes. There was screaming and yelling so I was off and running to a good start you know.

CraveOnline: Obviously the Heroes story lines are well kept secrets. Was it ever like that on Star Trek keeping surprises for the audience?

Nichelle Nichols: Actually no, not so much a surprise but we were working five days a week and we never had much time in those first weeks of putting the show on because we had no audience yet as we started out all together. When the show went on and we began to get this fan mail so amazing, we were all excited and then the mail started coming in asking us questions of this and we’ll read that and were we going, what was going to happen. We were still, of course, dizzy filming and so but we didn’t have that sense of keeping it all secret as this because it wasn’t that. That was not the focus as such as now. But episode after episode was with the entire cast and guest actors so it was more the adventure each time that was about to take place that our fans sat and waited to find out what’s going on, it could happen this week.

CraveOnline: Who have you enjoyed having scenes with on Heroes?

Nichelle Nichols: Well, I have enjoyed Micah and Damon so much. They are the exact opposite of characters of what they’re playing. Like Damon plays this little demon that can’t stand his cousin. He wants to do him in and he’s so good at it, you believe he’s this little monster. The moment they say cut the two of them are laughing and falling into each others arms and wrestling and playing games. Then he says, “Okay let’s first team up,” and then scene is there, bang they’re right back together. And Micah is a phenomenal artist, a pianist. His music is amazing and I thought he was playing the player piano and that was him. So when I said, “Isn’t it wonderful that we have another musician in the house,” it was a fact and that he really was a musician in the house and his charm, both of them, are so captivating. I just enjoy them so much. And of course, Dana . I’ve just never really worked with anyone quite so poised and talented and beautiful and young. I’m really, really proud to be working with her. I haven’t met the whole cast  but some who were on the lots came into make-up and they’d walk up to me and grab me and hug me and say, “Oh, it is so good to have you joining us” like Hayden and just any of them that I’ve met. I’m looking forward to meeting the rest of them and really enjoying the ones that I’m working with.

CraveOnline: Who would you most like to have more scenes with?

Nichelle Nichols: Anybody who will have me. Any of them on there because I’ve been to awards shows and see how beautiful they are with one another and how they have treated me. So I can only hope that they might come to New Orleans or I might come up there where they are.