The issues surrounding the topic of conservatorships have gained a lot of attention in recent months as light continues to be shed on such high-profile figures living under conservatorships, like Britney Spears. Spears has been battling the terms of her conservatorship, specifically her father, Jamie Spears’, involvement, but her struggle to free herself has brought other, similarly controversial arrangements to the light. Star Trek star Nichelle Nichols has been living under a conservatorship managed by her son and some close to her are using the spotlight from Spears’ legal battles to address Nichols’ own arrangement.
Friends Slam Nichelle Nichols’ Son For Controversial Decision To Move ‘Star Trek’ Actress
Nichelle Nichols, who broke racial and gender barriers with her iconic role as Lt. Nyota Uhura on Star Trek: The Original Series, has been living under a conservatorship managed by her son and only child, Kyle Johnson, since January 2019. Two people close to the actress, who suffers from dementia, have spoken out against decisions made by Johnson.
Angelique Fawcette, a long-time friend of Nichols’, and the actress’ former manager, Gilbert Bell, have both issued statements to People questioning Johnson’s decision to sell Nichols’ Los Angeles home and move her to an undisclosed location in New Mexico. The two have been outspoken critics of Johnson’s handling of his mother. A few months after Johnson’s appointment as Nichols’ conservator, Bell released a disturbing video of the now 88-year-old screaming out protests as she held up several legal documents that Bell claimed were legal guardianship documents filed by her son.
Now the two are once again blasting Johnson’s decisions regarding the care of his mother in light of a Los Angeles Times report that he sold Nichols’ home in the area and moved her to a smaller house in New Mexico. Bell, who confirmed to People that he previously lived on the property before moving out earlier this year, told the outlet, “Her home is gone. It’s been sold out from under her. She would be horrified if she knew that.”
“She was proud of [that house]. She designed it. She helped build it. She planted the trees on it. It was a dream come true for her,” he added. “No matter where we were, when she came back from a convention and she would come into her home, she would sing to the house and say, ‘Hello, home. Hello, house. I’m home.’”
Fawcette echoed the sentiment, saying, “When the house was sold, I was very hurt for her.” She added, “She stated that she wanted to remain in her home, yet the court let her son move her out.” Fawcette said Nichols had “been like a mother to me,” which is why it’s been so “painful” to see these changes.
Kyle Johnson Defends Choice To Relocate Famous Mother
Johnson gave a statement to the Times regarding his decision to move his mother to an undisclosed rental property in New Mexico, explaining, “We have moved here, and we’re going to remain here,” adding that the new home is “smaller, a little more modest than being in Los Angeles, but meeting our needs.” He also refused to let the paper speak with his mother, citing privacy concerns.
Bell contends that Johnson has always intended to sell the home, telling People, “He [had told me] he didn’t think she should be in her home and that it was a white elephant. [He said] she had no business being there, that he wanted her in a one-bedroom condo.”
“He wanted to get the property sold,” Bell insisted, adding, “He’s in charge.” Both he and Fawcette claim that they haven’t seen Nichols since 2019. After publicly condemning the video of Nichols screaming, Fawcette says she has been denied access to the woman she once enjoyed an intimate friendship with, but she has declared that she will continue to fight on behalf of the woman who made such an impact on not only her life but society at large.