Star Trek

Ms Nichols broke barriers in her role as Lieutenant Nyota Uhura in the series, becoming one of the first black actresses in the US to play a figure in authority.

She was later employed by Nasa in an effort to encourage more women and African-Americans to become astronauts.

She died of natural causes on Saturday night, her son Kyle Johnson said.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Mr Johnson wrote: "I regret to inform you that a great light in the firmament no longer shines for us as it has for so many years.

Ethan Peck said it was "an incomparable honour" to be cast as the pointy-eared alien in TV show Star Trek: Discovery.

Peck, grandson of Oscar-winner Gregory, will join the show when it returns for its second season next year.

The 32-year-old celebrated by posting a photo of himself with Nimoy's family giving Spock's famous Vulcan salute.

Born in Los Angeles in 1986, Peck has experience when it comes to taking on characters associated with other actors.

Last week's number one - The Secret Life of Pets - dropped to number two with takings of $29.3m (£22.3m).

Ghostbusters and Lights Out both took $21.6m (£16.4m) - making the two films tied in third place.

Ice Age: Collision Course debuted at number five with $21m (£15.9m), considerably lower than the previous films in the children's series.

All four of the animated movie's predecessors debuted with at least $40m (£30.4m) on their opening weekends.