The cast of J.J. Abrams' new Star Trek flick is shaping up, as actress Zoe Saldana finishes up her final negotiations to play (not yet known rank) Uhura, according to the Hollywood Reporter.  She joins castmates Zachary Quinto (Spock), Leonard Nimoy (also Spock) and Anton Yelchin (Chekhov) for the film.  The plot is under wraps, though the original idea was to show a Starfleet Academy-era Kirk and company on their first mission together, with a little handwaving and such to explain away characters who shouldn't be around yet.  The three fans of Captain Robert April will probably be disappointed, just as a guess.

Saldana may be stepping into the role made famous by Nichelle Nichols, but she has genre cred of her own.  Saldana did a memorable turn in the first "Pirates of the Caribbean" film as Anamaria.  She is also starring in James Cameron's motion-capture epic "Avatar," coming in 2009.