Nichelle Nichols Makes Rare Video Interview Appearance Amid "Dementia" Rumors.

Nichelle Nichols, who is notably one of the most influential and ground breaking African American actresses, has been out of the public eye lately. Just a few months ago rumors were swirling saying that the Star Trek star had been diagnosed with dementia and that her son Kyle had filed documents to take over for her financially.

In a new video, obtained exclusively by Daily Mail, Nichols says that when her starts "paying her bills" then he'll be able to tell her what to do!

"The clip has emerged ahead of an August court hearing in which a judge will decide whether Nichols should be assigned a permanent guardian.

The actress, who played Lieutenant Uhura in the classic TV series, was placed under four temporary conservators in May after her son told a court she was suffering severe memory loss.

Her friend, producer Angelique Fawcette, 48, says Nichols asked her to record the clip in February 2013, before her health began to deteriorate."

Fawcette said she is releasing it now because she fears that if Nichols is stopped from attending conventions she will have no source of income.

That could result in the actress losing her house in Woodland Hills, California, and being admitted to a nursing home, which Fawcette says she does not want.

The filmmaker, who met Nichols in 2012 on the set of her Star Trek spoof, Unbelievable!!!!!, said: 'Nichelle said to me she wanted to film the video. She wanted to protect herself.'

In the clip, Nichols, who owns two properties collectively worth $2million, says: 'Many times my relatives think I'm working too hard, or shouldn't be doing this after all these years.

'My beautiful son, Kyle, says, "Mom, you have to," - of course he never stops working. He says, "Mom, you've got to get some rest." And I appreciate that.

'But I was on my way out of town again, and he doesn't live in the same town. He doesn't live in Hollywood or Beverly Hills.

'He sees me on travel as overwork.

'I think he thinks Star Trek, the movie for which I'm most known, is not a blessing to me.

'Which ever Star Trek [unclear] disagrees, they all know who I am, what I am and why I love all of them as much as they love all of me.'

Nichols, who attended Comic-Con in San Diego earlier this month, where she was honored with a lifetime achievement award, adds: 'It's funny that my son, who works his little tail off with his work, thinks that I should be letting up.

This is a sad case but is it absolutely necessary to take it this far? Yes, it does appear that Ms. Nichols is starting to decline however, is the lengths that her son is going to appropriate? It's a sticky family situation and we definitely wish all involved the best!