‘Star Trek: Voyager’ & ‘Sister, Sister’ Actress Marva Hicks Dies at 66

Marva Hicks
Mireya Acierto/Getty Images

Actress and singer Marva Hicks, who appeared in the TV series Star Trek: Voyager and Sister, Sister and Broadway shows The Lion King and Motown: The Musical, has died. She was 66.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Hicks passed away Friday, September 16, in New York City, according to her representative Tanya Young Williams. A cause of death has not been disclosed.

“It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our dear Marva Hicks Taha,” her family said in a statement (via THR). “Our beloved wife, family member and friend will be greatly missed and remains marvelous in our hearts forever. The love she had for her husband, family, friends and entertainment community knew no bounds. We have been deeply touched by the incredible outpouring of love. Thank you for your compassion and prayers.”

Born on in Petersburg, Virginia, Hicks graduated from Howard University and began her career as a gospel singer. She scored her biggest chart hit with the single “Never Been in Love Before,” which peaked at number seven on the R&B charts in 1991. She went on to release two more singles and, in 1996, performed as a background singer for Michael Jackson in a free concert at the Jerudong Park Amphitheatre in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei.

Hicks made her Broadway debut in 1981’s Lena Horne: The Lady and Her Music. Her other Broadway credits include Motown: The Musical, The Lion King, and Caroline or Change. She is a three-time winner of the Helen Hayes Award for her stage work.

Her TV work started in the early 1990s when she appeared in the legal drama L.A. Law. She later landed recurring roles in the sitcoms Mad About You and Sister, Sister. Hicks also portrayed the character T’Pel on Star Trek: Voyager from 1995 to 2000. Her more recent credits include Search Party, The Blacklist, and Madam Secretary.

Correction: A previous version of this article listed Hicks’ date of birth as 1975.




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  1. B

    BlueDice

    Either her birthdate or age is wrong, which is it?

    5 1

  2. B

    BlueFlower

    She passed away. Condolences to the family.

    4 1

  3. G

    GoldBottleOpener

    So sad, she played T'Pel, Tuvok's wife in star trek voyager.

    2

  4. G

    GoldGlasses

    Condolence to the family

    2

  5. B

    BlueBoomerang

    She was in exactly two episodes of Voyager. This article makes it sound like she was a series regular for 6 seasons.

    5 4

    1. G

      GreenBowtie

      Actually, three episodes. As Commander Tuvok's wife.

  6. B

    BlueFan

    Yep - the Enterprise Vulcan was T'Pol.

    1

  7. G

    GreenBulb

    I thought she was on Enterprise not Voyager. Also age timeline does not add up.

    4 3

  8. P

    PurpleFlame

    It's sad when a psychic-empath dies young. Hg

  9. C

    CyanBasketball

    My condolences to the Hicks family. She was Tuvac's wife on Voyager. I remember more for being on Sister, Sister.

  10. C

    CyanBucket

    Wait a sec.. if she was born in 1975, she should be 47... So being 66 is impossible...

  11. R

    RedPalmtree

    She was Vulcan Ambassador T'Pel/Romulan undercover spy Selok on Star Trek: The Next Generation, NOT ST: Voyager

  12. B

    BlueCone

    Drug addiction?

  13. G

    GoldAnchor

    Her age is definitely wrong, bc she should be in her late eighties or in her nineties

    2

    1. G

      GreenFlask

      No, sixty, she went to Howard University with me