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