Marina Sirtis

Marina Sirtis was born in London, England, on March 29, 1955. Her early life in London, where she secretly pursued acting against her parents’ wishes, led her to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. After graduating in 1976, she began her career in musical theater, repertory, and television in the UK. Prior to her iconic Star Trek role, Sirtis gained experience in supporting roles in films such as “The Wicked Lady” (1983), where she performed a whip fight, “Death Wish 3” (1985), and “Blind Date” (1984). She also made appearances in British television series like “Raffles” (1977), “Hazell” (1978), and “Minder” (1979).

In 1986, Sirtis moved to Los Angeles to advance her acting career. After a period of auditions, she secured the role of Counselor Deanna Troi in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” (1987), a turning point that defined her career. She embodied the half-human, half-Betazoid empath for seven seasons, appearing in 176 episodes. Her portrayal of Deanna Troi also extended to four subsequent Star Trek feature films: “Star Trek Generations” (1994), “Star Trek: First Contact” (1996), “Star Trek: Insurrection” (1998), and “Star Trek: Nemesis” (2002). Sirtis often notes her enjoyment of the shift in her character’s portrayal, especially in later films, where Deanna Troi gained more assertiveness and comedic elements.

Beyond Star Trek, Sirtis expanded into voice acting, notably as Demona in the animated Disney series “Gargoyles” (1994-1997). She also took on roles in various television series, including “Stargate SG-1” (2000), “Casualty” (2001), “The Closer” (2005), and “NCIS” (2013-2016) where she played Mossad Director Orli Elbaz. Her filmography includes roles in “Crash” (2004), “The Grudge 3” (2009), and “Max Winslow and The House of Secrets” (2019). Sirtis has continued to engage with the Star Trek universe, reprising her role as Deanna Troi in “Star Trek: Picard” (2020-2023) and “Star Trek: Lower Decks” (2020), demonstrating her enduring connection to the franchise and its fanbase. In 2024, she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Saturn Awards as part of the cast of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”