Sirtis says Star Trek cast helped Stewart relax and feel free
Marina Sirtis says she was initially intimidated by Patrick Stewart’s serious approach when they joined Star Trek: The Next Generation, but the younger cast helped him relax. She believes they gave him a freedom he had not felt before, while learning from his professionalism and talent; Stewart, in turn, brought Shakespearean gravitas to the series and helped give the franchise greater depth.
Sirtis recalls that Stewart’s friends feared the role could damage his career, but it became a major success, and he handled fame modestly. She says they shared difficult childhood experiences and that, after her husband died shortly before the pandemic, Stewart invited her to a socially distanced lunch while she was grieving alone in Los Angeles. He also asked for a film scene to be rewritten so Sirtis’s character could be present, saying he needed to meet her eyes to reach the emotions the scene required.
In short
- Sirtis says the cast helped Stewart loosen up on Star Trek.
- She credits his performance with giving the series greater depth.
- Stewart supported her during grief and advocated for her character.
Explained simply
Star Trek: The Next Generation is a science-fiction television series set aboard the starship Enterprise. Patrick Stewart played its captain, Jean-Luc Picard, while Marina Sirtis played the ship’s counsellor, Deanna Troi; both actors became closely associated with the series and its wider franchise.
Stewart had a long career in classical theatre before taking the role, and his commanding style helped shape Picard as a thoughtful, authoritative leader. The series brought new viewers to Star Trek and added to the franchise’s exploration of leadership, relationships and life among different species.
The cast worked together across the television series and later films, forming relationships that continued beyond filming. Sirtis’s recollections offer a personal account of how that working relationship developed and of Stewart’s support for her during a period of bereavement.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “‘We freed Patrick Stewart!’ Star Trek’s Marina Sirtis on breaking in her beloved but very serious co-star”.