Marina Sirtis Remembers Breaking In Her Serious Co-Star Patrick Stewart
When Marina Sirtis first joined the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, she arrived with warnings from colleagues who had worked with Patrick Stewart at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She was told to tread carefully, as Stewart was strictly focused on his craft and held little patience for onset antics. Initially intimidated by his serious demeanor, Sirtis found herself among a younger generation of actors determined to help the stiff, traditional Yorkshireman relax. And you should have seen the looks he got, early on Patrick told us all that we weren’t there to have fun. He takes it very seriously and he won’t abide you mucking about and trying to make people corpse.”. We were from a younger generation and we wanted to shake up this Englishman who was so typical of his generation – stiff upper lip and a Yorkshireman to boot.
Sirtis admits that the cast made a concerted effort to break through his serious exterior. While Stewart initially insisted that they were not on set to have fun, the ensemble persisted, eventually creating an environment that allowed him a level of freedom he later admitted he had never experienced before. Sirtis, a self-described cockney with a love for Spurs, contrasts their upbringing, yet emphasizes that they shared a grounded, down-to-earth nature that transcended their professional roles. According to and – he’s, This himself – I think we actually freed him.
The impact of Stewart’s presence on the show was transformative. Before he joined, Sirtis recalls, the series was sometimes viewed as a punchline. Stewart brought an essential gravitas and depth, proving that a renowned stage actor could anchor a sci-fi franchise. Despite his own friends initially advising him against taking the role—fearing it might damage his career—he navigated his newfound fame with grace and humility. Sirtis recalls how the cast once taped a review labeling him an “unknown Shakespearean actor” to his trailer door; instead of taking offense, he left it up for years as a mark of his self-deprecating humor.
Their connection extended well beyond the screen, rooted in shared experiences of childhood trauma and a mutual ability to recognize that history in one another without needing to speak of it constantly. This bond was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic when Sirtis, grieving the loss of her husband, found comfort in socially distanced lunches at Stewart’s home. She describes this act of kindness as a true reflection of his character.
Professionally, the two supported one another in surprising ways. During one production, Stewart insisted that a scene involving his character, Captain Picard, and Data be rewritten to include Sirtis’s character instead. He reasoned that he needed to look into her eyes to reach the necessary emotional depth, a request that Sirtis acknowledges with characteristic modesty. Their rapport was even recognized by the sports world, specifically in 2018 when a match between Tottenham and Huddersfield was officially dubbed the “Star Trek derby” in the programme, a moment Sirtis cherishes as a high point of her personal history. We both did interviews about the game and it was officially named in the match day programme as the Star Trek derby, when Tottenham played Huddersfield in 2018.
Reflecting on their decades-long friendship, Sirtis describes working with him as the privilege of her life. Even as his health declined and communication became more difficult, their bond remained intact. Following his death, Sirtis expressed a deep sadness at not having the chance to offer a final farewell, but leaves a heartfelt tribute to her “fabulous friend”: “Thank you Patrick. Thanks for everything, mate.” You know, the kind of person who was not exactly renowned for showing their emotions.
