By Chris Snellgrove | Published
Here’s a question sci-fi nerds have been debating for nearly 60 years: who is the hottest character in Star Trek? Many The Original Series fans will name the late, great Uhura actress Nichelle Nichols (unless, of course, they prefer Susan Oliver as the slave girl in green Orion). Strange New Worlds fans, on the other hand, might name Jess Bush, whose Nurse Chapel is good enough to put even a Vulcan to shame. For those of us who grew up during the Golden Age of Star Trek, however, there is only one answer: Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Deanna Troi in. Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Because Sirtis was so beautiful, you might think that’s how she got the role, especially since Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was known to be easily swayed by a woman’s looks. But her beauty was not the real secret to getting the coveted role of Deanna Troi; instead, he used the same superpowers that his outer character would be known for. You see, Sirtis only got the role because the director told her to use the empathy she’d been unconsciously showing during auditions.
Sorry, Fellas: You Know What You’re Thinking
In Star Trek: The Next GenerationMarina Sirtis plays Deanna Troi, an alien from the planet Betazoid. Betazed full bloods like their mother are fully telepathic and can read your mind as easily as they can read a book. However, Deanna had a human father, so she is part Betazed. Instead of reading specific thoughts, he can only read feelings. This superpower is often referred to as the ability to empathize, which distinguishes it from the telepathic abilities possessed by full Betazeds.
At first, Marina Sirtis had no plans to audition for Deanna Troi. As weird as it is for fans to think, she originally read the lines for Tasha Yar, the no-nonsense Security Officer who would end up being played by Denise Crosby, who once auditioned to play Troi. The producers were initially very happy to have these women play the roles they had originally signed on for, but Gene Roddenberry himself suggested that Crosby play Yar and Sirtis play Troi. On DVD special features of The Next Generation In Season 1, Crosby said that Gene looked at the two women and decided that “Troi should be this foreign, foreign creature” and not “America’s golden girl.”
Alien Superpowers Save the Day?!?
However, Sirtis needed more than her stunning beauty to land the part of Deanna Troi. He was given only one hour to memorize lines for three scenes, and was understandably nervous about trying out a completely different character. As mentioned in the book Journey: The Next Generationhe ended up getting some life-changing advice (and Troi a lot) from director Corey Allen. “You have something that a character should have… compassion, so use it.’”
Good advice, but Sirtis wasn’t sure if it really worked for him. Although Deanna Troi may have world-class empathy skills, the actress later admitted The Starlog that he found Allen’s advice “funny” because he considered himself a hot-headed and unsympathetic Worf in real life. Still, his advice gave her the confidence she needed to lock herself in a room, read her lines, and read her part with confidence. In interview no Star Trek: The Magazinehe admitted that he leaned on the “emotional” aspects of his lines and began to “play them like a Greek tragedy,” which allowed him to “get my teeth into it.”
While Marina Sirtis worried that she didn’t have the necessary empathy for Deanna Troi, she eventually got the part. To his credit, he played the role admirably, often rising above the horrible scripts his character was given. He became a cornerstone of the franchise, appearing in Voyagerall four TNG movies, and two seasons Star Trek: Picard. He wouldn’t have gotten the role, however, if the director didn’t believe he had the same superpowers as his outsider character!
