Marina Sirtis
The actress who brought profound empathy and a touch of telepathic glamour to the bridge of the Starship Enterprise as Counselor Deanna Troi.
Born 1955 (age 71)·British actress·Birthday: March 29·Baby Boomers
Biography
Marina Sirtis's journey to the 24th century was anything but straightforward. A classically trained actress from London, she moved to Hollywood in the mid-80s with just a suitcase and a dream, facing a string of rejections and near-misses. Her audition for Star Trek: The Next Generation was initially for the role of the security chief; she was rejected. But producers, struck by her warmth and intelligence, called her back to read for the ship's counselor, a half-human, half-Betazoid empath. She infused Deanna Troi with a grounded compassion that became the emotional core of the show, balancing the technical jargon and philosophical debates with genuine human (and alien) feeling. For seven seasons and four films, Sirtis defined a new kind of Star Trek character—one whose strength lay in intuition and emotional intelligence, paving the way for more nuanced portrayals of women in science fiction.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Marina was born in 1955, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marina Was Born
The biggest hits of 1955
#1 Movie
Lady and the Tramp
Best Picture
Marty
#1 TV Show
The $64,000 Question
Marina's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1955Born
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1960Started school
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1968Became a teenager
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1971Could drive
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1973Could vote
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Turned 21
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1985Turned 30
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 40
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 50
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 60
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2025Turned 70
AI agents go mainstream
Gas: $3.10/galHome: $385,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"APT." — Rose & Bruno Mars
2026Age 71 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Portrayed Counselor Deanna Troi across all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and in four subsequent feature films.
- Reprised her iconic role in multiple other Star Trek series, including 'Voyager,' 'Deep Space Nine,' and 'Picard.'
- Broke ground by playing a main character whose primary function was mental health and diplomatic counsel on a major TV series.
- Has been a consistent and beloved presence at Star Trek conventions worldwide for over three decades.
Did You Know?
She is a trained stage actress who graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.
She holds dual British and American citizenship.
Her first major film role was in the 1985 horror movie 'The Wicked Lady' alongside Faye Dunaway.
She provided the voice for Demona in the animated series 'Gargoyles.'
“I think what's wonderful about 'Star Trek' is that it's a very hopeful vision of the future, and I think people need that.”
