When Marina Sirtis first joined the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, she was deeply intimidated by Patrick Stewart. Friends from his time at the Royal Shakespeare Company had warned her that Stewart was intensely focused on his craft and held little patience for lighthearted behavior or unprofessional antics on set. At the beginning of production, Stewart maintained a rigid demeanor, famously telling the cast that they were not there to have fun. Sirtis and her younger, more boisterous colleagues, however, were determined to shake up his stiff, Yorkshireman sensibilities. 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. You know, the kind of person who was not exactly renowned for showing their emotions. And you should have seen the looks he got, early on Patrick told us all that we weren’t there to have fun.
The effort to relax Stewart eventually succeeded, and he later acknowledged that his co-stars provided him with a level of personal freedom he had never previously experienced. While the younger actors were busy loosening him up, they were simultaneously learning from his immense talent and professionalism. Stewart brought a level of gravitas to the series that elevated Star Trek from a niche genre to a project of significant emotional depth, proving that his Shakespearean background was a perfect fit for the captain of a starship. According to and – he’s, This himself – I think we actually freed him. But there was a concerted effort by the rest of us to beat it out of him.
Despite his status today, Stewart initially had reservations about accepting the role, with friends and peers advising him that it might damage his career. He remained grounded throughout his rise to global fame. In a display of his capacity for self-deprecation, Stewart kept a newspaper review from the early days of the show on his trailer door, which had dismissively labeled him an “unknown Shakespearean actor.” He takes it very seriously and he won’t abide you mucking about and trying to make people corpse.”. And let’s be honest – Patrick was very serious about the work.
The connection between Sirtis and Stewart was rooted in shared life experiences, including childhood trauma, which they bonded over long after filming concluded. This closeness manifested in unexpected ways, such as when Stewart requested that the producers rewrite a scene for a Star Trek movie. He insisted that Sirtis play opposite him rather than Brent Spiner, explaining that he needed to look into her eyes to authentically reach the specific emotions his character, Picard, required for the sequence.
Their friendship extended well beyond the studio. When Sirtis was mourning the death of her husband a month before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stewart provided support by inviting her to socially distanced lunches in his garden. Their camaraderie even crossed into their personal passions; in 2018, when their respective football teams, Tottenham and Huddersfield, faced each other, their mutual interviews led to the match being dubbed the “Star Trek derby” in official club programs—a moment Sirtis cherishes as one of the highlights of her life. 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.
Looking back on their long association, Sirtis expresses deep gratitude for their partnership. While she admits that Stewart’s final health challenges made communication difficult in his last days, she reflects on their time together as a privilege. Lamenting that she missed the opportunity to say a final goodbye, she remains grateful for the years they shared, holding onto her final sentiment: “Thank you Patrick. Thanks for everything, mate.”
