Marina Sirtis

Marina Sirtis is a British-American actor best known for playing Counsellor Deanna Troi in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987–1994). She appeared across the series’ seven-season run and reprised the role in the feature films Star Trek: Generations (1994), First Contact (1996), Insurrection (1998) and Nemesis (2002). She later returned to the part in Star Trek: Picard, appearing in the series’ later seasons.

Outside Star Trek, Sirtis has worked steadily across film, television and voice acting. Her screen credits include the Academy Award-winning ensemble film Crash (2004), as well as US series such as NCIS, Stargate SG-1 and The Outer Limits. Her voice work includes roles in animation and games, and she has remained a regular presence at science fiction conventions and live events connected to the Star Trek franchise.

Sirtis is also vegan and has supported animal charities for years. Her reason for supporting animal causes is direct and rooted in animals’ vulnerability and lack of political power. She has summed it up in a line that captures the basic ethical case in plain language: animals cannot advocate for themselves, so humans have a responsibility to act on their behalf.

That combination of long-running mainstream visibility and consistent animal charity support has made her a familiar name to audiences who know her first as Deanna Troi, and then as someone who has used her platform to speak up for animals.