Marina Sirtis is a British-American actress who was born in London, England, to Greek parents, Despina (Yianniri), a tailor's assistant, and John Sirtis.
Her parents did not want her to become an actress, but as soon as Marina completed high school, she applied to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama secretly. After her graduation, she worked in musical theater, repertory, and television. In 1986, she moved to Los Angeles, California. For six months, she auditioned for parts but was unsuccessful. Just before she planned to go back home, she got the part of "Counselor Deanna Troi" in Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). After the series ended, she reprised her role for a string of successful Star Trek films: Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002). In 1992, Sirtis married Michael Lamper, a rock guitarist.
