Marina Sirtis recalls loosening up serious Patrick Stewart on Star Trek
The actress says she and her co-stars helped the Shakespearean actor find a new freedom during their time on The Next Generation.
At a glance
- Sirtis was initially warned about Stewart's serious approach to acting and felt intimidated by him
- The cast made a deliberate effort to lighten Stewart's mood during production
- Stewart has acknowledged that working with the cast gave him a newfound sense of freedom
Marina Sirtis has described how she and other cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation worked to lighten the mood around Patrick Stewart, who initially approached the production with intense seriousness. Sirtis said she was initially intimidated by Stewart, having been warned by colleagues from his time at the Royal Shakespeare Company that he was focused solely on the work and discouraged joking on set.
Sirtis credits the younger generation of cast members with gradually changing Stewart's demeanor. She said the effort to loosen him up was successful, and that Stewart himself has acknowledged the experience gave him a sense of freedom he had not previously experienced.
Why it matters
The account offers insight into the working dynamics of a major science fiction series and how cast relationships shaped the production.
Original reporting
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