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An amusing anecdote, taken from Larry Nemecek’s invaluable sourcebook “Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion“: The character of Tasha Yar in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” was originally conceived as a Latino character named Lieutenant Macha Hernandez, intended to be the tactical officer aboard the Enterprise-D. Lieutenant Hernandez was largely inspired by the military grunt character Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein) from James Cameron’s film “Aliens,” a film that was still new at the time. Indeed, Goldstein was briefly considered for the role but was quickly turned down. when it was revealed that she was not Latina After some later developments, Hernandez was changed to Tanya, then Natasha, then just Tasha Yar after the character was changed from being a tactical officer. to that of head of security.
A wide range of actresses auditioned for the role of Tasha, including Rosalind Chao, Marina Sirtis, Julia Nickson and Bunty Bailey, who was the woman in the “Take On Me” music video. For a while, Chao was the favorite for the role, although she was eventually replaced by Denise Crosby, a rising star in Hollywood at the time and star of “Eliminators.”
As it turns out, Crosby was already on the showrunners’ radar, as she had already auditioned for – and was one of the finalists for – the role of Counselor Deanna Troi, the Enterprise’s empathetic psychiatrist. As Trekkies can now tell you, Marina Sirtis – one of Tasha Yar’s hopefuls – is rumored to be playing the role. from the British-sounding Councilor Troi. Sirtis and Crosby would essentially trade plays.
This exchange, it seems, was encouraged by series creator Gene Roddenberry himself. Casting directors looked for actresses to play Yar and Troi at the same time, wanting to ensure that the two performers did not look alike. Sirtis and Crosby looked good opposite each other, it seemed, but Roddenberry felt they should swap plays.
This was confirmed by Crosby herself in a 2012 interview with StarTrek.com.
Denise Crosby and Marina Sirtis swapped roles on Star Trek
The story of the Crosby/Sirtis trade mandated by Roddenberry was made public at least as long ago as an oral history of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” printed in EW in 2007. While speaking to StarTrek.com, the interviewer asked Crosby if this was just a rumor being spread or if it was true. Crosby wasn’t aware of some casting details in 1986, but she remembers reading for Councilman Troi…and then being asked to read for Tasha Yar. In Crosby’s words:
“As far as I know, that’s true. We went on a series of auditions at one point and, if I remember correctly, my agent said to me, ‘Now they want you to take a look to this character. They’re going to change you. We were still auditioning, I think we must have gone five times and somewhere, maybe after the third audition, we finally got there. [audition for] Gene Roddenberry. I’m sure Marina got the same call, but my agent said, “Gene Roddenberry really likes you, but he wants you to read for this role now.” The next time I came in, it was for Tasha.”
So it seems that Roddenberry asked Sirtis and Crosby to make the trade. In the EW story, Crosby recalled that Troi was initially described as a “cool Icelandic blonde. Almost Spock-like.” Sirtis, it should be noted, had dark brown hair, providing visual “balance” to the blonde Crosby. It’s a small detail, but small visual differences like hair color can actually be important to casting directors.
Crosby, of course, would end up leaving the series in its first season.
Trekkies may not be able to see anyone in the “Next Generation” roles as the people who were ultimately cast, but a little imagination can produce a world in which Crosby plays an intense Troi advisor similar to Spock and Marina Sirtis plays an aggressive security chief. We got closer to this world.
