SLCC15 - The Triumphant Return of Marina Sirtis

Marina Sirtis, best known for her role as Counselor Deanna Troi on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and its movie spin-offs, made her triumphant return to Salt Lake Comic Con, Sept. 24-26, 2015.

As a two-time Salt Lake Comic Con guest, Sirtis has quickly become a fan favorite in Utah - and she loves the Beehive State right back.

"The people in Utah are really nice," she said in an interview for SotT: Underground. "Now, that could be because they're Mormons. ... Mormons are really nice people."

She jokingly asked, "[Mormonism is] the only difference between this state and every other state, right?"

But it's not just the Utah culture that Sirtis enjoys; she also has an incredible appreciation for the the way the convention is run. Her enthusiasm for the event was instrumental in helping Salt Lake Comic Con co-founders Dan Farr and Brandenburg recruit Marvel super-celebrities Chris Evans and Hayley Atwell for September's event.

Referring to Farr and Brandenburg, Sirtis said, "Every box that we want ticked as a guest at their convention, they tick ... each box and more. They treat us so well here. They spoil us, they respect us, they get it, you know? They realize that it’s a symbiotic relationship – that they need us as much as we need them. So, they just get it, and so it’s always wonderful to come back here."

The Utah Symphony also took advantage of Sirtis' short stay in Salt Lake, utilizing her as a narrator for their "Sci-Fi Spectacular!" concerts on Sept. 25-26. The experience would be a unique one for Sirtis.

"I haven’t done anything quite like this before," she said. "I did a long-form poem called ‘Enoch Arden’ with a pianist, but I’ve never done anything with a full symphony orchestra before."

Sirtis went on to explain, "What we’re doing at … Abravanel Hall is, virtually, every sci-fi theme you’ve ever heard, but done by a full orchestra."

There was one part of her upcoming opportunity that Sirtis was particularly excited for: "I think I’m going to be the first woman who ever says, ‘Space: the final frontier.'"

That phrase, of course, is the iconic line uttered most famously by "Star Trek" captains Kirk and Piccard.

Sirtis appeared as Counselor Troi in 176 episodes of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and all four of the series' companion films. She also made appearances in episodes of "Star Trek: Voyager" and "Star Trek: Enterprise." Most recently, she has provided the voice of the on-ship computer for the online series "Star Trek Continues."

Of her experience as part of one of science fiction's most popular franchises, Sirtis said,"We had no idea that we would affect people’s lives the way we have. We were just a bunch of actors that got this great job. And I think, actually, had we known at the time, it would not have been a good thing. I think it’s better that we didn’t know that we were impacting people the way we were. To hear it now, it just makes us really proud. I mean, we hear so much, 'This was family time for us… My parents have since passed, but whenever I hear the theme song, it brings back fond memories.' We meet people from the Forces who’ve had umpteen surgeries after coming back from Iraq or Afghanistan, saying 'Watching your show is what got me through and kept me going…' So, as a lowly actress, I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would be involved in something that would change people’s lives."