Marina Sirtis Cinzano Bianco television commercial starring Leonard Rossiter and Joan Collins, in which Collins was splattered with drink. In 1986, Sirtis relocated to the United States. When casting "", Gene Roddenberry was inspired to ask the exotic-looking Sirtis to audition for a role after seeing the film "Aliens" with Bob Justman, which featured the prominent Latina character Vasquez, played by Jenette Goldstein. Sirtis and Denise Crosby initially tried out for each other's eventual roles on "The Next Generation". Sirtis' character was going to be named Lt. Macha Hernandez, the Security Chief. Gene Roddenberry decided to switch them, and Macha Hernandez became
Leonard Rossiter demobbed he worked for six years as an insurance clerk in the claims and accident departments of the Commercial Union Insurance Company. From childhood he was an apparently unlikely but in fact enthusiastic and capable sportsman in football, cricket, tennis and later squash. Rossiter joined the Wavertree Community Centre Drama Group and made his first appearance with the Adastra Players in Terence Rattigan's "Flare Path". The local critic said that he "was particularly outstanding, his one fault being a tendency to speak too fast on one or two occasions". He gave up his insurance job to enrol in Preston repertory