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
Joan Collins grandchildren. Collins maintains residences in London, Los Angeles, New York City, and France, describing her life in 2010 as being "that of a gypsy". Collins' younger sister was Jackie Collins, a pioneer of romantic novels, who died in September 2015. Collins was told only two weeks before her sister's death about the breast cancer she had battled for over six years. In 2004, Collins became a patron of the United Kingdom Independence Party. She said: "I do feel that my country – I am English – is losing a lot of what I grew up with. I feel we are