A fun piece of trivia, culled from Larry Nemechek's invaluable sourcebook "Star Trek: The Next Generation Companion": Tasha Yar's character on Star Trek: The Next Generation was originally conceived as a Latino character named Lieutenant Macha Hernandez, intended to be a tactical officer aboard the Enterprise-D. Lieutenant Hernandez was heavily inspired by the military character Count Vasquez ( Janet Goldstein) from James Cameron's Aliens, a film that was still new Indeed, Goldstein was briefly considered for the role, but was quickly rejected when it was revealed that she was not Latino.The character went from being a tactical officer to being the head of security.

A number of actresses auditioned for the role of Tasha, including Rosalind Chao, Marina Sirtis, Julia Nixon and Bunty Bailey, who was the woman in the "Take On Me" music video. For a moment, Chao was the front-runner for the role, although she would eventually replace Denise Crosby, a rising star in Hollywood at the time and star of The Eliminators.

As it happens, Crosby was already on the showrunners' radar, having already auditioned for—and been one of the finalists for—the role of Counselor Deanna Troy, the Enterprise's empathetic psychiatrist. As Trekkies can now tell you, Marina Sirtis - one of Tasha Yar's hopefuls - will be cast in the role to British-voiced counselor Troy. Sirtis and Crosby would essentially swap parts.

This exchange, it seems, was instigated by the show's creator Gene Roddenberry himself. Casting directors were looking for actresses to play Yar and Troi at the same time, wanting to make sure the two performers didn't look alike. Sirtis and Crosby seem to have looked good opposite each other, but Roddenberry felt they should trade parts.

This was confirmed by Crosby herself in 2012 interview with StarTrek.com.

The story of the Roddenberry-mandated Crosby/Sirtis swap was published at least that long ago. oral history "Star Trek: The Next Generation" printed in EW in 2007. When speaking with StarTrek.com, Crosby was asked by the interviewer if it was just a widespread rumor or if it was true. Crosby didn't know about some of the casting details going on back in 1986, but she recalled reading for Counselor Troy ... and then being asked to read for Tasha Yar. In Crosby's words:

“As far as I know, that is true. We were in a series of auditions at one point and, if I can remember, my agent said, “Now they want you to look at this character. They are going to transfer you.' We were still auditioning, I think we had to go five different times and somewhere, maybe after the third audition, we finally got to (audition for) Gene Roddenberry, but my agent said, "Gene Roddenberry really likes you, but he wants now to read this role.' "The next time I went in, it was for Tasha."

So it certainly appears that Roddenberry asked Sirtis and Crosby to make a trade. In the EW story, Crosby recalled that Troi was originally described as a “cool, Icelandic blonde. "Almost like Spock." Sirtis, it should be noted, had dark brown hair, providing a visual "balance" to the blond Crosby. It's a small detail, but small visual differences, like hair color, can really matter to casting directors.

Crosby, of course. would eventually leave the show in its first season.

Trekis may not be able to see anyone in The Next Generation roles other than the people they were ultimately cast in, but a little imagination can create a world in which Crosby plays an intense, Spock-like adviser, Troi, and Marina Sirtis, an aggressive boss. of security. We have come close to that world.