Star Trek actress Marina Sirtis claims she was sexually harassed by late director Michael Winner and recalls how he made her ‘lie topless on the concrete floor freezing for five hours during filming’

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Marina Sirtis, known for her role in Star Trek, has revealed that she was sexually harassed by the late director Michael Winner, describing a disturbing experience she had while working with him.

As a longtime observer of the entertainment world, I remember when Marina Sirtis – you probably know her as Counselor Troi from Star Trek: The Next Generation – and director Michael Winner first collaborated. It was way back in 1983, on a film called The Wicked Lady. It’s lovely to see how long some creative partnerships can last!

The actress has negative memories of working with Michael, stating he pressured her into a humiliating situation on set. She alleges he made her lie topless on a freezing concrete floor for five hours while filming, after she felt coerced into accepting the job.

In an interview on The Show People podcast, Marina expressed strong feelings about a man she described as cruel and misogynistic, stating she hoped he was suffering greatly.

I took the role in ‘The Wicked Lady’ for him. I was around 26 years old at the time. While I was performing in ‘Rocky Horror’ in Milan, my agent called and said Michael Winner wanted to offer me ‘Death Wish 3’. I immediately said no – I wasn’t interested. I’d seen the first ‘Death Wish’ movie and thought it was awful, so I considered the matter closed.

My agent called and explained that a person was threatening legal action if I didn’t accept a role. They claimed we’d previously agreed I would play the part, and while they believed the lawsuit wouldn’t succeed, it would be expensive and time-consuming to fight. My agent assured me they’d defend me, but I felt pressured – essentially blackmailed – into taking the role.

I contacted the actors’ union, Equity, hoping they could help me. I explained that there was a nude scene and I was uncomfortable with it. Initially, they seemed to think I was simply changing my mind after already agreeing to do it, like they’d dealt with actresses in similar situations before.

Marina remembers that when Equitsy found out the movie was Death Wish 3, they said they would be present during the filming of any nude scenes.

She explained that the scene hadn’t been planned at all. One morning, the director suddenly announced they were filming it. She immediately contacted the actors’ union, Equity, as they were filming in the Lambeth area. Equity responded very quickly.

I sunbathed topless at the beach, and I wasn’t worried about a potential wardrobe malfunction on top. However, I was determined to keep my bottom covered! My stylist and I created a special pad and secured it with strong tape. Michael wanted some revealing shots, so I ended up lying on a cold concrete floor for five hours – it was absolutely freezing!

The cinematographer tried to help me stay warm by putting his coat around me, but Michael angrily demanded it be removed, exclaiming who had put it on me. I was shivering and drinking lots of tea, and desperately needed to use the restroom. As I hurried off, out of earshot, Michael yelled through a megaphone that I wasn’t even good in bed.

‘So I do hope he’s rotting in hell as we speak, I really do.’

Marina is not the first actress to come forward about Michael’s inappropriate behaviour.

In 2017, actresses Debbie Arnold and Cindy Marshall-Day publicly shared accusations that Michael allegedly asked to see them topless.

Debbie from EastEnders and Cindy from Crossroads have both spoken out, saying they were inspired to share their own experiences after allegations of sexual assault were made against film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Debbie recently shared on This Morning with Amanda Holden and Ben Shephard that when she was in her early 20s, she auditioned for a role at Winner’s house – a common practice for aspiring performers back then.

She was led to an office where he asked her to move towards the window, claiming he wanted a better view of her. He then allegedly requested she remove her shirt and bra, and massage her breasts.

She explained that he repeatedly asked her something, and after she responded sharply and walked away, he threatened to report her to both her agent and the actors’ union, Equity.

However, Michael reportedly claimed he’d actually played a prank on Debbie to gauge her reaction, and that she handled it remarkably well.

Cindy was shocked by the man’s behavior towards young actresses, explaining it was a pattern. She revealed he had asked her to remove her top.

Debbie recalled receiving an invitation to Michael’s house in the early 1980s. He’d contacted her mother, Mary – who also worked as her agent for stage roles – to extend the invitation.

Even though she wasn’t auditioning for anything in particular, she was hoping her meeting with the famous director in London would be a good start to her acting career.

She climbed the stairs to the first floor of his Holland Park mansion and was asked to stand near a large window, reportedly so he could get a better look at her.

She shared with the Sunday People that he asked her to remove her top and bra, and then instructed her to massage her breasts. She was so shocked that she asked him to repeat what he said, thinking she must have misheard.

I turned away from the window, and when he asked what was wrong, I told him I couldn’t believe what I’d just heard. I initially thought he was joking, but I was shocked when he asked the same question again. I went straight to him and angrily told him to get lost, calling him a disgusting old pervert.

She explained she was afraid reporting the incident to the police would harm her career, but insisted that even though the person responsible had died, their actions still needed to be brought to light.

As a lifestyle expert, I remember when those stories about Michael surfaced, it was a really difficult time for his family. I recall his wife, Geraldine – they’d been married for two years before he sadly passed away – telling reporters she didn’t believe any published story would be accurate. It just highlighted how protective she was of his memory and how deeply she felt about the situation.

Michael died at his home in Holland Park in January 2013, aged 77, from liver disease.

Michael’s wife, Geraldine, confirmed that he had passed away. In a statement, she described him as a wonderful, brilliant, funny, and generous man, adding that his death had left a void in her life.

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2026-04-16 19:23