Denise Crosby Denise Michelle Crosby is the actress best known for playing Lieutenant Natasha Yar during the first season of . Although she left before the end of the season , she returned to the role in later episodes and also played Sela , the Romulan daughter of Yar from an alternate timeline . Biography . Born in Hollywood , California , Crosby appeared to be destined for show business . She is the granddaughter of famous crooner and actor , the daughter of actor and singer , the niece of Mary Crosby , and the ex - daughter - in - law of director . Crosby even began her acting career with a small role in her then - father - in - law ' s hit romantic comedy " 10 " in 1979 ( with John Hancock , Michael Champion , Jeanetta Arnette , and William Lucking ) . She also appeared in two of Edwards ' Pink Panther films , " Trail of the Pink Panther " in 1982 and " Curse of the Pink Panther " in 1983 . Also in 1983 , she appeared in Edwards ' " The Man Who Loved Women " . She is a distant cousin of guest star Seth MacFarlane and her half brother Gregory Crosby is married to " Star Trek " stuntwoman Spice Williams - Crosby . Crosby married Edwards ' son , Geoffrey ( who wrote all of the above films with his father , with the exception of " 10 " ) , in 1983 . The two ultimately divorced in 1990 . Her father , Dennis Crosby , passed away in 1991 . Crosby married actor Ken Sylk in 1995 . The two have a son , August William Sylk . Early work . Crosby co - starred in the hit 1982 action comedy " 48 Hrs . " along with fellow " Trek " alumni Jonathan Banks and Margot Rose . Prior to assuming the role of Tasha Yar , Crosby co - starred with future TNG and DS9 guest actor Andrew Prine in the 1986 science fiction adventure " Eliminators " . She also appeared in such made - for - television movies as " My Wicked , Wicked Ways " ( 1985 , starring Duncan Regehr and Alan Oppenheimer ) , " Malice in Wonderland " ( 1985 , with Anne Haney , Mark L . Taylor , and Jason Wingreen ) , and 1986 ' s " The Family Martinez " , starring future star Robert Beltran . In 1986 , she appeared in ' s music video , " No Stranger to Love " . Before TNG , Crosby ' s first work in episodic television was a 1986 episode of " L . A . Law " entitled " Gibbon Take " . Besides series regular Corbin Bernsen , the episode also featured Bibi Besch , Josh Clark , Anne Haney , and Tom Hodges . Crosby was next seen on a short - lived series called " Ohara " which featured Madge Sinclair as a regular and also guest - starred future actress Nana Visitor . " Star Trek " . Crosby was initially cast to play Counselor Deanna Troi , while her co - star Marina Sirtis was to play security chief " Macha Hernandez " , the role that eventually became Tasha Yar . Before the filming of began she read two times as Troi for casting director Junie Lowry . However , Gene Roddenberry decided to switch the roles and Crosby was assigned to play Tasha Yar . Roddenberry also noted that her character like Crosby herself was too much like . ( TNG Season 1 DVD special features " The Beginning " and " Selected Crew Analysis – Casting " ) She left the series before the first season ended because she felt her character was not being given enough to do . The last episode she filmed was , although her character died in the previous episode filmed , as they were aired in the opposite order . Due to an editing goof , Crosby ' s arm and shoulder can also be seen behind Picard and Troi in a bridge scene in the episode . Although she intended to leave " Star Trek " behind and focus on her feature film career , she ultimately reprised the role of Yar in the third season episode . She then went on to play Romulan Commander Sela in , , and and lent her voice to the episode . She returned as Yar for the series finale , . In addition , Crosby provided the voice of the promoted Admiral Sela in the computer game " " . Crosby was also seen by using archive footage from previous episodes in the second season episodes , , and and in the third season episode . Despite leaving " Trek " in 1988 , Crosby ' s future association with the franchise and the fanbase led her to produce and host the documentary " Trekkies " in 1997 . She also returned to executive produce and host that film ' s 2004 sequel , " Trekkies 2 " . In 2013 , Crosby provided the voice of Tasha Yar in " Star Trek Online " , her character making a special appearance in a mission added to celebrate the game ' s third anniversary , " Temporal Ambassador " . She has also reprised the role of Sela , now Empress of the Romulan Star Empire , in " Legacy of Romulus " , the first expansion pack for " STO " , which was released in May 2013 . Later work . Film . After leaving " Next Generation " , Crosby focused on feature films . She starred in five movies between 1988 and 1989 , including " Miracle Mile " ( with Robert DoQui , Jenette Goldstein , Raphael Sbarge , William Schallert , and Brian Thompson ) and Blake Edwards ' " Skin Deep " . Perhaps her most famous film is the 1989 horror movie " Pet Semetary " , in which she was the lead actress and co - starred with frequent " Trek " guest actor Brad Greenquist and her one - time TNG co - star Kavi Raz . Crosby continued to work steadily in film during the 1990s . She had a supporting role in the 1991 comedy " High Strung " , featuring an early appearance by future TNG guest star Kirsten Dunst . The following year , Crosby starred in the horror movie " Dolly Dearest " and the year after that , she starred in the Italian drama " Mafia Docks " ( aka " Desperate Crimes " ) . Her other film credits during this decade include a supporting role in the 1995 sci - fi thriller " Mutant Species " , a cameo appearance in ' s 1997 thriller " Jackie Brown " ( featuring Tommy " Tiny " Lister , Jr . and Sid Haig ) , and a featured role in the 1998 blockbuster " Deep Impact " ( co - starring James Cromwell , Christopher Darga , Mark Moses , Kurtwood Smith , and Concetta Tomei ) . Also in 1998 , Crosby appeared with her " Yesterday ' s Enterprise " co - star Christopher McDonald in the drama " Divorce : A Contemporary Western " . Crosby starred in the direct - to - video releases " Dream Man " ( 1995 ) , which co - starred DS9 actor Armin Shimerman and ' s Bruce Greenwood , and " Executive Power " ( 1997 ) , co - starring ENT guest actress Joanna Cassidy . Crosby continued to appear in low - budget films such as the 2002 horror Western " Legend of the Phantom Rider " ( with George Murdock ) and the 2005 horror thriller " Mortuary " ( with Courtney Peldon and Michael Shamus Wiles ) . She was also featured in the drama " Ripple Effect " along with her husband , Ken , as well as " Enterprise " star John Billingsley and " Voyager " guest actress Virginia Madsen . She also starred in a horror movie called " Born " , about a 21 - year - old girl impregnated with and possessed by a demonic fetus ( along with Kane Hodder ) and , in late August 2012 , in the short film " Birth Mother " , directed by Roger Hensley and co - starring Valarie Pettiford , Rahvaunia , and Philip Jordan . More recently , Crosby appeared in the television science fiction / action film " Invasion Roswell " , aired in August 2013 on Syfy . Besides Crosby , fellow " Trek " alumni John H . Francis and Daniel Hugh Kelly worked on this film . She also appeared in the 2014 science fiction comedy " Unbelievable ! ! ! ! ! " on which she worked with fellow " Trek " alumni Marina Sirtis , Michael Dorn , Nichelle Nichols , Tim Russ , Nana Visitor , Olivia d ' Abo , Dina Meyer , Christopher Michael , Jeffrey Combs , John Billingsley , Chase Masterson , Julie Warner , Robert Picardo , Linda Park , Walter Koenig , Armin Shimerman , Barbara Luna , Connor Trinneer , Manu Intiraymi , Garrett Wang , Gary Lockwood , Crystal Allen , Anthony Montgomery , Michael Forest , Gary Graham , Celeste Yarnall , Beverly Washburn , Jack Donner , Jasmine Jessica Anthony , Vaughn Armstrong , Menina Fortunato , and Sean Kenney . Barbara Luna , Nichelle Nichols and Celeste Yarnall will also co - produce . Shortly before her birthday on 24 November 2014 , Crosby wrapped filming the indie thriller " Don ' t Wake Mommy " , previously known as " Maternal Bonds " , for director Chris Sivertson . Besides the lead actors , , and , the film also features stuntwoman Spice Williams - Crosby as stunt double for Crosby and stuntwoman Daphne Avalon , the daughter of actor Brian Thompson who visited the set during filming . Crosby also filmed the thriller " The Watcher " , working with John Billingsley and Ruth Williamson , for a release on 1 October 2016 . Television . Crosby has expanded her television credits exponentially since leaving TNG . She appeared in a 1991 episode of " WIOU " , a series which starred fellow " Trek " performers Robin Gammell , Mariette Hartley , Wallace Langham , Phil Morris , Eric Pierpoint , and Harris Yulin . Also in 1991 , she guest - starred in an episode of " The Flash " along with Dick Miller and future VOY star Jeri Ryan . This was followed with an appearance on " Johnny Bago " with John Fleck , " Civil Wars " with Camille Saviola , and " The Adventures of Brisco County , Jr . " with Jeremy Roberts and Tracey Walter . In 1993 , she starred with Jennifer Barlow , T . C . Carson , Leland Crooke , Geno Silva , and Brian Thompson on the short - lived drama " Key West " . She also starred in at least two segments of the sexually - charged Showtime series " Red Shoe Diaries " ( one opposite Robert Knepper ) and had a recurring role as Dr . Gretchen Kelly on " Lois & Clark : The New Adventures of Superman " . Among those she worked with on the latter are Teri Hatcher , K Callan , Tony Jay , Tracy Scoggins , and Leslie Jordan . Her TV credits during the latter part of the 1990s include episodes of " Sisters " ( with Erich Anderson , Stephen Collins , and Frank Kopyc ) , " Diagnosis Murder " ( with Jeff Allin , Diedrich Bader , and Brad Blaisdell ) , and " Dr . Quinn , Medicine Woman " ( starring Chad Allen and Barbara Babcock ) , as well the 1998 TV movies " Pumpkin Man " and " Chance of a Lifetime " ( with the latter also featuring Michelle Horn ) . After the turn of the century , Crosby again worked alongside her TNG co - star Christopher McDonald in an episode of " Family Law " , which also starred Salli Elise Richardson and Julie Warner and guest - starred Nicholas Cascone . In 2001 , Crosby was seen in episodes of " NYPD Blue " ( along with Jeff Allin , Gordon Clapp , and Juliana Donald ) and " " ( with Ron Canada ) and guest - starred along with Rene Auberjonois in an episode of " Judging Amy " . She more recently appeared on such shows as " JAG " ( with Gary Graham and Scott Lawrence ) , " The Agency " ( with Ed Begley , Jr . , Daniel Benzali , and David Clennon ) , and " Crossing Jordan " ( with Miguel Ferrer , Zach Grenier , Eric Pierpoint , and Patti Yasutake ) . She made an appearance as the widow Margie Curtis in " The Secret in the Soil " , an episode of the FOX series " Bones " , which also featured Christopher Darga , and she portrayed the title character ' s very first victim in the " Dexter " episode " Popping Cherry " , in which she appeared alongside " Trek " performers Brad William Henke and Tom Schanley . Monica Staggs served as her stunt double in this episode . In 2008 Crosby portrayed the recurring role of Gertie , the horse trainer , in two episodes of the AMC series " Mad Men " . The episodes " For Those Who Think Young " and " The Benefactor " featured " Star Trek " performers Mark Moses , David Bowe , John Thaddeus , Deborah Lacey , Frank Novak , and Patrick Fischler . She also portrayed a company doctor who oversaw the operation of ' s character in the " Prison Break " episode " Going Under " . Leon Russom shared a scene with her ; Robert Knepper and Titus Welliver also had roles in this episode . In addition , she lent her voice to an episode of Seth MacFarlane ' s " Family Guy " which also featured the voices of the entire TNG main cast , including Wil Wheaton . The episode , " Not All Dogs Go to Heaven " , aired on March 29th . As a reference to her short stint on " Star Trek : The Next Generation " , Crosby was allowed one line before being murdered by Stewie . In 2009 Crosby finished shooting on the double episode " Blood and Fire " of the fan - based internet series " Star Trek : New Voyages " in which she played the character Dr . Jenna Yar , grandmother to her TNG character . This episode featured fellow " Trek " performers John Carrigan , Bill Blair , and James Cawley , and was written and directed by David Gerrold . Besides her work on the stage plays " Epitaph for George Dillon " ( June 2 - 15 at the 45th Street Theater in New York ) , " Beggars in the House of Plenty " , and " Orpheus Descending " in 2010 , Crosby portrayed Susan Salinger , wife of Detective Daniel Salinger ( played by Michael McGrady ) in the season finale of the NBC crime series " Southland " titled " Derailed " . " Star Trek " actors who appeared in this episode are Emily Bergl , Patrick Fischler , Sufe M . Bradshaw , and stunt coordinator Gregory J . Barnett . On her official site , Crosby announced that she would be returning to the series in two more episodes of its second season , " Butch and Sundance " and " Maximum Deployment " , in 2010 . Both episodes featured regulars McGrady , Fischler , and Bergl , while the first episode also featured Kevin Derr and Ian Patrick Williams . Crosby joined the cast for the audio drama series " Hothouse Bruiser " where she voiced Ginny Mills . Among the cast members are fellow " Star Trek " performers Michael Welch , Sonita Henry , Armin Shimerman , John Billingsley , and David Ghilardi , as well as Claudia Christian and Traci Lords , Crosby ' s co - stars from other projects . Crosby was also photographed by Adam Bouska for the NOH8 Campaign , together with fellow " Trek " actors Tim Russ , Chase Masterson , Dominic Keating , Jeri Ryan , and Robert Picardo . The same year she played the guest role of Diana Burt in the " " episode " " ( 2011 ) . This episode also features " Trek " actors Clyde Kusatsu and Scott Klace . Between October and December 2011 Crosby was directed by fellow TNG cast member Gates McFadden in the West Coast premiere of George Moss ' stage play " House of Gold " at the Atwater Village Theater in Los Angeles . In the third week of March 2012 Crosby filmed scenes for Showtime ' s television pilot " Ray Donovan " , " The Bag or the Bat " , starring . ENT guest actress Paula Malcomson co - starred in this episode and Josh Pais , Mark Casimir Dyniewicz , Paul Lacovara , and Jeremy Fry also have roles . Gregory J . Barnett worked as stunt coordinator . Following the pilot episode , Crosby returned as Deb in six more first season episodes . Again , she worked with Paula Malcomson and Josh Pais and also with Mary Mara , Michael McGrady , Todd Bryant , Shauna Duggins , and Tim Connolly . On 15 February 2014 , Crosby announced on her facebook page that she had a table read for the second season of " Ray Donovan " . She returned in the second episode of the second season , " Uber Ray " , reprising her role as Deb , followed by the third episode " Gem and Loan " and the fourth episode " S U C K " . She worked again with series regulars Paula Malcomson and Michael McGrady as well as with Josh Pais , fellow TNG alumn Brent Spiner , Christopher Doyle , and Thom Williams . For the fifth episode , " Irish Spring " , Crosby lent her voice . This episode also features Richard Fancy . In February 2014 , Crosby appeared in an episode of " Fireball Tim " , a web interview series . She then played Mary in the two 2014 " The Walking Dead " fourth season episodes " Us " and " A " where she worked with Jeff Kober . Crosby is also part of the 2014 documentary " Unearthed & Untold : The Path to Pet Sematary " , along with Brad Greenquist . After Crosby revealed in May 2014 that she ' ll return as Mary in season 5 of " The Walking Dead " , it was announced in September 2014 that she ' ll reprise her role for the opening episode of the fifth season , titled " No Sanctuary " . She reprised her role as Deb in the first episode of the third season of " Ray Donovan " , titled " The Kalamazoo " . Besides series regular Paula Malcomson , this episode also features guest actor Leland Orser . Crosby had a guest role in the drama series " Scandal " . Her episode , " Even the Devil Deserves a Second Chance " , premiered on 5 November 2015 on ABC . In September 2015 Crosby headed to Vancouver , BC to film scenes for an episode of SyFy ' s television series " The Magicians " . Crosby is guest starring in the episode " Mendings , Major and Minor " , aired in February 2016 . Besides Crosby , the episode also features Rick Worthy and Wayne Péré . More recently , she filmed the " Castle " episode " Death Wish " in the first week of February 2016 , portraying the villain , Dr . Marion Baker . Recent projects . She reprised her role as Deb in the " Ray Donovan " fourth season episode " Federal Boobie Inspector " in 2016 and was interviewed for the documentary " Celluloid Wizards in the Video Wasteland : The Saga of Empire Pictures " . The documentary also features Jeffrey Combs , Tony Todd , Kane Hodder , Gary Graham , Gerrit Graham , Jeffrey Byron , and J . Larry Carroll . In February 2017 , Crosby returned for a fifth season episode on " Ray Donovan " . More recently , she wrapped production on the short film " The Doctor ' s Case " ( 2017 ) and on the horror thriller " Itsy Bitsy " ( 2018 , with Bruce Davison ) in which she appears as Sheriff Jane . " Star Trek " interviews . Crosby was interviewed for the following specials :