Actor Patrick Stewart Dies at 86

Sir Patrick Stewart, the British actor known for commanding both a starship and a mutant academy, died Wednesday at the age of 86. He died at his home in Los Angeles. A post on his Facebook and Instagram pages stated that he passed after a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

Stewart was born in Yorkshire, England, where he described his upbringing as harsh. He recalled his father as alcoholic and abusive. He found refuge in school and Shakespeare. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. In 1970, he debuted on Broadway in A Midsummer Night's Dream. In a 2023 interview with NPR, Stewart said, "To stand in the middle of an empty stage in an empty theater and feel that I was at home was everything. But it took a while for me to get there."

His path to television was reluctant. While lecturing on Shakespeare at UCLA, producers approached him for the lead role in a new Star Trek series. His colleague Ian McKellen advised him against the move. McKellen told him, "Don't do this, Patrick. You're a very good stage actor. That's where you ought to be. Don't do it."

Stewart’s agent suggested the role was a quick gig. He recalled being told, "Do six months' work. Make some money for the first time in your life and get well known. Get a suntan, and go home. And I thought, 'Yeah, that doesn't sound too bad. I could live with that.'"

Star Trek: The Next Generation became a hit. It aired for seven seasons from 1987 to 1994. Fans embraced Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard. The character was known for his cool-headed leadership and signature phrases such as "Engage!" and "Make it so!" Stewart later returned to the role for the series Picard, which began streaming on Paramount+ in 2020. Writer Michael Chabon, who pitched the show, said, "I would've been happy just shaking Patrick Stewart's hand and telling him how much I loved him on Star Trek. But to be able to actually write words that he will speak and act is, it's incredible."

Stewart also starred in the X-Men franchise, beginning in 2000. He portrayed Professor Charles Xavier in multiple films. He is scheduled to appear in the role one final time in the upcoming movie Avengers: Doomsday. Between these franchises, he performed in an award-winning one-man version of A Christmas Carol, playing more than 40 roles.

His career spanned stage, screen, and voice work in animated films. He collaborated with actors including Judi Dench and Ian McKellen. Stewart died surrounded by the legacy of his work, leaving behind a body of performance that defined two of the most popular science fiction franchises of the late 20th and early 21st centuries.

The next major appearance for Stewart will be in Avengers: Doomsday. The film is expected to release in the near future, marking his final on-screen appearance as Professor X.