(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
British actor Patrick Stewart, whose portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” made him a global television icon, died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86.
Stewart’s death was announced Thursday by his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, who said the veteran actor died surrounded by loved ones following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” Novak said in a statement posted on Instagram.
Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, England, Stewart rose from a difficult childhood to become one of Britain’s respected Shakespearean actors before achieving international fame through television and film.
His breakthrough came in 1987 when he took on the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” a science-fiction series that ran for seven seasons and earned 18 Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award.
Stewart’s portrayal of the commanding Starfleet captain became synonymous with the memorable lines “Engage!” and “Make it so.”
He later reprised the character in four feature films and the television series “Star Trek: Picard,” which aired for three seasons beginning in 2020.
Beyond the “Star Trek” franchise, Stewart gained another generation of fans through his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” film series, appearing alongside longtime friend Ian McKellen.
He also played Gurney Halleck in director David Lynch’s 1984 science-fiction film “Dune” and appeared in “Logan” in 2017.
From Shakespeare to Hollywood
Long before becoming a Hollywood star, Stewart had established himself as a distinguished stage performer.
He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and built a reputation for his commanding voice and performances in classical theater.
His stage achievements included Olivier Awards for “Antony and Cleopatra” in 1979 and “Hamlet” in 2009, as well as the London Fringe Theatre best actor award for “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” in 1986.
Despite criticism from some theater colleagues over his transition to mainstream television and Hollywood films, Stewart remained proud of his work in popular entertainment.
“They used to ask me ‘Why, why, why?’ as if I was somehow slumming it,” Stewart told The Independent in a 2003 interview.
“What snobbery!” he said.
“For huge numbers of people, I will always be Jean-Luc Picard, and that’s fine. I really believe we created an admirable individual.”
Stewart was the youngest of three sons born to Alfred Stewart, a British Army regimental sergeant major, and Gladys Barrowclough Stewart, a textile factory worker.
With a career spanning more than six decades, Stewart became widely recognized for his distinctive baritone voice, powerful stage presence and memorable performances across theater, television and film.
His portrayals of Captain Picard and Professor Xavier remain among his most enduring contributions to popular culture.
