Sir Patrick Stewart, the beloved stage and screen star best known for his role as Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” has died at the age of 86. The news of his death came first the new York Times.
A fixture on stage and screen for the past six decades, Stewart was equally active in classical drama and contemporary genre entertainment. Born in Mirfield, England in 1940, Stewart attended the Bristol Old Vic Theater School and began acting with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. He remained a member until 1982, playing many of the Bard’s most iconic roles and becoming a leading performer on British television. This would already have been enough to call his acting career successful, but in the late 80s Hollywood stardom demanded him.
In 1987, Stewart played the career-defining role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. As the second-in-command captain of the USS Enterprise, he became the face of “Star Trek” and remained synonymous with the franchise throughout his life. He played the role on seven seasons of “The Next Generation” and reprized it in four films. He reprized the role in the final years of his life in the three-season series “Star Trek: Picard,” which captured an older version of the character and allowed Stewart to reprise his most iconic role.
Stewart’s most notable film role arguably came in the “X-Men” franchise, in which he played Professor Charles Xavier. He first played the role of the mutant superhero team leader in Bryan Singer’s 2000 film “X-Men.” He would continue to play the character for the rest of his life, appearing in seven films for 20th Century Fox and then bringing the character into the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Disney acquired the IP. The multiverse timeline has allowed him to continue returning even after the character’s (multiple onscreen) deaths; He will next be seen in “Avengers: Doomsday” in December.
Stewart’s film and TV success did not affect his stage work, as he continued to lead various Shakespearean and contemporary productions on New York and London stages during the rest of his life. He was also an in-demand voice actor, lending his signature baritone to 122 episodes of “American Dad” as well as countless other animated films, shows and video games.
Throughout her career, Stewart won two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, and received three Primetime Emmy nominations and a Tony Award nomination. He is survived by his wife Sunny Ozel and their two children.