Star Trek and X-Men actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died after a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s and dementia.
A statement on his Instagram said the 86-year-old died at home in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
The West Yorkshire actor achieved global fame playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987, which ran for seven years.
He also played Professor Charles Xavier in multiple X-Men films, beginning with the original in 2000, and recently appeared in a trailer for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
Sir Patrick was also a veteran of the stage, appearing in the West End and Broadway, and was nominated for a Tony Award for his much-praised take on Macbeth.
Tributes paid to ‘beloved’ actor
Sir Ian McKellen, a long-time friend of Sir Patrick who he starred alongside in the X-Men franchise, described him as “a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love”.
McKellen, who officiated Stewart’s wedding in 2013, said he “wore his heart on his sleeve” and called him “the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic”.
Marvel Studios paid tribute to “a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman”.
It said he brought the Professor X character to life with “extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans”.
Star Trek actor William Shatner was among the first to pay tribute, calling Stewart “a magnificent actor” who would be “deeply missed”.
“He brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did,” Shatner wrote on X.
“Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work.”
Wolverine star Hugh Jackman said the acting world had “lost one of the greats” and a “tremendous friend and man”.
“I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days,” Jackman wrote.
Stewart’s family said he died “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia”.
They said he was surrounded by “live music, prayer, tears, laughter” during his illness.
“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grave,” a statement said.
His family also paid tribute to his time with the Royal Shakespeare Company, appearances on Broadway, and his love of Huddersfield football club.
They said his acting career was matched by his philanthropy and campaigning on issues such as domestic violence, veterans’ mental health services, and animal welfare.
‘Bringing Shakespeare to Star Trek’
Born in Mirfield, near Huddersfield, Sir Patrick memorised Shakespeare for fun as a teenager and moved to Bristol after getting a scholarship at the Old Vic Theatre School.
He forged a career as a character actor and was part of the Royal Shakespeare Company for 14 years, playing the likes of Oberon, Mark Antony, Henry IV and Shylock.
Sir Patrick’s big international break on screen came when he landed the lead in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
His iconic role as Jean-Luc Picard made him a star stateside and the show ran for 178 episodes and spawned four feature films.
“There is a formality to the way they [starship commanders] speak and comport themselves that remind me of numerous Shakespearean situations I’d been in onstage,” Stewart wrote in his memoir.
“I should play Jean-Luc, I realised, as if he were a character in Henry IV, which is about brave men.”
The actor also opened up in the 2023 book about why he campaigned for domestic violence survivors (he was a patron for the charity Refuge).
He said he and his brother would wait in fear of their father, a former army major, coming home drunk and beating their mother.
“Sometimes it was with an open hand, other times a closed fist. Always he aimed for her head,” he said.
Stewart also showed his comic credentials later in his career with dozens of guest appearance in hit animated comedies Family Guy and American Dad – as well as two episodes of The Simpsons.
In his last Simpsons part, his character consoles Homer after he loses his hair. Stewart had his distinctive look for years after going bald at 19 due to alopecia in his family.
Sir Patrick was married three times, most recently to singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell – nearly 40 years his junior.
They met when she served him in a restaurant during the New York run of his hit Macbeth production.
In an interview with People, he said they got talking and she told him she had tried unsuccessfully to get a ticket.
He recalled: “It was the only time in my life I’ve given someone my telephone number and said, ‘Call me, I can get a ticket.’
“And that’s what we did. And she came backstage afterward and we had dinner and here we are.”
The acting great is also survived by two adult children from his first marriage, daughter Sophia and son Daniel.
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