Actor Patrick Stewart Dies at 86

Sir Patrick Stewart died on Oct. 28 after living with Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia. The actor was 86. He is widely recognized for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise.

Stewart’s career began in 1966 with the Royal Shakespeare Company in England. That early stage work connected him with fellow actor Sir Ian McKellen. McKellen noted in a social media post on Oct. 29 that they first met as young actors but were not in the same productions. He recalled a later encounter in central London where Stewart discussed an offer to take a leading part in Star Trek. McKellen tried to dissuade him from the role, but Stewart accepted the part that launched his international television career.

The Star Trek series, which began in 1987 and ended in 1994, established Stewart’s profile on screen. He continued the role in four subsequent films. His presence in the franchise provided a foundation for his later work in blockbuster cinema, including his return to the Marvel universe.

Stewart and McKellen’s professional relationship deepened significantly during the production of the first X-Men film in 2000. That production utilized several locations in Toronto, including Casa Loma, the Gooderham & Worts Distillery complex on Mill Street, Metro Hall Council Chambers, and Roy Thompson Hall. Filming also took place in Rouge National Urban Park. Sequels X2: X-Men United in 2003 and X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006 were also shot in Toronto and Vancouver.

McKellen attributed the strength of their personal bond to the downtime during those early X-Men shoots in Canada. In a 2020 Facebook post, he stated that he and Stewart became best friends while filming in Toronto and Vancouver. He added, “O Canada, thank you.” The pair later shared the stage in England for productions of Waiting for Godot in 2009 and No Man’s Land in 2013. McKellen also officiated at Stewart’s 2013 wedding to his third wife, Sunny Ozell.

Beyond acting, Stewart received various honors and awards for his contributions to the arts. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth in 2010 for his work in British drama. He won a Grammy in 1996 for Best Spoken Word Album for Children for Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf. In October, he shared that his latest audiobook of Shakespeare’s sonnets had been submitted for Grammy consideration. McKellen described Stewart’s appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire in 2004 as his highest achievement in life.

Co-stars offered public tributes following the news of his death. William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek series, wrote on Facebook that Stewart was a friend, colleague, and magnificent actor. Shatner said that Captain Picard represented the best of humanity and that he held deep affection for Stewart’s work. Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in the X-Men films, stated on social media that Stewart was a tremendous friend and that he learned much from him. Jackman added that he would miss Stewart for the rest of his days.

Stewart will appear as Professor Xavier in the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled for theatrical release in December. The family has asked for memorial contributions to be made to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources in lieu of flowers.