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Sir Patrick Stewart Dies at 86
· Confirmed
In Short: Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed British actor known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 'Star Trek' and Professor Charles Xavier in 'X-Men,' died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, at the age of 86.
Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed British actor known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 'Star Trek' and Professor Charles Xavier in 'X-Men,' died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, at the age of 86.
A statement posted to Stewart's social media accounts said he died 'in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny.'
Sir Ian McKellen, Stewart's longtime friend and co-star from the X-Men franchise, shared a moving tribute to his colleague of 50 years, calling Stewart 'the most respected and beloved actor of his generation.'
Born in Mirfield, England, in 1940, Stewart's love for drama began at school where he was introduced to Shakespeare. His first public performance was in a local church production of Cinderella.
Stewart's acting career began in earnest in the late 1950s with his debut as Cutpurse in an adaptation of 'Cyrano de Bergerac.' He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, where he met McKellen in 1974.
Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, crediting his former English teacher for encouraging him to pursue acting.
McKellen praised Stewart's Yorkshire roots, noting that his accent and honesty were defining traits.
Stewart's career spanned film, television, and theater, with notable roles in 'Star Trek,' 'X-Men,' and Shakespearean plays.
Canadian actor William Shatner, known for his role as Captain James Kirk in 'Star Trek,' said the news was 'heartbreaking.'
Stewart's contributions to the global film and television world are significant, with his portrayal of Captain Picard endearing him to a generation of science fiction fans.
Dame Harriet Walter, who first met Stewart in his theatre days more than 40 years ago, said his passing was like 'a huge giant tree has fallen in the forest.'
What this adds
Stewart's death was announced on his social media accounts, confirming he passed away after a 'brief and poignant journey' with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
The pair's friendship and professional relationship extended beyond their roles in 'X-Men,' with McKellen officiating Stewart's wedding in 2013.
Stewart's legacy includes mentoring many actors and using his international celebrity to support various causes and roles in great classical plays.
Background
Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed British actor known for roles in 'Star Trek' and 'X-Men,' died at his home in Los Angeles.
Sir Patrick Stewart, the beloved British actor famous for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 'Star Trek' and Professor Charles Xavier in 'X-Men,' died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28, at the age of 86.
What's confirmed
- A statement posted to Stewart’s social media accounts said he died “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny”.
- Actor Sir Ian McKellen, who played Magneto opposite Stewart’s Professor X in the X-Men franchise, shared a moving tribute to his friend and colleague of 50 years.
- Watch: The life of legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart Sir Ian McKellen has led tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart following his death at the age of 86, calling him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation".
- “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues,” McKellen wrote in a statement posted to social media.
- “We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. ‘But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?'” McKellen continued.
- Patrick Stewart, the beloved actor most known for performances in Star Trek and X-Men, has passed at the age of 86.
- “From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did,” Shatner wrote.
What's still developing
- ‘We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.’ Stewart’s contributions to the global film and television world can’t be understated.
- According to a 2016 New York Daily News article, the latter destination is one that Stewart once said reminded him "very much of the Northern Yorkshire town" in which he was raised.
- Answering a query about his "favorite journey," Stewart responded: "The last few miles to my house in the Yorkshire Dales." A remote English escape surrounded by waterfalls, the Yorkshire Dales is an upland area characterized by lovely rolling hills, beautiful national park lands, and old stone walls around peaceful farms.
- Throughout the rest of Stewart's illustrious acting career, he'd travel even further afield, living everywhere from Los Angeles to Brooklyn.
- "Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did," McKellen wrote, praising Stewart's success across film, television and theater.
- Stewart's spokesperson announced his death in a statement on social media, saying the actor died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following a "brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
- Ian McKellen wrote a moving tribute to Patrick Stewart, his close friend of many years, following his death Thursday at age 86 after suffering from Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia.
- In addition to the original “X-Men” in 2000, Stewart and McKellen starred in in the sequels “X2” (2003) and “X-Men: The Last Stand” (2006), then made a cameo in “The Wolverine” (2013) before fully reprising their roles in 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past.” Stewart also starred in 2017’s “Logan,” and both appear in “Avengers: Doomsday,” which will be released this December.
- His Instagram account announced the news yesterday, saying he died at home in Los Angeles surrounded by friends and family, following "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia".
- "For 65 years I've ruled as Tamriel's emperor. But for all these years I've never been the ruler of my own dreams. I have seen the gates of Oblivion, beyond which no waking eye may see. Behold, in darkness a doom sweeps the land. This is the 27th of Last Seed, the year of Akatosh 433. These are the closing days of the Third Era, and the final hours of my life."
- "His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed."
- "a legendary actor with an unmistakeable [sic] presence, and an unmatched integrity."