Sir Patrick Stewart, star of stage, cinema, and the small screen, has sadly passed away at the age of 86, as announced by his longtime representation Kelly Bush Novak. Throughout his career, he amassed dozens of credits across all mediums and elevated every project he was a part of.
Novak shared, per The Hollywood Reporter, that Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.”
She added, “He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all … We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
Given his prolific career, it’s hard to pinpoint his one most beloved role. However, if it did have to be boiled down to his landmark performance, it would likely be Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Stewart brought the role to life in four movies: Star Trek: First Contact, Star Trek: Insurrection, and Star Trek: Nemesis. He returned to the role for the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard.
Continuing his work in genre projects, Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in 2000’s X-Men, in what is arguably some of the all-time best casting in a superhero movie ever. He subsequently starred in X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Logan. Following Marvel Studios acquiring 20th Century Fox, Stewart returned to reprise the role of Professor X for the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, where he will finally get to cement the legacy of the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Perhaps a testament to how beloved and warm of a presence the actor was throughout the decades, he has only a few horror credits to his name. He starred in Tobe Hooper‘s Lifeforce before he took on the role of Picard. In 2016, he took on a completely against-type role in Jeremy Saulnier‘s Green Room, in which he played the leader of a Neo-Nazi gang and a punk club in Oregon. A testament to what a powerhouse performer he was, his turn as the antagonist was an absolutely chilling role.
Our thoughts go out to Stewart’s family and friends in this difficult time.
