British actor Sir Patrick Stewart, known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the Star Trek franchise and Professor Charles Xavier in X-men, has died.
He was 86 and had enjoyed a career spanning more than six decades in theatre, television and film.
His family said in as statement:
“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.
“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayers, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to all of us.
“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
Stewart was born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, Yorkshire. He grew up in a working-class family and developed an early interest in acting.
He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, where he established himself as a leading classical actor.
His early television appearances included Coronation Street (1967), I, Claudius (1976) and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979).
He achieved international fame in 1987 when he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran for seven seasons until 1994.
Stewart reprised the role in four Star Trek feature films between 1994 and 2002 and returned for the television series Star Trek: Picard from 2020 to 2023.
He gained another generation of fans playing Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, beginning in 2000.
His other film appearances included Excalibur (1981), Dune (1984), Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and Green Room (2015).
Stewart also starred in television adaptations of Moby Dick, A Christmas Carol and The Lion in Winter, and made comedy appearances in Frasier and Extras.
He received two Laurence Olivier Awards, a Grammy Award and multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations, and was knighted in 2010 for services to drama.
Outside acting, Stewart campaigned against domestic violence, supported humanitarian causes and published his memoir, Making It So, in 2023.
He is survived by his wife, Sunny Ozell, and two children.
