Patrick Stewart, Star Trek and X-Men actor, dies aged 86
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Patrick Stewart, the classically trained British actor who brought Shakespearean depth to the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, has died aged 86.
Stewart died in Los Angeles on Wednesday following a brief illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, his spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak said. His diagnoses had not previously been disclosed.
He was best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, but spent much of his career on stage, performing in productions of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Macbeth and other classical works.
Stewart won three Olivier Awards and received a Grammy in 1996 for his spoken-word recording of Peter and the Wolf. His acclaimed portrayal of Macbeth, which transferred from Britain to Broadway in 2008, earned him his only Tony Award nomination.
He frequently collaborated with fellow actor Ian McKellen, including in productions of Waiting for Godot and No Man’s Land. McKellen paid tribute to his friend, describing him as a man to admire and love. Hugh Jackman, his X-Men co-star, also praised Stewart’s talent and friendship.
Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, Stewart grew up in a working-class family and joined an amateur drama group at 12 before studying at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
In his memoir, Making It So, he also recounted the domestic violence he witnessed as a child, speaking openly about his father’s abuse of his mother.
