‘Star Trek’ Star Gates McFadden Pays Tribute to Patrick Stewart: His Portrayal of Jean-Luc Picard Gave People Hope Around the World

Gates McFadden has paid tribute to Patrick Stewart, reflecting on how his public conduct and portrayal of Jean-Luc Picard gave people a model of ethical leadership. She says the response to his death showed how strongly audiences value leaders whose principles inspire hope, fairness and a belief that difficult problems can be solved.

McFadden recalls Stewart’s love of theatre and imagines the kind of final stage performance he might have enjoyed, while acknowledging that he died peacefully with his wife, Sunny Ozell, by his side. She credits the wider *Star Trek* team with creating Picard, but says Stewart brought that shared vision to life through his acting and the way he carried himself in public.