Patrick Stewart, ‘Star Trek’ Captain and ‘X-Men’ Superhero, Dies at 86
Patrick Stewart, the British stage actor who became an international star as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men, has died aged 86. His spokesperson said he died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday after living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, surrounded by family and friends.
Stewart was cast as Picard in the late 1980s after decades of classical theatre, despite initial doubts from Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. The series premiered in 1987, ran for seven seasons and led to four films; its acclaimed episodes included “The Best of Both Worlds” and “The Inner Light”. Stewart later appeared as Xavier in the X-Men films, extending his fame beyond science fiction television.
In short
- Patrick Stewart has died aged 86.
- He became known worldwide as Captain Picard.
- His career also included the X-Men films.
Explained simply
Patrick Stewart was a British actor with a long career in classical theatre before he became widely known on screen. In the late 1980s, he took the lead role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a television series set in the future about a starship crew exploring space.
The series ran for seven seasons and spawned four films, making Picard one of Stewart’s best-known roles. He later played Professor Charles Xavier, a mentor to a group of people with unusual abilities, in the X-Men films. Together, the roles brought him audiences across generations and made him a prominent figure in science fiction.