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Patrick Stewart, renowned actor and ‘Star Trek’s’ Captain Picard, dies at 86
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Sir Patrick Stewart, the Shakespearean actor who commanded the U.S.S. Enterprise as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, died Wednesday, Oct. 28, at his Los Angeles home. He was 86. Spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak said he passed away after a short struggle with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Bush Novak said he had been "held in the warm embrace of family and friends," surrounded by live music, prayer, tears and laughter. She described "the peaceful ease and reflection on his face" as an enduring reminder of his "invincible grace." Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010.
Stewart's defining role came in 1987, when he was cast as Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation." The spinoff ran until 1994, spanning 178 episodes across seven seasons. He then starred in four "Star Trek" features, from 1994's "Generations" to 2002's "Nemesis." He returned as Picard in three seasons of Paramount+'s "Star Trek: Picard," from 2020 to 2023.
Beyond "Star Trek," Stewart played the telepath Professor Charles Xavier in Marvel's "X-Men" films, beginning with the 2000 original and continuing through "X2," "The Last Stand," "Days of Future Past" and 2017's "Logan." He will appear again as Xavier in "Avengers: Doomsday," due around Christmas. Earlier credits included 1981's "Excalibur" and David Lynch's 1984 "Dune."
His death came less than a week after Walter Koenig, another "Star Trek" veteran, died, leaving fans and colleagues to mourn a career that spanned radio, stage and screen.
Stewart also toured a one-man stage show performing every character in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol." Tributes highlighted the gravitas and humanity he brought to every performance. His legacy, colleagues said, will endure long after the final frontier.
