Star Trek and X-Men star Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86
"He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman..."
Sir Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, died on Wednesday, October 28th, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86.
His spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak and Marvel Studios announced the news on Instagram. The statement said he died in the care of his wife, Sunny Ozell, after "a brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
"All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart. Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from “X-Men” to “Logan” to “Avengers: Doomsday.”, Marvel wrote in a post.
"He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art."
A career built on the stage
Born in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1940, Stewart left school at 15 to work as a newspaper reporter before winning a grant to attend the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and spent much of his career on stage, including Harold Pinter's No Man's Land and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot alongside his friend Ian McKellen. He was knighted in 2010.
On screen, Stewart became a household name as Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which began in 1987, and later returned to the role in several films and in Star Trek: Picard. He played Xavier from 2000's X-Men through Logan, and is part of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which opens December 18th.
Gamers knew his voice from The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Castlevania: Lords of Shadow. His other film credits include 1984's Dune and the Ted films. He is survived by Ozell and his two children, Sophie and Daniel Stewart.
