Actor Patrick Stewart, best known for playing Professor Charles Xavier, dies at 86: Tributes pour in
New Delhi: Sir Patrick Stewart, the British actor whose career spanned more than six decades across theatre, television and cinema, has died at 86. Best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, Stewart passed away at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday (October 28).
His death was announced through a statement shared on his official social media accounts. He was surrounded by his wife, Sunny Ozell, when he died following what his family described as a brief battle with and Lewy body dementia.
Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86
“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife, Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” the statement of the family read.
Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, Yorkshire, Stewart grew up in a working-class family. His childhood was difficult, with his father returning from the Second World War struggling with alcoholism and post-traumatic stress. Stewart had spoken openly about witnessing domestic abuse at home and trying to protect his mother from his father’s violence.
His introduction to acting came through a schoolteacher who encouraged him to explore Shakespeare when he was 12. Stewart later described acting as a “safe space” during his childhood. He began pursuing the profession at 18 and went on to establish himself as a respected stage performer.
Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86: Tributes pour in
X-Men co-star Ian McKellen, who is known for playing Magneto opposite Professor X in Marvel movies, penned a heartfelt tribute on social media.
He wrote, “Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”
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“We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in ‘Star Trek’. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”. Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men’ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway,” he added.
He further continued, “America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire. His farewell performance in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ is yet to be seen.”
Actor Hugh Jackman, who played Wolverine in X-Men movies, shared a picture with Patrick and wrote, “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”
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William Shatner, who worked with Patrick in Atar Trek: Generations (1994) wrote on social media, “What a heartbreaking week it has been. Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did. Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work. My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed.”
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Patrick’s Logan co-star Dafne Keen, who played Laura, wrote, “I heard of Patrick’s passing earlier today, which is funny in a kismet kind of way, considering I was drafting an email to send him late last night, something I hadn’t done in quite some time. He was such a kind, genuine, funny, unique, caring and charming man. I remember his endless jokes, nurturing nature and colourful reading glasses. Every single day spent working by his side was an honour and a privilege I can’t quite believe I had. He was a walking master of his craft, and of life. One of the greatest of our time, on stage and on screen.”
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Russo Brothers also paid tribute to the actor and wrote, “We’ve been lucky enough to work with some of our childhood heroes. And Sir Patrick Stewart will always be one of them. A legendary actor with an unmistakeable presence, and an unmatched integrity. Thank you for entertaining all of us, sir. And for teaching us humanity, both on and off the screen.”
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Who was Sir Patrick Stewart
Before becoming a familiar face to television and film audiences, Patrick Stewart spent years developing his craft on the British stage. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s and performed in several productions of the playwright’s works. His career took a major turn in 1987 when he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series continued until 1994, running for seven seasons and 176 episodes. Stewart was 47 when he took on the role, which eventually became one of the defining performances of his career.
Stewart’s association with science fiction continued when he joined the X-Men film franchise as Professor Charles Xavier in 2000. The wheelchair-using mutant leader introduced him to another generation of viewers and established him as a central figure in two major entertainment franchises.
Stewart received several honours during his career, including three Olivier Awards and a Grammy. In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II knighted him for his services to drama during a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.
Patrick Stewart will be next seen in Avengers: Doomsday, which will mark his final film.
Written By Uditi Sharma!