Sir Patrick Stewart, the actor who commanded the Starship Enterprise as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and led the X-Men as Professor Charles Xavier, has died at 86. His longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak confirmed his death on Thursday.
Stewart died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his wife Sunny. The news was announced in a statement posted to Stewart's Instagram account, which said his death followed a short illness with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.
"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 read. It added that his final days were spent held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears and laughter.
Stewart was born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, the youngest of three sons. His father was a regimental sergeant major in the British Army and his mother worked as a textile worker. He left school at 15 to work in local theater and went on to build his reputation with the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Stewart made his Broadway debut in 1971 and became one of the most decorated stage actors of his generation, winning three Olivier Awards and earning a Tony Award nomination. He was knighted in 2010 for his services to drama.
Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier
Stewart became a household name in 1987 as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a role he played for seven seasons and four films. The role made him the face of Star Trek for a generation of viewers who grew up watching the series. He returned to the character decades later as the lead of Star Trek: Picard, which ran from 2020 to 2023.
On the big screen, he was equally defined by Professor Charles Xavier, the role he first played in X-Men in 2000 and reprised across the film series through Logan. He later played a variant of Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
The statement also looked back on his work off screen, including his activism on behalf of human rights, survivors of domestic violence, global refugees and veterans' mental health services, along with his animal welfare work and his cherished foster dogs. It closed with a quote from his memoir, Making It So.
Stewart is survived by his wife Sunny and his two children. In lieu of flowers, his family has asked for memorial contributions to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America Caregiver Resources, and audiences will see him one final time as Professor Xavier when Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18.
