Patrick Stewart, acclaimed star of stage, screen and major science fiction franchises Star Trek and X-Men, has died aged 86.
The classically trained, Shakespearean British actor passed away on Wednesday, surrounded by his loved ones in LA after “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.”
Those were the words released by his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak.
“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” the statement added.
“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
Stewart was born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England.
A proud Huddersfield Town fan, Stewart made a name for himself in Blighty as a renowned stage actor.
He then went stateside and landed a career-defining role in the late 1980s as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Through several series and films, Stewart brought his sturdy, heroic presence to the Starship Enterprise, even when, in the early 2000s, he landed another iconic role, Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men.
Like Picard, it’s a role that was perfectly suited to Stewart’s gravitas, and he returned to Xavier time and time again.
He will even grace our cinema screens this December in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, an appearance that has now taken on greater poignancy.
Rest in peace, sir.
Make it so.
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