Actor Sir Patrick Stewart, known for Star Trek and X-Men, dies at 86
British actor Sir Patrick Stewart died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday at the age of 86. His family said he had Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
- Patrick Stewart died aged 86 at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 28.
- His family said he had Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
- He was known as Captain Picard in Star Trek and Professor Xavier in X-Men.
- He was knighted in 2010.
British actor Sir Patrick Stewart, known worldwide for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men films, has died at the age of 86. He died on Wednesday, October 28, at his home in Los Angeles, according to a statement from his family.
The death was announced on Thursday on his official Instagram account. The statement said: "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." Gulf News reported that he was surrounded by family and friends in his final days. Euronews said spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak confirmed the illness.
The family's statement also said: "We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace." The message added: "His sonorous voice and singular talent will forever be synonymous with indelible performances in every genre."
Stewart was born in 1940 in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, and began his acting career in the theatre. He became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and performed on London's West End and on Broadway. His career spanned more than six decades.
His best-known screen role was Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran from 1987 to 1994. He returned to the part in the films Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002), and later in the series Star Trek: Picard.
He also played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise for more than two decades. Euronews reported that he spent much of his career on stage, with roles including Claudius and Macbeth, and that he often performed a one-man adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
Stewart appeared with his longtime friend Ian McKellen in West End and Broadway productions of Harold Pinter's No Man's Land and Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot. He was knighted in 2010 for services to drama.
He is survived by his wife, the singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell, and by his two children from his first marriage.
Why it matters
Stewart's Star Trek and X-Men roles made him a widely watched figure among film and television fans in Pakistan.