Patrick Stewart dies at 86: Star Trek's Captain Picard and X-Men's Professor X

Sir Patrick Stewart, the stage actor who became a global name as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at 86. His family announced on Thursday, 29 October, that he died the day before at his home in Los Angeles, with his wife, the singer Sunny Ozell, by his side.

The statement, posted on his own social media accounts, said he died “following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia”. By Thursday evening his name was among the top searches in Pakistan, as fans who grew up with him on cable TV and in cinemas looked for what had happened.

What his family said

“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles,” the statement began. It described him as “a Knight, Chancellor, motor sport enthusiast, and lifelong Huddersfield Football fan”, and spoke of the “peaceful ease” on his face at the end.

The family also pointed to the work he did off screen: campaigning for human rights, survivors of domestic violence, refugees, veterans’ mental health and animal welfare, including the rescue pit bulls he fostered. Instead of flowers, they asked people to give to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund or the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s caregiver resources.

Marvel Studios said he “leaves behind an indelible cultural footprint and legacy” and sent condolences to his family, friends and fans.

From Mirfield to the starship Enterprise

Stewart was born on 13 July 1940 in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, and started acting professionally at 19. He spent years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, from 1966 to 1982, long before Hollywood knew his face.

That changed in 1987, when he was cast as Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He played the calm, bald, tea-drinking captain for seven seasons and four films, and came back for three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Lines like “Make it so” and the famous “facepalm” still travel as memes and reaction GIFs, including in Pakistani group chats where most people have never watched a full episode.

In 2000 he became Professor X, the telepathic mentor of the X-Men, a role he carried through the original films and into Logan in 2017. He also voiced characters in The Prince of Egypt, American Dad! and The Simpsons, and took on Shakespeare again on stage and screen, including a television Hamlet in 2010.

He was made an OBE in 2001 and knighted in 2010. His awards included two Laurence Olivier Awards and a Grammy, along with Emmy, Tony and Golden Globe nominations.

His last role: Avengers: Doomsday

Stewart’s final screen appearance will be as Charles Xavier in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, due in cinemas in December. It will be the ninth time he has played the character.

He is survived by his wife Sunny Ozell, whom he married in 2013, and his two children from his first marriage, Daniel and Sophie.