Patrick Stewart dies at eighty-six

Sir Patrick Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was eighty-six. His representatives said he died following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.

The captain of the Enterprise

Stewart was best known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the role that made him a global icon and defined his career for millions of viewers worldwide.

Professor X in the X-Men

He also starred as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, beginning with the two thousand film and reprising the role in six more films and multiple video games.

Born in Yorkshire in nineteen forty

Stewart was born in Yorkshire, England, in nineteen forty.The acting bug bit him at age twelve when his English teacher handed out scripts for Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and asked him to read Shylock.

His signature bald head

Stewart's signature bald head emerged around age nineteen, thanks to alopecia. He briefly worked as a cub reporter and furniture salesman before winning a scholarship to Bristol Old Vic Theater School.

First professional role in nineteen fifty-nine

Stewart landed his first professional role in nineteen fifty-nine, playing a marooned pirate in a production of Treasure Island for the Lincoln Repertory Company. He worked regularly in theater and British television.

Big break in his late forties

Stewart's big break came in his late forties. A TV producer developing Star Trek: The Next Generation heard him lecture on Shakespeare at UCLA and thought he would make a perfect captain for the Enterprise-D.

Gene Roddenberry's initial doubt

Creator Gene Roddenberry was not initially keen on Stewart for the role. But Stewart's audition changed his mind, and the rest became television history.

Ian McKellen's reaction to the offer

Fellow actor Sir Ian McKellen, who first met Stewart at the Royal Shakespeare Theater, recalled Stewart telling him about the Star Trek offer. McKellen said he warned Stewart about risking his stage career in Hollywood.

“But Patrick, think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”

Stewart's pride in Picard

Stewart never expressed anything but pride in the role.In two thousand three he told The Independent: For huge numbers of people, I will always be Jean-Luc Picard, and that's fine.

“For huge numbers of people, I will always be Jean-Luc Picard, and that's fine. I really believe we created an admirable individual.”

TNG ended in nineteen ninety-four

Star Trek: The Next Generation ended in nineteen ninety-four. It was not long before Stewart created another iconic role, starring as Professor Charles Xavier in two thousand's X-Men alongside McKellen as Magneto.

Serious actor, never too serious

Stewart was a serious actor who never took himself too seriously. He relished Shakespeare, Ibsen and Beckett but also threw himself into comedic TV appearances on Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show and Sesame Street.

Voice work and other roles

He voiced Napoleon in nineteen ninety-nine's Animal Farm, CIA Deputy Director Avery Bullock on American Dad, and earlier this year, Sir Nitchfield in the delightful Sheep Detectives.

Charity work and advocacy

Stewart found time for charity work, advocating for domestic violence prevention and PTSD awareness among members of the armed forces, drawing on his own childhood being raised by an abusive father.

McKellen's tribute to his friend

Sir Ian McKellen said: 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.

“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.”

Ars staff remember Stewart

Ars Technica staff shared their own reminiscences about Stewart and what he meant to them, reflecting on his roles, his kindness, his range as an actor and his impact on their lives.

Memorial contributions requested

Through Stewart's X account, the family requested that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.