Patrick Stewart, ‘Star Trek’ Captain and ‘X-Men’ Superhero, Dies at 86

Sir Patrick Stewart, the renowned British actor recognized for his portrayal of Star Trek's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86. Stewart had a distinguished career as a classically trained actor, spending nearly two decades with the Royal Shakespeare Company. His journey into television began in 1967 when he took on the role of a fire officer in the British soap opera Coronation Street.

It wasn't until 1987 that he secured the iconic role of Picard, the captain of the starship Enterprise in the live-action Star Trek spinoff, The Next Generation.

In an interview on the BBC talk show Parkinson, Stewart recounted a humorous anecdote about how Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry addressed a question regarding his casting. When a reporter inquired about the possibility of male pattern baldness being cured by the 24th century, Roddenberry famously replied, "No, by the 24th century, no one will care."

Stewart portrayed the character of Picard for seven seasons on The Next Generation, as well as in four theatrical films. His career beyond Trek included starring in various one-off TV projects, such as USA Network's Moby Dick miniseries and TNT's A Christmas Carol, as well as voicing characters in animated series like American Dad and Family Guy.

In 2015, Stewart returned as a series lead in Starz comedy Blunt Talk, which ran for two seasons before being cancelled in late 2016. He also reprised his role as Captain Picard in Paramount+ Star Trek: Picard in 2018. Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for his contributions to drama and was a multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominee.