Photos show Patrick Stewart's legendary career, from Shakespeare to 'Star Trek'

Patrick Stewart, the 86-year-old British actor, has passed away following a brief battle with Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia. Known for his memorable roles in both theater and film, Stewart was best recognized for his portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the long-running television series Star Trek: The Next Generation. The iconic character remained with Stewart for 36 years, from the premiere of the series in 1987 to the conclusion of the show's spin-off, Star Trek: Picard, in 2023.

Beyond Star Trek, Stewart was also celebrated for his role as Professor Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, in the X-Men series. He played the character eight times within the franchise and reprised it for the final time in Avengers: Doomsday. In addition to his acting career, Stewart was a devoted theater actor, a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company from 1966 to 1982, and was knighted by the Queen in 2010 for his services to drama.

He was a Shakespeare enthusiast, often sharing his favorite sonnets on Instagram during the pandemic.

Stewart's acting career began in 1959 with a performance in Cyrano de Bergerac. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, made his Broadway debut in A Midsummer Night's Dream in 1971, and received numerous awards and nominations throughout his career. His Tony Award nomination was for his performance in Macbeth in 2008, while his Drama Desk win was for his one-man production of A Christmas Carol in 1992. He appeared in dozens of productions in both London and New York throughout his career.