Stars mourn Patrick Stewart: ‘I can’t imagine a world without him’

Before he commanded the Starship Enterprise, Patrick Stewart was known for his commanding presence on the Shakespearean stage. Born in northern England, Stewart's love for theater began in childhood, nurtured by his mother who performed in amateur dramatics. He was encouraged by an English teacher and won a scholarship to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

After a hand-to-mouth childhood, Stewart's stage career took off when he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, staying for a decade and a half. He returned to the company later, performing over 40 productions, and moved from supporting roles to starring roles such as Shylock, Prospero, Macbeth, Henry IV, and Mark Antony.

While his career on screen and stage was often challenging, a balance that even his friend Ian McKellen cautioned him about, it was his return to Shakespeare that Stewart found most fulfilling. His deep bond with Shakespeare and the stage continued to define his career, even after his success in "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and "X-Men".