Patrick Stewart Played One Of TV's Most Outrageous Characters For Over 20 Years
Patrick Stewart brought gravitas to his best-known roles, but one long-running TV character let him be gloriously ridiculous for more than 20 years.
Sir Patrick Stewart is most famously recognized for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series. However, for over 20 years, he also portrayed one of television's most outrageous characters. Fans of the animated series American Dad! were familiar with Stewart in the role of CIA Deputy Director Avery Bullock.
This character, a creation of Seth MacFarlane, showcased Stewart's penchant for absurdity, his fondness for illicit substances, his commitment to engaging in bizarre romantic relationships, and his collection of uninhibited quirks. Bullock was a significant departure from Stewart's usual Shakespearean roles, but fans enjoyed the stark contrast.
During a 2015 interview with Time, Stewart expressed his enthusiasm for playing Bullock. He praised the experience, stating, "Playing Deputy [CIA] Director Bullock opened up opportunities for me I just hadn't had before. Playing an obnoxious, loud, opinionated, vulgar-minded, self-obsessed character was just fantastic. And fun!"
Stewart's praise for the show was not limited to that era. In his 2013 Oxford Union speech, he reflected on the immense pleasure the series brought him, both because of its brilliant, scabrous, offensive, and provocative writing and because of the people involved, whom he found adorable. With Stewart's passing at the age of 86, American Dad! fans paid tribute to both the actor and his wild animated counterpart.
Fans on Reddit expressed their grief over the loss of a "once in a lifetime talent." They singled out Stewart's portrayal of Avery Bullock as a favorite character, expressing that they would miss his unique presence on the show. Hollywood, including American Dad! co-creator Seth MacFarlane, paid tribute to Stewart. MacFarlane shared a heartfelt farewell on Instagram, calling Stewart a "legendary actor" and a "good friend."
He also recounted the privilege of working with Stewart on American Dad! and Family Guy, among other projects.
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