Sir Patrick Stewart Dies at 86, Remembered with Music, Prayer and 'Profound Emotion'

Just months ago, he insisted he’d never retire. Now, the beloved star of stage and screen is being remembered by co-stars, friends, and fans around the world for his talent, kindness, and generous spirit.

Sir Patrick Stewart, known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Professor X in “X-Men,” has died at 86.

The news of Stewart’s death was announced by his family on Thursday on his Instagram, revealing he died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.”

“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” the statement also read. “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”

Stewart was born in Mirfield, in England’s West Riding of Yorkshire. He began his professional career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. The company has called him “a colossus of both stage and screen.”

In 1987, he landed the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” marking the beginning of a long career in the franchise, with more than 170 television episodes and four feature films, then returning for “Star Trek: Picard” from 2020 to 2023.

In 2000, he took on the role of Professor X in the “X-Men” films, alongside his longtime friend Sir Ian McKellen. He reprised the character one last time in "Avengers: Doomsday," his final film role, set for release on December 18.

Over the course of his six-decade career, he earned a Grammy, two Laurence Olivier Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a knighthood.

McKellen, who officiated Stewart’s wedding in 2013, remembered his friend’s openness. “He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and, in my case, love,” he wrote in a tribute following Stewart’s passing.

Wil Wheaton, who played Wesley Crusher on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” told the BBC that Stewart was “so kind, and so generous and gentle” with him. “He made me a better actor just by being there,” he said.

Fellow “Star Trek” actors William Shatner and George Takei also paid tribute. Takei called him an “irreplaceable legend.”

Apart from being an acclaimed actor, Stewart was also known for his advocacy on behalf of human rights, survivors of domestic violence, refugees, veterans’ mental health, and animal welfare, including his “cherished foster pitties,” according to his family. He loved motorsport and was a lifelong fan of Huddersfield Town Football Club.

Stewart never planned on retiring from acting. During his final interview in July, he told TV Insider, “I can’t imagine ever officially ‘retiring.’ I’ll always and forever be an actor.”

In lieu of flowers, his family has asked that memorial contributions be made to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s Caregiver Resources.