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BRITISH actor Sir Patrick Stewart, whose portrayal of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films made him a global star, has died at the age of 86.
Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles following a battle with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, according to a statement posted on his official X account.
He was surrounded by his wife, American musician Sunny Ozell, when he died.
"We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday 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," Reuters cited the statement saying.
Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, Stewart rose from a poverty-stricken childhood to become one of Britain's most distinguished actors, initially earning recognition through his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company from the 1960s.
He began acting professionally at 18, but achieved international fame only after being cast as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation at the age of 47.
The television series, which ran from 1987 to 1994, followed the adventures of the USS Enterprise crew and established Stewart as the face of one of science fiction's most enduring franchises.
His portrayal of the thoughtful and disciplined starship captain extended beyond the series' 176 episodes to several Star Trek films and the later streaming series Star Trek: Picard, which premiered in 2020.
Picard's signature commands, "Make it so" and "Engage", became among the franchise's most recognisable catchphrases.
Stewart initially had reservations about accepting the role, with his friend and fellow actor Ian McKellen advising him to remain in theatre rather than take up the science-fiction television offer.
He later acknowledged how closely his own identity had become intertwined with the character.
"As the seven seasons of TNG ('The Next Generation') went by, the distinction between Jean-Luc Picard and Patrick Stewart became thinner and thinner, until it was impossible for me to know where he left off and I began," he told The Guardian in 2022.
Stewart went on to establish another major franchise presence as Professor Charles Xavier, the wheelchair-using leader of the X-Men, beginning with the 2000 film X-Men.
He reprised the role in several subsequent films, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022, often appearing alongside McKellen, who portrayed Magneto.
His final appearance as Professor X will be in Marvel Studios' upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December.
Marvel Studios paid tribute to the actor, describing him as "a singular talent, a generous collaborator and a true gentleman".
Beyond his screen career, Stewart's early life was marked by poverty and domestic abuse. He had spoken publicly about his father's struggles with alcoholism and post-traumatic stress disorder following World War Two, and the physical abuse his mother endured.
He credited a schoolteacher who introduced him to Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice when he was 12 with inspiring his interest in acting, describing the stage as a safe space during his childhood.
Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for his services to drama.
At the time, he described the honour as the greatest professional achievement of his career, citing British acting legends Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud and Alec Guinness as his heroes.
He was married three times and had two children. He married Ozell in 2013. - October 30, 2026
