The legendary actor, perhaps best known for his work on Star Trek as Captain Picard, has passed away, according to a statement posted to his Instagram, which was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The statement also disclosed that theYorkshire-born actor had been living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Born in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1940, Stewart joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at the age of 26 before becoming a household name as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation from 1987 to 1994. He later revisited the role in four feature films and the three-season Star Trek: Picard series. He also played Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men. He was knighted in 2010, and published his memoir, Making It So, in 2023.
“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles,” the statement reads, noting that he was “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny” after “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.” It added that “He will be remembered for the dignity, compassion and humanity he brought to every role,” and asked for donations to Alzheimer’s research and caregiver charities in lieu of flowers.
The statement also quotes his memoir:
“Like me, Jean-Luc has lived an unusual life that has taken him far beyond the bounds of normal human experience. But he is also someone who has remained true to his earthbound roots, for they are what gave him his identity. In the end, he feels the call of home, as do I.”
In gaming circles, his performance as Emperor Uriel Septim VII in The Elder Scrolls IV is, of course, the standout, with Zobek in Castlevania: Lords of Shadow and the reprisal of Professor X in 2005’s X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse.
My enduring memory of the man will remain the way he approached the Ice Bucket Challenge back in August 2014, in support of ALS research: signing a check, getting a bucket of ice, adding a few cubes of ice to a glass of something nice, and drinking it with a smile to the camera. Pure class.
Godspeed, Captain.
