British actor Patrick Stewart, who gained worldwide fame for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the series "Star Trek" and Professor Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" films, has died at the age of 86.
The actor's death was announced on October 29 by his representative Kelly Bush Novak, according to The Guardian. The information was also confirmed on Stewart's official social media pages.
The actor died on Wednesday, October 28, at his home in Los Angeles. According to his representative, Stewart suffered from Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
The actor spent his final hours surrounded by family and close friends. According to a statement from relatives, loved ones were by his side, music was playing, and his departure was peaceful.
Patrick Stewart was born on July 13, 1940, in the town of Mirfield in the English county of Yorkshire. He began his acting career in theater, and in 1966 he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company, where for many years he played leading roles in productions of William Shakespeare's works.
Stewart gained international fame playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the science fiction series "Star Trek: The Next Generation", which aired from 1987 to 1994. He played the commander of the starship Enterprise for seven seasons, and later returned to the character in four feature films.
In 2020, Stewart reprised the role of Picard in the standalone series "Star Trek: Picard", which ended in 2023.
Another landmark role for the actor was Professor Charles Xavier — founder of a school for mutants and leader of a superhero team in the "X-Men" film series. He first appeared in this role in 2000 and subsequently returned to the character several times, including in the film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness".
During his more than sixty-year career, Stewart also appeared in films such as "Excalibur", "Conspiracy Theory", "Green Room", and participated in numerous stage productions in London and New York.
He worked with actor Ian McKellen, with whom he had a long-standing friendship. Among their joint theater projects were productions of Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot" and Harold Pinter's "No Man's Land".
In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II knighted Patrick Stewart for his services to drama. Among the actor's professional awards are a Grammy Award and two Laurence Olivier Awards. He was also nominated multiple times for Emmy and Golden Globe awards.
In addition to his acting career, Stewart supported charitable organizations dedicated to helping victims of domestic violence, human rights advocacy, and refugee support.
The actor is survived by his wife, singer Sunny Ozell, and two adult children from his first marriage.
The family asked that those wishing to honor Stewart's memory make donations instead of sending flowers to organizations supporting Alzheimer's disease research and caregivers for dementia patients.
Based on materials from: The Guardian, People, The Hollywood Reporter.
