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Patrick Stewart, the British actor who played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor X in the X-Men films, has died at 86.
Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles on October 28, following a brief illness involving Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, his spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak announced the following day. His wife, Sunny Ozell, was with him.
"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," the spokesperson said.
Stewart became a familiar face to television audiences in 1987 when he began playing Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He remained associated with the character long after the series ended in 1994, returning for four films and later reprising the role in Star Trek: Picard, which ran from 2020 to 2023.
He found another major audience as Professor X, the leader of the X-Men, appearing in the film franchise over more than two decades. His career also included roles in Dune, voice work on Family Guy and American Dad!, and years of performing Shakespeare on stage.
Born on July 13, 1940, in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, Stewart left school at 15. An English teacher encouraged his interest in acting, eventually leading him to Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, building a reputation as a stage actor before his work on screen brought him international recognition.
Stewart was knighted in 2010 for his services to drama. He also won a Grammy for narrating Peter and the Wolf and published his memoir, Making It So, in 2023.
Away from acting, he was involved in campaigns supporting human rights, refugees, survivors of domestic violence and animal welfare.
