Sir Ian McKellen led a wave of tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart following the actor's death at the age of 86, calling him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation" on either side of the Atlantic. Stewart died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home after what his family described as "a brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. "We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace," the family said in a statement. He is survived by his wife, Sunny Ozell, and his two adult children from his first marriage, Daniel and Sophie Stewart.
"He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and, in my case, love," said McKellen, Stewart's longtime friend and X-Men co-star, who officiated Stewart's 2013 wedding. The two first met as young actors in the Royal Shakespeare Company, where McKellen recalled expressing caution when Stewart considered taking the role that would define him to millions: Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation. "He took the risk, and thank goodness for us all that he did," McKellen said.
From Yorkshire to the Bridge of the Enterprise
Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, in 1940, Stewart discovered Shakespeare at school and made his first public appearance in a church production of Cinderella before joining the RSC in 1966, where he played King John, Oberon and Henry IV. The company remembered him as a "colossus of both stage and screen" and "one of the finest classical Shakespearean actors of his generation." McKellen said that although the US became Stewart's "adopted home," he "never forsook his origins," and had called his appointment as chancellor of Huddersfield University the proudest achievement of his career.
Stewart depicted Picard in more than 170 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation between 1987 and 1994, four feature films, and returned to the role in 2020's Star Trek: Picard. William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk, said Stewart brought "intelligence, grace and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did," adding: "Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him." George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu, said Stewart "inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a brighter future for all humanity."
Stewart later found a second signature role as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise; McKellen noted that Stewart's final film appearance will be as Professor X in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Hugh Jackman, his X-Men co-star, called him a "tremendous friend and man," saying "we lost one of the greats of stage and screen today," while Marvel Studios described him as "a singular talent, a generous collaborator and a true gentleman." Dame Harriet Walter, who met Stewart in his theatre days more than 40 years ago, told BBC Newsnight his passing was like "a huge giant tree has fallen in the forest," adding: "I've never heard a bad word against him. And I think the world's going to be very poor without him."
Beyond his best-known roles, Stewart's range extended to comedy: Seth MacFarlane, who worked with him on Family Guy, American Dad! and Ted, called him a "rare actor who could take any bit of dialogue and elevate it," while Ricky Gervais, whose show Extras Stewart guest-starred in, simply called him "a legend." Stewart was also a lifelong supporter of English Football League club Huddersfield Town, which called him "a titan of his craft."
