‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ Captain Picard Star Patrick Stewart Dies at 86

Death announced in Los Angeles

Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, according to longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak. She said he had experienced “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.” Bush Novak said Stewart was surrounded by family and friends, with music, prayer, tears and laughter. She wrote that those close to him would remember his “invincible grace.”

From stage to the Enterprise

By the late 1980s, Stewart had spent decades working in classical theater in England, but he was little known in the United States. Star Trek: The Next Generation producer Robert Justman saw him read Shakespeare at a UCLA lecture and invited him to audition.

Gene Roddenberry, the Star Trek creator, initially opposed casting Stewart, doubting that a bald British actor could lead the new series. After a difficult casting process, Stewart won the role of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and signed a long-term contract, expecting the show to last no more than one season.

A series finds its audience

The series premiered in September 1987, two months after Stewart turned 47. It first struggled to win over Star Trek fans, some of whom saw the new cast as rivals to the original crew. The show gained momentum with its 1990 season-three finale, “Best of Both Worlds.” The episode introduced Star Trek’s first cliffhanger and ended with Picard abducted and assimilated by the Borg.

A lasting screen legacy

Stewart brought a Shakespearean sensibility to his science-fiction roles, becoming widely known as Picard and as Charles Xavier in the X-Men films. He once said he admired those characters for their morality, kindness, sensitivity and compassion.

Stewart later recalled that agents, directors, screenwriters and actors had warned him the series might not survive its first year. He said that advice was part of why he signed a six-year contract.