Archives revisit Patrick Stewart’s Picard years alongside Ian McKellan

Taking the captain’s chair

Stewart took on Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987. The series ran for seven seasons, and Stewart appeared in all 176 episodes alongside one other cast member.

He won multiple Saturn awards for the role. When Paramount ended the series, Stewart was prepared to leave Picard behind.

Ready to move on

A 1996 unauthorized biography by James Hatfield and George “Doc” Burt recounts Stewart speaking to colleagues after filming the final episode. He drew on psychiatrist Robin Skynner’s ideas about growth, change and letting go of stability. Stewart said he had worried about being typecast, describing Star Trek as a “luxurious albatross.” He also said the timing of the series’ end suited him.

Returning to Picard

After The Next Generation, Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise. He also continued portraying and voicing Picard in Star Trek films and video games. Beginning in 2020, he starred in three seasons of Star Trek: Picard. In a TV Insider interview in July 2026, Stewart said Jean-Luc was the most significant role of his career and expressed gratitude for being part of the franchise.

A conflicting timeline

The account says Stewart died on October 28 at age 86, but it does not give a year for his death. It also describes him giving an interview in July 2026, leaving the sequence of events unclear. The headline names Ian McKellan, but the account provides no details about him.