This has been a very hard week for Star Trek fans. First, there was the passing of Walter Koenig earlier this week at age 90, and now Sir Patrick Stewart at age 86, following an aggressive bout of Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. Nevertheless, Stewart seemed to have remained busy until nearly the very end.
Patrick Stewart’s popularity grew well beyond his iconic, breakout role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and its darker spinoff Star Trek: Picard; he was a bona fide star, with his role as Professor Xavier in nine of the “X-Men” (and X-Men adjacent) movies, delivering an Oscar caliber performance in 2017’s “Logan.” The actor also appeared in 1976’s landmark BBC production of “I, Claudius,” and the long-running Seth McFarlane animated TV series “American Dad” (2005-present).
Stewart as Gurney Halleck, with Max von Sydow as Dr. Kynes, Kyle MacLachlan as Paul Atreides, and Jurgen Prochnow as Duke Leito Atreides in David Lynch’s stylish and dense adaptation of the Frank Herbert classic.
Before his breakout role in Star Trek, Stewart dabbled in other science-fiction movies, with supporting roles in David Lynch’s 1984’s adaptation of “Dune” and Tobe Hooper’s space-vampire flick “Lifeforce” (1985).
Sadly, I never actually met Patrick Stewart, despite his appearances at several conventions I’ve attended. To be honest, the lines to meet him were simply too intimidating. Now, I regret not finding the time and/or stamina to brave those crowds and share a quick meet-and-greet. Nevertheless, I have fond memories of seeing Stewart onstage at the ‘Sci-Fi Summit’ convention in Burbank, California, back in 2013. He was dressed in a hoodie, t-shirt and jeans, much like some of the attendees. Yet he had an indelible presence about him, no doubt honed from many years on stage.
Patrick Stewart at the Sci-Fi Summit convention inFebruary, 2013.
Holding court onstage, Stewart was frank and often hilarious–particularly when one obnoxious fan asked an inappropriate ‘gotcha’ question during the audience Q & A session. The fan asked Stewart why he gave interviews in 2002 stating that “Star Trek: Nemesis” was the best Star Trek Next Gen movie, only to dismiss it in future interviews. Stewart looked the fan straight in the face, and with unexpected candor, replied, “Well, there’s a very good reason for that, you see… I lied.“ Stewart then explained to the naive fan that his praise for “Nemesis” was part of a contractual press junket, and that promoting the film was mandated. The audience gave cheering applause for Stewart, as he owned the moment.
Stewart explains his contractual obligation to promote “Star Trek: Nemesis,” despite his own misgivings.
I was also present in 2018 at the Star Trek Las Vegas convention in the Leonard Nimoy Theatre, where I’d come back at the end of a William Shatner panel (which I missed most of) because I’d read earlier in the day that a ‘surprise’ was supposed to be dropped by then-current Star Trek producer Alex Kurtzman. Kurtzman hemmed and hawed about the announcement, before saying there was someone better qualified to make it…
…and an unannounced Patrick Stewart stepped onstage. He gave Kurtzman a big hug, and he immediately received a standing ovation. Stewart then spoke of how Captain Jean-Luc Picard changed him from an ‘unknown British actor’ and gave him his current career. He then revealed he was returning to the role of Jean-Luc Picard (notably absent was the title of ‘captain’) for a new series called “Picard,” which would soon premiere on Paramount+ in January of 2020, and run for three seasons. While the series that followed was terribly uneven, the electricity in that theater on that August afternoon of 2018 could’ve powered the city for a month.
After a long tiring day at work, I used to unwind in front of the old Sony and catch up with the crew of the Enterprise-D on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994), costarring Stewart, Lanei Chapman (for several episodes), Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner and Michael Dorn. This show was the very definition of ‘comfort TV’ in those days.
On a personal front, Patrick Stewart’s iconic role in Star Trek brings to mind a time in my life when Star Trek: The Next Generation was a restorative. I remember so many times when I’d come home to my old bachelor apartment after a soul-crushing day at work, before grabbing dinner and turning on my TV to lose myself in that wonderland of future optimism, where Stewart’s Picard acted as elder statesman and guide to a marvelous universe of endless worlds and possibilities.
It seemed as if there were few issues in that idealized 24th century that couldn’t be turned around with a well-worded speech from Jean-Luc Picard, though he was not superhuman. In fact, some of my favorite episodes were those where Picard expressed his physical and emotional limits, which allowed audiences to better relate to him. Picard–at least as he was depicted in the series–wasn’t a generic, two-fisted action hero. Despite his aloof command image, Picard was all-too human. Episodes such as “The Inner Light” (one of my favorites), “The Best of Both Worlds,” “Home,” “Chain of Command,” and “All Good Things…” see Picard at his most vulnerable.
The year 1994 saw Star Trek: The Next Generation make the transition to the big screen with the feature film “Star Trek: Generations” The movie came out in late November of that year, and I would see it some four times theatrically. While most fans have no great love for “Generations,” I’ve defended it vigorously for mainly personal reasons that wouldn’t pass a film critic’s sniff test.
Stewart as Picard pauses in mute grief, while leafing through a family album in “Star Trek: Generations.”
“Generations” saw the otherwise stoic Capt. Picard experiencing a powerful emotional upheaval following news from Earth that his headstrong brother Robert and his adorable young nephew René burned to death in a fire at Chateau Picard. The scene where Picard, leafing through his family photo album, suddenly breaks down in front of Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis) really hit me where I live.
1994 was a time of great loss and personal challenges for me, and the messages in “Star Trek: Generations,” intentional or not, really resonated with me at that time.
1994 was one of the most challenging years of my life. I was struck by a drunk driver on my motorcycle while coming home from work, which left me hospitalized for two months following multiple surgeries. I had to learn to walk all over again. After recovering sufficiently to move back into my old apartment building, my father would pass away unexpectedly from a massive heart attack at age 62. Three months later, “Generations” came out on a brisk November evening. Going to see Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D in the theater felt like a welcome hug from old friends– a much-needed return to the life I had before my world was turned upside down. Not for the first time in my life, Star Trek would be just the tonic I needed.
Picard and First Officer Will Riker prepare to move on to new challenges after the destruction of the Enterprise-D in “Star Trek: Generations”; an underrated Star Trek film; in my opinion, anyway.
In the movie, Picard’s feelings of mortality and loss find resolution. The movie isn’t a downer. As Picard later explains to first officer Will Riker (Jonathan Frakes), he’s gained new perspective on his existence; “I rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and reminds us to cherish every moment, because it will never come again. What we leave behind is not as important as how we’ve lived.” That line and its message reached through the screen to me, and Stewart delivered it perfectly.
Stewart was a longtime champion of the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the best friend of out-and-proud actor Ian Kellen, Stewart’s costar in the “X-Men” films.
Another performance of Stewart’s that struck a chord with me was that of witty, flamboyant interior designer Sterling in the romantic dramedy, “Jeffrey” (1995), costarring Steven Weber as a young, single gay man so terrified of contacting AIDS that he’s sworn off sex. Sterling’s young lover Darius (“Mad Men” costar Bryan Batt), a dancer in the Broadway musical “Cats,” has contracted AIDS, and middle-aged sugar daddy Sterling is now in the unenviable position of outliving his much younger partner. I remember renting the movie on VHS in 1996, about five years after my best friend from high school died of AIDS. Needless to say, Stewart’s performances really had a knack for hitting me where I lived in those days…
Stewart as Sejanus in the iconic 1976 television production of “I, Claudius.”
I realize this small tribute to the monstrous talent of Sir Patrick Stewart is wholly inadequate, though it is heartfelt. Stewart’s performances gave so much to audiences and fans in ways that can never be fully gauged. Busy until the end, his many fans can see the actor perform as Professor Charles Xavier for one final appearance in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” scheduled for release December 18th.
From the stage to the stars, Stewart’s career took him from an 18-year run with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company to a world-renowned career in popular TV and films. With so many roles preserved in various media, Sir Patrick Stewart’s talent will be appreciated by generations of fans to come.
Patrick Stewart,
July 13th, 1940–October 28th, 2026
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Man, the new comment UI is not user friendly.
Anyway, as I was trying to say, I prefer to focus on being grateful for the body of work he left us rather than grieving his loss. I can’t say for sure about Patrick himself, but I think that’s what Picard would have wanted, anyway.
For what it’s worth, I’ll also defend Generations. I don’t have as strong a personal connection with it, but I do think a lot of its themes are very powerful and relevant. It’s not the best Trek movie, but it definitely deserves more credit than it gets.