British actor Sir Patrick Stewart died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86, and his wife Sunny was with him. His family said he had two illnesses: Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. He leaves his wife and two adult children.
Stewart first worked in the theatre and later joined the Royal Shakespeare Company. He also performed A Christmas Carol alone on stage, playing every character. He won awards for his work. Queen Elizabeth II gave him the title ‘Sir’ in 2010.
He played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation for seven seasons, from 1987 to 1994. He played Picard in four films and returned in Star Trek: Picard from 2020 to 2023. He first played Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men in 2000. He also played Xavier in the film Avengers: Doomsday, which has not yet opened.
Stewart supported people who faced violence at home. After his death, other actors shared kind words about him. William Shatner called him a friend and a great actor. They worked together in Star Trek: Generations in 1994. X-Men actor Hugh Jackman said he learned a lot from Stewart.
