Star Trek And X-Men Icon Sir Patrick Stewart Dead At 86

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"Star Trek" actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 86, his longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak posted to Instagram, noting that the actor died as a result of Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. 

Though there's no question Stewart was known globally for his role as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in the "Star Trek" franchise, his career actually reached way back to the 1960s. The star got his start in theater, having fallen in love with Shakespeare when he was just 12 years old, and he ultimately went on to become a part of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. Though he did a few films around the same time, it was only in the late 1980s that he became a mainstream public figure thanks to the "Star Trek" franchise. That's not to say he was upset about it, though. On the contrary, in an appearance on "Q with Tom Power," he explained of becoming famous just before his 50s, "I think by then I was matured enough not to be overwhelmed by the experiences." Stewart also spoke about the benefits of becoming famous when he was older in his book, "Making it So: A Memoir." In that, he explained he was grateful to have worked in a variety of different roles as a younger actor, and even mused that he wished others could've had the same experience. 

Of course, late or not, Stewart did go on to become a household name, and in addition to the "Star Trek" franchise, he was also beloved by "X-Men" fans for his role as Professor Charles Xavier. Even then, though, he made a point of drawing from his Shakespearean roots. In fact, in one interview with PBS NewsHour, he shared that whether he was looking at the complexity of one of Shakespeare's characters or one of his sci-fi roles, his approach remained "exactly the same."

Sir Patrick Stewart is survived by his children, Daniel and Sophie, whom he welcomed with his first wife, Sheila Falconer. The actor was very open about not always having a great relationship with his kids, telling Independent in 2009, "I could've done better as a parent, when my kids were little ... I was just obsessed with my work and everything else took second place." He went on to share that he was trying to work on said relationships, especially with his grandchildren. In 2023, he alluded to their relationship having hit another rough patch. It's not clear if there was a private reconciliation in the years that followed, but we're wishing Daniel, Sophie, and Stewart's grandchildren peace at this time. 

Other than his children, Stewart is also survived by his third wife, Sunny Ozell. The couple was incredibly close, and some may remember their sweet Instagram posts commemorating anniversaries. Those who followed the actor's personal life may also recall that their 2013 wedding was officiated by Stewart's best friend (and onscreen nemesis), fellow "X-Men" star Sir Ian McKellen, who announced his role in the nuptials in an interview on "The Jonathan Ross Show." If that wasn't enough of a sign of the actors' closeness, they also regularly featured in interviews together, and in 2015, they even locked lips on the red carpet. Speaking of that to USA Today, McKellen had quipped, "It's a nice thing about Patrick ... he is a straight man who has absolutely no problem with having gay friends. I think he gave me a kiss because he thinks I would like it." They smooched once again in 2020. 

Stewart certainly had ups and downs in his life, but he also made a point of wearing his heart on his sleeve. We are keeping all of his loved ones in our thoughts.