Patrick Stewart, the English actor celebrated for his commanding voice and screen presence, died at 86 at his home in Los Angeles. An announcement shared on his X account said he had experienced a brief illness involving Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was surrounded by family and friends, with music, prayer, tears and laughter. The statement remembered him for bringing dignity, compassion and humanity to his work and personal life, as well as for his philanthropy and activism.
Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, Stewart left school at 15, worked as a newspaper reporter and furniture salesman, then trained as an actor. He made his professional theater debut in 1959 and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966. His career reached a worldwide audience after he moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s to play Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran from 1987 to 1994. He returned as Picard in several films, including Star Trek: Generations, First Contact, Insurrection and Nemesis, and also became known to audiences for his role in the X-Men franchise. His causes included human rights, support for domestic violence survivors, refugees, veterans’ mental health and animal welfare.
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Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed Shakespearean actor who became famous as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Professor Charles Xavier in “X-Men,” has died at 86. Knighted for his contributions to drama, he died at his Los Angeles home after living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. (reuters.com)
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