Patrick Stewart, ‘Star Trek’ and ‘X-Men’ star, dies at 86
British actor Patrick Stewart, best known for his roles in “Star Trek” and “X-Men,” has died at 86, according to a statement posted on his X account, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The statement said Stewart died at his Los Angeles home after living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. His diagnoses had not previously been disclosed.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund https://t.co/luC5CdcWDy Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources https://t.co/zvNptfyuNd Photo Credit: Tommy Garcia https://t.co/XNncEVq56X
— Patrick Stewart (@SirPatStew) October 29, 2026
Stewart played Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films. He also spent 14 years with the Royal Shakespeare Company and was knighted in 2010.
In a tribute on X, Ian McKellen recalled their decades-long friendship.
“He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love,” McKellen wrote.
SIR PATRICK STEWART (1940-2026) Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love. We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in 'Star Trek'. “But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?”. Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes ('X-Men' of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway. America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire. His farewell performance in 'Avengers: Doomsday' is yet to be seen. Ian McKellen 29 October 2026 Photo: University of Huddersfield
— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) October 30, 2026
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which presents the Oscars, also paid tribute on X, praising the humanity Stewart brought to his characters throughout a career spanning more than six decades.
“Even the greatest heroes could be uncertain,” the Academy wrote, adding that “strength could exist alongside vulnerability, and that compassion was never a weakness.”
There was something extraordinary about the way Sir Patrick Stewart could make even the most powerful characters feel profoundly human. Whether commanding the bridge of the Enterprise or guiding a generation of young mutants, Sir Patrick Stewart brought a tenderness to his characters that made us feel we knew them. Behind that unmistakable voice was an actor who understood that even the greatest heroes could be uncertain, that strength could exist alongside vulnerability, and that compassion was never a weakness. Over a career spanning more than six decades, his performances became woven into the lives of generations who grew up watching him. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Professor Charles Xavier, and so many others, he left us with characters we loved, lessons we carried, and memories we'll always treasure.
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) October 29, 2026
Earlier, Qazinform explored how Alzheimer’s disease changes life for the whole family, highlighting the challenges faced by people living with the condition and the relatives caring for them.
