The British actor died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home following Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, his family said
LOS ANGELES – Sir Patrick Stewart, the British actor best known for playing Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek” and Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films, has died at 86. His family announced the death Thursday.
Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny,” following a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, according to a statement from his spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak. The statement said he was surrounded by family and friends, live music and prayer.
Stewart played Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” in the films that followed and in “Star Trek: Picard.” He played Xavier in more than half a dozen “X-Men” films, including “Logan,” and returns in the upcoming “Avengers: Doomsday,” which is expected to be his final on-screen role, according to LADbible. Marvel Studios said he brought Xavier to life with “extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity.” Stewart also had a prolific award-winning stage career and did voice work on “Family Guy” and “American Dad.”
Seth MacFarlane, who created those shows, wrote that Stewart was one of those icons everyone took for granted would always be around.
He is survived by his wife, the singer Sunny Ozell, his son, the actor Daniel Stewart, and his daughter, Sophie. His family asked that memorial contributions go to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and to Alzheimer’s Foundation of America caregiver resources.
This report draws on information from CBS News, NBC News, Deadline and Playbill.