Patrick Stewart, the legendary actor known to many as Captain Jean-Luc Picard from the Star Trek universe and Professor Charles Xavier from the X-Men film franchise, died on Wednesday at the age of 86. An Instagram post announcing the news says Stewart passed after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia.
If you look back at the slate of work Stewart has put out into the world, you’ll find over six decades worth of performances. The actor cut his teeth in the world of Shakespearean stage productions and smaller TV projects, mostly in the UK, before bursting into mainstream popularity in 1987, leading the crew of the Enterprise in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Read more: Patrick Stewart, who gracefully steered Star Trek into its next generation, has died at the age of 86
Along with Picard, he is best known for the role of Professor Charles Xavier, the wheelchair-using leader of the X-Men. His final performance as Professor X will be seen in Avengers: Doomsday later this year.
To remember Stewart, you can tune in to many of his projects on various streaming services. Because I stuck to roles that can be streamed, his memorable performances as Ebenezer Scrooge in 1999’s A Christmas Carol, John Thornton in 1975’s North & South and the ghost of Hamlet’s father in 2009’s Hamlet, for example, are not listed.
Read more: ‘Star Trek: Picard’ Season 3 Review: The ‘Next Generation’ Reunion We’ve Been Waiting For
Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard (1987-2023)
Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
CBS
Stewart made Star Trek an obsession for me, and his performance as Captain Jean-Luc Picard is simply iconic. He starred as Picard in seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation before bringing the character to the big screen in four films in the huge franchise. Stewart reprized his role as Picard in the aptly titled series Star Trek: Picard, which ran for three seasons, with the last being a must-see TNG reunion.
The X-Men franchise (2000-2017)
After making a name for himself, boldly going where the Enterprise took him, Stewart went on to an even more legendary role: Professor Charles Xavier in the 2000 X-Men film. He reprized his role as the leader of the X-Men in six installments in the franchise, including the stand-alone Wolverine film, Logan. In December, audiences will see him one last time in the role in Avengers: Doomsday.
Green Room (2015)
It wasn’t common to see Stewart in a villainous role, so his performance as Darcy Banker in Green Room is an exciting turn for the actor. The film mostly takes place in a bar that caters to a white supremacist crowd, and Darcy isn’t just the bar owner, he’s their soft-spoken, violent leader.
Moby Dick (1998)
American ZoetropeStewart starred as Captain Ahab in the 1998 miniseries adaptation of Herman Melville’s epic Moby Dick. The series follows the quintessential story of Ahab’s hunt for the white whale and delves into his history and relationships, introducing his wife, Elizabeth. Costarring in the series are Gregory Peck, Piripi Waretini and Henry Thomas.
Dune (1984)
David Lynch’s take on Dune may have been a box office failure, but in the years since it hit theaters, the film has achieved cult status. Stewart takes over the supporting role of Gurney Halleck, who played Josh Brolin in the new Dune franchise.
The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Stewart had a recognizable, resonant voice, and his voice actress appeared in a number of animated films. The Prince of Egypt stars the actor as Pharaoh Seti I, the film’s antagonist. He was joined by a stacked slate of talent, including Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Steve Martin and Sandra Bullock.
Extras (2004)
Screenshot by Aaron Pruner/CNETSometimes the best Stewart was the one who made fun of Stewart. In the first season of the Ricky Gervais comedy series Extras, Stewart appeared as an enhanced version of himself. He may have only appeared in one episode (Episode 6, to be exact), but he definitely left an impact.
Jeffrey (1995)
Screenshot by Aaron Pruner/CNETJeffrey is a comedy that came out at a time when gay-themed movies were few and far between. The film stars Steven Weber as the titular character, who decides to celibate for fear of contracting AIDS. It should be noted that this is a comedy and Stewart and Weber, along with Michael T. Weiss, Bryan Bratt, Nathan Lane and Sigourney Weaver, deliver on that front.
The Sheep Detectives (2026)
One of Stewart’s last roles is that of Sir Ritchfield, the elderly sheep, who was featured in The Sheep Detectives, from Amazon MGM Studios. The film follows a group of sheep who take it upon themselves to investigate the untimely death of their shepherd, George Hardy, played by Hugh Jackman.
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