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Patrick Stewart dies at 86 after Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia

Sir Patrick Stewart, Captain Picard in Star Trek and Professor X in X-Men, died on October 28 at his Los Angeles home, aged 86.

Femi Oluleye3 min read

The Star Trek and X-Men star died at his Los Angeles home on October 28, in the loving care of his wife Sunny, his rep said.

Sir Patrick Stewart, the actor known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, died on October 28 at his home in Los Angeles, aged 86, after a battle with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. A statement from his rep confirmed the news.

His longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said in the statement: "We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday 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." A flower was left on his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Stewart played Picard for seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, from 1987 to 1994, and later returned to the role in Star Trek: Picard. He was also Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, a role he originated in the 2000 film. Stewart is also back in the part for the forthcoming *Avengers: Doomsday*, which is due out on December 18.

Stewart said in 2022 about playing Picard:

"As the seven seasons of TNG went by, the distinction between Jean-Luc Picard and Patrick Stewart became thinner and thinner, until it was impossible for me to know where he left off and I began."

Stewart was a lifelong supporter of Huddersfield Town, the English Football League club, which called him a "titan of his craft" and said his legacy would live on. The club said: "Fiercely proud of his Yorkshire roots, Sir Patrick was a Terrier in every sense, and we're proud to have counted him as one of our own."

Sir Ian McKellen, who played Magneto opposite him in the original X-Men films, called him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation". In a longer tribute on X, McKellen wrote: "He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love."

Marvel Studios called him "a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman." William Shatner, who played Captain James T. Kirk alongside him in Star Trek: Generations, wrote on X that Stewart brought "intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did".

Ricky Gervais posted on X: "RIP Patrick Stewart. What an actor." In the post he said: "I still can't believe he agreed to do this scene. And he didn't even mind when I ruined every take." Hugh Jackman, who starred as Wolverine in several X-Men films, called Stewart a "tremendous friend and man".

Michelle Dyson, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Society in the UK, said: "His death is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating impact dementia has on people and families across the globe."

Stewart's survivors are his wife Sunny Ozell, an American singer he wed in 2013, his son Daniel Stewart, an actor, and a daughter, Sophie. Memorial contributions may be made to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's caregiver resources, in lieu of flowers.

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