Star Trek's Patrick Stewart dies at 86
The British actor, famous as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and as Professor X in X-Men, died at his home in Los Angeles.
Patrick Stewart, the British actor who became a global star as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at 86. His longtime spokesperson said he died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles after living with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Long before Hollywood, Stewart built his career on stage. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and appeared in dozens of its productions, and he kept returning to the theater throughout his life.
His casting as Picard in 1987 surprised many fans, but the role made him one of the best-known faces in science fiction. He played the captain for seven television seasons and in several films, and returned to the role decades later in the series Star Trek: Picard. He first played Professor X in the 2000 film X-Men.
Tributes came quickly from colleagues and admirers, including Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, William Shatner and George Takei. The Royal Shakespeare Company, where he was an honorary associate artist, also paid tribute. Stewart was knighted in 2010 for services to drama.
This summary is original reporting by tehworldnews, written after checking the facts against several major international news outlets and official statements.