Patrick Stewart, known for Star Trek and X-Men roles, dies at 86

What's new

Actor Patrick Stewart has died at 86. His representatives announced that he passed away on Wednesday, October 28, at his home in Los Angeles, with his wife Sunny by his side. The statement said his final months involved a short but difficult period with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Through his official account, the family asked that, instead of flowers, people give to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.

Why it matters

Stewart was a Shakespearean stage actor whose screen work reached a global audience. He played Jean-Luc Picard across 176 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and returned to the role in later series and films. He also played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, reprising it in seven further movies. According to Complex, he is set to appear posthumously in Avengers: Doomsday, a detail that will matter to fans of both franchises.

What others say

Several outlets reported the death with tributes. Ars Technica described the news as a loss felt across the world, while Complex, citing The Hollywood Reporter, noted that his longtime spokesperson confirmed the details. Onmanorama and Cinema Express also reported the death and the wider Hollywood reaction.