Patrick Stewart Remembered As a Colossus of Stage and Screen

3 min readActor, writer, and activist Sir Patrick Stewart died on Wednesday. He was 86. In a statement issued via his social media on October 29, his family wrote that the Star Trek star and renowned Shakespearean thespian left us following “a brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. “He will be remembered for the dignity, compassion, and humanity he brought to ever role—in his art and life,” the statement read.Since the news surfaced, an outpouring of grief rippled from his closest colleagues and collaborators. Notably among them, Sir Ian McKellen, a true friend and screen partner of Stewart’s for over 50 years across stage and film, wrote an emotional tribute to Stewart over social media.“Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end,” McKellan wrote. “He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”In 1987, Stewart was already a renowned stage actor in the UK with a handful of credits in movies like Excalibur and David Lynch’s Dune when he landed his star-making role: Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The series ran until 1994 and made Stewart a household name. Then, he starred in the summer blockbuster X-Men (2000), playing mentor Charles Xavier with McKellen opposite him as Xavier’s once-close friend turned philosophical antagonist, Magneto.Fellow actors who worked with Stewart across Star Trek, Marvel, and beyond also penned tributes and personal anecdotes in memory of Stewart. The Next Generation co-star LeVar Burton wrote in a public statement: “He was family. There is no other context in which to hold him that makes sense. I am lucky to have known and loved so many of the facets of a soul so rich in talent and generous of heart. Of all the dames and knights I’ve known, he was deep down the silliest.”Hugh Jackman, who starred in several X-Men installments with Stewart—including their acclaimed 2017 hit Logan—wrote on Instagram: “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”Television creator Seth MacFarlane, a noted Trekkie who cast Stewart in a handful of bit parts across Family Guy, American Dad, and his 2012 R-rated comedy Ted, said Stewart was, “that rare actor who could take any bit of dialogue and elevate it, making a good writer sound great, and a great writer sound masterful.”Wrote MacFarlane: “I remember exchanging emails with him a number of years ago when he was beginning day 1 of a new film. He commented to me that he always walked onto a new set feeling like the biggest novice there. My stunned reaction was the same as anyone’s would be. I said, ‘Patrick, if you feel that way, the rest of us are screwed.’ We have lost a legendary actor today, and for many of us, a good friend.”Dafne Keen, who worked with Stewart extensively in Logan as a child actress, remembered the late performer on her Instagram: “He was such a kind, genuine, funny, unique, caring and charming man. I remember his endless jokes, nurturing nature and colourful reading glasses. Every single day spent working by his side was an honour and a privilege I can’t quite believe I had. He was a walking master of his craft, and of life. One of the greatest of our time, on stage and on screen.”She continued, “I will forever hold those months we spent together close to my heart, and will always think of him as a pivotal part of how I view the world around me.”Shortly after the news of Stewart’s passing broke, players on Star Trek Online gathered in the game’s social areas to hold a virtual vigil in Stewart’s honor.Below, you can read more social media remembrances from Stewart’s many colleagues and creative partners, as well as theaters that were lucky enough to have Stewart grace their stages. As Jean-Luc Picard once said, “Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again."