The staff at Ars Technica is joining people around the globe in mourning the death of Sir Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed award-winning actor widely celebrated for his iconic roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, who died at the age of 86.
Family Statement and Memorial Requests
According to a statement issued by his representatives, the actor passed away at his residence in Los Angeles under the care of his wife, Sunny, after experiencing a brief journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia. The statement noted that he was surrounded by family, friends, live music, prayer, laughter, and deep emotion, maintaining his grace until the end.
Through his official X account, the family asked that supporters make memorial donations to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources instead of sending flowers.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1940, Stewart discovered his passion for acting at age 12 when an English teacher gave him a script for Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice and assigned him the part of Shylock. He later portrayed the same character for the Royal Shakespeare Theater, alongside numerous other stage roles. He experienced hair loss at age 19 due to alopecia, and before securing a scholarship to the Bristol Old Vic Theater School, he worked briefly as a furniture salesman and a cub reporter. He secured his debut professional acting role in 1959, portraying a marooned pirate for the Lincoln Repertory Company in a production of Treasure Island.
