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Oh captain, our captain: Ars staff remembers Patrick Stewart

PolicyOctober 31, 20261 min read

Ars Technica staff share their grief after the death of Sir Patrick Stewart, the famous British actor who played Captain Picard in Star Trek and Professor Xavier in X-Men. He died at age 86.

The news

Sir Patrick Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles at age 86. His family said he had Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia, two illnesses that hurt the brain and memory. His wife Sunny was with him. The family asked that people give to two Alzheimer's groups instead of sending flowers.

Key facts

Age at death: 86
Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1940
Started acting at age 12, when his English teacher gave him a Shakespeare script
Lost much of his hair around age 19 because of alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss
First professional role: a marooned pirate in Treasure Island in 1959

A long acting career

Stewart is best known for two roles. He played Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films. Before he became famous, he worked as a cub reporter, which means a new journalist, and as a furniture salesman. He then won a scholarship to the Bristol Old Vic Theater School. Later he played Shylock for the Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Why it matters

Stewart was loved by fans of science fiction, superhero movies, and classic theater. Ars staff say his calm, strong character as Picard shaped how many people see a wise leader. His death is a loss for fans around the world.

What to watch

Tributes from fellow actors and Star Trek and X-Men fans
Donations to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer's Foundation of America Caregiver Resources

Glossary

Ars: Ars Technica, a tech news website that wrote this article.
Star Trek: The Next Generation: A famous science fiction TV show where Patrick Stewart played Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
X-Men: A movie series about superheroes with special powers, where Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier.
Alzheimer's Disease: An illness that slowly harms memory and thinking.
Lewy Body Dementia: A brain illness that causes memory loss, movement problems, and confusion.
alopecia: A health condition that causes hair to fall out.

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