Many who worked with Sir Patrick Stewart mourned his passing, offering remembrances of the classically trained actor who played some of sci-fi’s biggest roles.
Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles, California, after what his family termed “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia.”
Jonathan Frakes, who played Will “Number One” Riker opposite Stewart in “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” as well as the movies that followed and “Star Trek: Picard,” reposted Stewart’s social media death notice to his Instagram story, adding “Rest in peace my friend.”
William Shatner, who earlier this week marked the death of his “Star Trek” co-star Walter Koenig, wrote that his fellow Starfleet captain “was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor.”
Stewart and Shatner acted opposite each other in the movie “Star Trek: Generations.” “What a heartbreaking week it has been,” Shatner wrote on Instagram next to a photo of him and Stewart in a warm moment. “From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did. Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work. My heart goes out to [Stewart’s wife] Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed.”
“The Pitt” star Isa Briones, who appeared alongside Stewart on “Star Trek: Picard,” offered a tribute in an Instagram Story: “PStew, a lover of fresh produce and classic American Western songs, a man who even at 80 could recite every work of Shakespeare he’s ever done, a man who once handed me his drink so he could do five pull-ups on the branch of a tree, a man with so much love and respect for his craft and fellow artists, one of the first people in this business to take a chance on me, so grateful to have witnessed his greatness on and off the stage and screen. Rest in peace.”
‘It was an absolute pleasure, captain’
Patrick Stewart’s television work included voice roles like that of Avery Bullock on “American Dad!” Scott Grimes, one of his co-stars in the animated series, posted a photo of Stewart alongside a shot of his cartoon character. “It was an absolute pleasure, captain,” he wrote in the Instagram caption.
Marvel Studios, for whom Stewart played “X-Men” character Professor Charles Xavier, posted a tribute to the actor that read in part: “Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from “X-Men” to “Logan” to “Avengers: Doomsday.” He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”
Do you have a favorite memory of Stewart? Drop it in the comments.
