Patrick Stewart was already 47, had been completely bald since the age of 19 and was still more than 20 years away from receiving his knighthood when "Star Trek: The Next Generation" premiered in 1987. That is remarkably late to suddenly become a Hollywood star, but Patrick Stewart was one of a kind. An utterly original artist who did everything his own way.
Before becoming Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Stewart was known primarily as a Shakespearean stage actor who had appeared in a handful of minor screen roles. Then, suddenly, he found himself recording the captain's log aboard the Enterprise.
Even if Stewart's résumé had ultimately included nothing beyond Picard or Charles Xavier, the leader of the "X-Men," he would still have been an icon. But over a career spanning more than six decades, almost until his death this week at 86, Stewart took on dozens of roles in television, film and theater. Until the very end, he remained a widely admired star, beloved on both sides of the Atlantic. Here are some of his finest performances:
'I, Claudius' (1976)
The acclaimed BBC series gave Stewart a relatively small role across just a few episodes, but it left an enormous impression and, in many ways, helped launch him toward the Enterprise. Stewart played Sejanus, the ambitious and manipulative commander of the Praetorian Guard during the reign of Emperor Tiberius. He exploits the emperor's trust to amass enormous power, isolate Tiberius from Rome and weave a web of murderous plots aimed at seizing the imperial throne for himself. He also conducts a secret affair with Livilla, Claudius' sister, and together they poison her husband, the emperor's son, to clear their path to power.
In short, plenty of drama. Surrounded by acting legends such as Derek Jacobi and John Hurt, Stewart brought a menacing physical presence, a commanding voice, complete immersion in the character of a psychopath and, in a rare sight, a wig.
From 'I, Claudius'
(Photo: PR)
'Dune' (1984)
A fateful casting mistake by director David Lynch, who was looking for another actor and ended up with Stewart by accident, brought him into Lynch's adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction classic. Stewart played Gurney Halleck, the military adviser to the young Paul Atreides, a role portrayed by Josh Brolin in Denis Villeneuve's more recent films. He appears in only a handful of scenes, but they became some of the director's most memorable moments.
If there was one missed opportunity in Stewart's career, it was probably that he had so few worthwhile opportunities in film. Or rather, it was Hollywood's loss.
From 'Dune' (1984)
(Photo: PR)
'Star Trek: The Next Generation' (1987)
Stewart was never a particularly enthusiastic "Star Trek" fan, not even after being cast in the role that would change his life. "I have no enthusiasm for it whatsoever," he told the Los Angeles Times in 1990. Well, the lack of enthusiasm was mutual. Creator Gene Roddenberry flatly refused to cast Stewart. He wanted someone who looked like William Shatner. At one of the early auditions, Stewart was forced to wear a wig, but it looked ridiculous and was promptly discarded.
It took weeks of persuasion before Roddenberry finally relented, but Stewart himself was still not entirely convinced. His close friend Ian McKellen warned him that he was too important a stage actor to "throw away his career on American television."
Well, once all that reluctance had subsided, the world got to see a classically trained Shakespearean actor find common ground with the Klingons. Stewart signed a six-year contract, and his agent assured him that the series would be canceled after just one season because there could be no "Star Trek" without Captain Kirk and Spock. "Then you'll come back to England with a suntan and a little money in your pocket," the agent told him.
The series went on to run for seven television seasons and spawned four feature films. Stewart returned to the role in the 2020 series "Star Trek: Picard," and he was still at the top of his game.
'Robin Hood: Men in Tights' (1993)
Patrick Stewart played plenty of kings, but perhaps none was more delightful than his appearance in Mel Brooks' brilliant parody of old Hollywood action-adventure films. It remains one of Brooks' most beloved movies, thanks in no small part to its cast. Stewart, once again in a brief, scene-stealing cameo that leaves you wanting more, plays King Richard, returning from the Crusades.
It's one of those laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts comedies they hardly make anymore, and it also leaves a slight sense of missed opportunity. As it turned out, Patrick Stewart had fantastic comic timing.
From 'Robin Hood: Men in Tights'
(Photo: PR)
'Moby Dick' (1998)
This lavish television adaptation of Herman Melville's classic became a major cinematic event, largely thanks to the casting of Gregory Peck as Father Mapple in what would prove to be his final screen appearance. Peck, who had played Captain Ahab in the 1956 film adaptation, symbolically passed the wooden leg to Stewart, who delivered one of the most theatrical performances of his career. His booming voice had never sounded more powerful or chilling than when, gripping a massive harpoon, he shouted at the white whale: "From hell's heart I stab at thee!"
From 'Moby Dick'
(Photo: PR)
'Green Room' (2015)
In a role Stewart said "scared him to death," he plays Darcy, the leader of a neo-Nazi gang who considers himself an intellectual but has no qualms about murder. Stewart recalled reading the screenplay with a large glass of whiskey to calm his nerves and deciding immediately afterward to accept the role. He realized that if the script could unsettle him so profoundly on the page, it had enormous potential to make an impact on screen.
Another major reason was his desire to escape the morally upright typecasting associated with Picard and Charles Xavier. "Those roles created a certain impression of who I am," he explained, "and that impression is simply not accurate."
From 'Green Room'
(Photo: PR)
'Bait' (2026)
One of the final projects of Sir Patrick Stewart's life found the legendary Shakespearean actor voicing a severed pig's head. The satirical series "Bait," created by Riz Ahmed, follows struggling actor Shah Latif, whose life becomes increasingly complicated when rumors spread that he could be the next James Bond.
When a pig's head is sent to Latif's family as an anti-Muslim threat, his mental state begins to unravel, and he starts hearing the head speak to him. Stewart's unmistakable voice is impossible to miss, and once again, he is very funny.
'X-Men' (2000), 'Logan' (2017)
Stewart initially turned down the role of the head of a school for gifted mutants. His reluctance stemmed from an experience several years earlier, when he was trying to land another role he desperately wanted and the director asked him, "Why would I want Captain Picard in my movie?"
Stewart decided that one albatross around his neck was more than enough. But after meeting director Bryan Singer, he was won over by the films' allegorical themes, agreed to play Professor X and helped change superhero movies forever. He portrayed the character across seven films, including his final screen appearance in "Avengers: Doomsday," scheduled for release this December.
From 'Logan'
(Photo: James Mangold, courtesy of yes)
Stewart's finest performance as Charles Xavier came in the magnificent "Logan," in which he portrayed the professor in his 90s, bedridden, isolated and suffering from severe dementia. Stewart, then 77, said he drew on his own fears of aging for the role. "I think about it every day. I've reached the stage where the numbers are working against you," he explained.
In one heartbreaking scene, Hugh Jackman's Logan, also known as Wolverine, helps a confused Xavier into bed. "Who are you?" Xavier asks. "You know who I am," Logan replies. Xavier looks at him with a faint smile and says, "You're the man who puts me to sleep."