Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart dies aged 86

RIP

Best known to generations of viewers as the commanding Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men movies, the veteran performer died at his Los Angeles residence on Wednesday.

His death was confirmed by Kelly Bush Novak, his longtime spokesperson, who said Stewart had been living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia following a brief battle with the conditions.

In a statement announcing the loss, Bush Novak offered a deeply personal tribute to the actor’s final hours.

“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” she wrote.

She also reflected on the calmness that remained with Stewart at the end of his life, saying his loved ones would hold on to that image as a lasting reminder of his dignity and grace.

“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”