Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart rose from humble beginnings in his native Yorkshire to become a global superstar whose work became immortalised portraying characters on some of the most popular sci-fi franchises in history. The star, who won acclaim on both stages and screens, died at his home in Los Angeles on Thursday after a career that spanned more than seven decades. Sir Ian McKellen leads tributes to 'beloved actor' Sir Patrick Stewart after his death at 86 Sir Patrick Stewart: Actor who moved effortlessly between Star Trek and Shakespeare 'A big loss' - Fans react to death of Sir Patrick Stewart Born in 1940, his mother was a textile worker and his father was a former military officer whose experience during the wartime evacuation of Dunkirk had a profound impact on his mental health.
He grew up poor, and later spoke to journalists about witnessing his mother being abused by his father. Young Patrick's love of drama came at school when one of his teachers introduced him to Shakespeare and encouraged him to perform. He threw himself enthusiastically into the flourishing local theatre.
"I used to recite Shakespeare from memory," he said. "I just learned all these big speeches." He went on to star in countless Shakespeare plays. One of his earliest breakout roles was in 1970's Two Gentlemen of Verona, which also featured his rescue dog, Blackie, playing the role of the dog Crab.
His expertise in Shakespeare led to play a major role in the 1976 BBC television series I, Claudius. In 1981, he was featured in 1981 fantasy film Excalibur, bringing him one step closer to his future sci-fi career. Sir Patrick has won numerous awards, including a Grammy and two Laurence Olivier Awards.
He was also nominated for a Tony, along with multiple Golden Globes and Emmys over the years. His iconic voice and facial expressions saw him star in both the Star Trek and X-Men franchises, helping to spawn a generation of global sci-fi fans. In 1987, he took on the role of Jean-Luc Picard on popular TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Tapping into Star Trek fandom earned him millions of adoring fans around the world. His scores of sci-fi fans reached new heights with his starring role as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series, which began in 2000. He reprised the role multiple times over decades through the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including in 2026 in Avengers: Doomsday.
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