Patrick Stewart, best known for “Star Trek” and “X-Men,” dies at 86

Legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart, best known for his work in the “Star Trek” and “X-Men” franchises and his prolific award-winning stage career, has died at 86 years old, his spokesperson confirmed. Stewart died at home on Wednesday, spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak said in a statement. His death followed “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” Novak said. “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,” Novak said. Stewart began his acting career doing stage plays in the United Kingdom, joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 1960s. Stewart’s most recognizable role began in 1987, when he started playing Enterprise Captain Jean-Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation.

” The show ran for seven seasons and also spawned four “Star Trek” films featuring Stewart as Picard and the rest of the “Next Generation” cast. Stewart later reprised the role for Paramount+ series “Star Trek: Picard,” which ran for three seasons. Fellow “Star Trek” legend William Shatner posted : “Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. 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. ” George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in the original “Star Trek” series, said on Threads that “Stewart took the starship Enterprise to places it had never gone before, and he inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a…