Sir Patrick Stewart, the British actor who starred in Star Trek and X-Men, has passed away at the age of 86.

His family shared that he passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, surrounded by his wife, Sunny Ozell, and loved ones, following a brief illness involving Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Born in Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1940, Stewart graced our screens and stages for nearly six decades. 

Sir Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard | Source: Variety

Among those paying tribute is Dame Harriet Walter, who knew Stewart for over 40 years. Speaking with BBC Newsnight, she shared her thoughts on losing her long time colleague and friend.

"The world's going to be very poor without him," she said, comparing his passing to a massive tree falling in a forest.

Walter first met Stewart in Stratford-upon-Avon during the early 1980s. Their working relationship extended to the stage as well, most notably when Walter played Cleopatra to his Mark Antony in 2006. She highlighted his rare gift for staying spontaneous and emotionally grounded in every performance, noting that he never fell back on comfortable habits while acting.

"He had fire in his eyes and you were absolutely in the room with him," she added.

Walter, who has recently appeared on screen in Ted Lasso and Succession, mentioned that she had never once heard anyone speak ill of him.

Sir Patrick Stewart | Source: KATU

While Stewart gained fame through acting in science fiction films, he began in classical theatre. He trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966.

He made his television debut the following year on Coronation Street, then spent two decades building a steady body of work across stage and screen before going into his most famous role.

In 1987, he landed the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Over 7 seasons, he made Picard one of science fiction's most iconic figures, later starring in four spin-off films and returning for the series Star Trek: Picard from 2020 to 2023. In 2000, he acted as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men alongside actors like Hugh Jackman and Sir Ian McKellen.

Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men | Source: Nerdist

Sir Stewart also earned a Grammy for a spoken word recording of Peter and the Wolf and multiple Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1996 and a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 2010. Following his death, many people have paid tribute. Flowers were left at his Hollywood Walk of Fame star ahead of an official ceremony, while the official Star Trek account honoured him as "A voice. A presence. A captain unlike any other".

Sir Patrick Stewart's Hollywood Walk of Fame | Source: The Telegraph

Stewart is remembered by all who knew him, but especially by his wife, Sunny Ozell, along with his two children, Daniel and Sophia. His career went beyond classical theatre and science fiction.

He will always be remembered.

Rest in Peace Sir Patrick Stewart.