Watching him in Star Trek TNG made me reevaluate how management of people should be done, his character was assertive but compassionate. High morals coupled with grounded reason.
I also want to mention his hilarious role as bullock in American dad, the way he takes a role both so seriously and ridiculously makes him so fantastically hilarious.
I love him and will miss him.
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maxcan
One thing that doesn't get enough attention - when COVID lockdowns started, he just made reels reading Shakespeare's sonnets. It was such a lovely break from everything else on social media. Really loved those.
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GodelNumbering
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness, that is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
Good startup advice. Good life advice.
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tempestn
Like everyone else here, Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard was a foundational part of my childhood. As it happens, I'm currently on bag 27/30 of the Lego Enterprise D right now. I've actually had the thought a couple of times over the past few years that this day had to be coming, and that it'd likely hit me hard when it did, especially after my dad's passing in 2024. (They're not particularly alike, aside from the hairline, but there's still a strong association in my mind, as my dad also loved TNG and was the one who got me into it.)
Anyway, it's a sad day, but I do appreciate that both his work and the influence he's had on people like me live on.
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madrox
Patrick Stewart's life had the odds against in him in many ways. Abusive father suffering from PTSD. A bald british man in Hollywood invites typecasting. Constant imposter syndrome from growing up poor while entering a profession where many came from more educated or affluent backgrounds.
Shakespeare effectively changed his life, and it's incredible to think that you could map everything he did and his success to his love of the bard.
If I had to take a lesson from his life, it's to have something you love, even if it isn't trendy (especially if it isn't) because most good things flow from that.
Godspeed, captain.
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voidnullvalue
Growing up without a good male role model, I am eternally grateful to Patrick Stewart's performance of Picard.
His performance (as well as how the character was written) still today illustrate what I view as an ideal male archetype. Fair, honest, in control of his emotions yet passionate. Thank you for the gift your performance has given me Mr Stewart. My life would likely have turned out a lot worse without a solid example of that a good man could be
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CalRobert
Patrick Stewart portrayed the sort of characters we desperately need more of. A modern day Atticus Finch, in a sense. To boldly speak truth, even when inconvenient, and argue, eloquently, for humanity, even after becoming machine.
I hope our current environment is one that can elevate someone of similar talents to an equivalent stature, but I worry our media is not up to the task.
When I think of our civilization, the Ressikan Flute often comes to mind.
He was host at an academy awards event for technical achievement a few years back. Usually they send some random actor who jokes about how nerdy everything is. Having Patrick Stewart there was very popular he was 'one of us' even though he said himself he knew very little about tech. Had a chance to talk to him a bit afterwards and got to tell him how well appreciated he was by that audience. Gracious and funny, exactly how you might imagine he would be.
A sad loss.
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whycome
> Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia was what Robin Williams had but they didn't discover until after his death and I guess he was misdiagnosed during life.
I'm so saddened by this news, I still watch TNG regularly. Separately, I'm also kind of blown away that Captain Kirk outlived Captain Picard.
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Verdex
Patrick Stewart was the first actor that I noticed who always seemed to bring his A game. Even for productions where clearly everyone else was phoning it in. It was a good lesson to observe when I was young. Just because you find yourself in a dumb situation doesn't mean you can't do a good job.
This was a person who from a relatively young age looked old, but more importantly behaved with a sort of dignity and thoughtfulness that projected way beyond his years. I'm not really sure how to assimilate the news because on the one hand obviously this was going to be happening sooner or later. He has always just felt old. But on the other, he's felt old for my whole life, so why shouldn't he just continue on that way without bound.
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softwaredoug
In the early 90s, I didn't get along with my Dad. I was a nerdy kid that didn't seem to fit in.
Star Trek TNG + Captain Picard acted as a male role model, a different moral philosophy, and a celebration of nerdy people as competent and important in the world
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thesuitonym
If you haven't read his memoir you definitely should, it's a well written piece where he reflects on his life, what he did wrong, what he did right, and the joy and pain that followed him through it all. He was a flawed man, but he was a good man. He will be deeply missed.
Edit: Oh man, I can't believe I'm crying at work over an actor.
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ionwake
I went to a small theater production he was in with my gf. I hadnt realised all the seats would be taken and for some reason I was the only person standing with my girlfriend. We stood at teh back in the dark but I couldnt help but feel he was looking straight at me and my girlfriend for the duration of the play while he was onstage.
It might of been Im not sure, not the case? But perhaps against a white wall it was clear we were the only ones standing for the performance and in turn it felt he was performing for us. It just felt like that.
I ofcourse have no idea if he was just looking in our general direction but it weirdly felt like it and I thought it was kind.
Ive never had such a "he was doing it for us" self centered view of any other performance Ive ever been to, but I always remembered this, and like to believe it was true.
The play itself was about him being an old dying forgetful man. It was so convincing I somehow left thinking that surely he was but ofcourse it was just excellent acting.
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Sargos
As someone who grew up without a father, Patrick Stewart as Picard served as my father figure and shapes my personality and standards. it's hard to live up to those high bars of integrity, honor, and principles communication but I've found that just trying leads to positive outcomes. I owe a lot to this great man and will miss him dearly.
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genldd
Oh man, Patrick Stewart is a base rock part of my personality. Star Trek The Next Generation was formative for me ages 7-12. Sad to see him go.
arjie
He was technically my landlord in London, haha. Never met him, though. Only found out because the council sent me mail addressed to him regarding the property. From the visible window on the letter, I was able to find that it was to pay for extra sound insulation on the apartment I was residing in because the council was building some structure nearby.
Really enjoyed his stuff. Always enjoyed that he could do both the grand and the silly with equal aplomb.
Patrick Stewart was a legendary actor, and a pleasure to watch both within and without the Star Trek franchise (Hamlet, Macbeth, the Hollow Crown).
The NY times editorial board seems to have become even more performatively egalitarian. Stewart (like Ian McKellen) was (IMNSHO quite rightly) recognized with a knighthood for his services to drama. They call him "Mr Stewart" - technically there is no such person.
The correct way to refer to him is Sir Patrick Stewart, or Sir Patrick thereafter. Ditto McKellen.
And yes, the US doesn't issue its own knighthoods, peerages &c - but the US constitution is fairly clear on what is disallowed - but that doesn't affect a non-US Citizen
The foreign emoluments clause [0] applies to "holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them" and the section also prevents the US from creating any title of Nobility, but editorial courtesy usually grants foreigners their titles [1]
It's perfectly correct to ignore honorary knighthoods - like that conferred on Bill Gates. It's discourteous to ignore them for those rightly conferred, and inconsistent. [2]
I remember watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my aunt and uncle as a kid. I was always more of a Star Wars fan, but they gave me a huge appreciation for Star Trek. My uncle still has a miniature replica of the USS Enterprise. Rest in peace and thanks for the fond memories.
Andrew_nenakhov
My favorite scene with Patrick Stewart is him leading the defence of the Atreides palace while being armed with an adorable puppy in Lynch's "Dune". RIP.
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salsa_catsup
The TNG episode "The Inner Light" is profound. I didn't expect it in Star Trek.
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m12k
I think “tea, Earl Grey, hot” also qualifies him as the first prompt engineer
AJ007
Very sad to hear. I was just listening to the latest episode of Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes' podcast last night, Rick Berman was the guest. They shared some stories about Patrick Stewart.
William Shatner was just on earlier this month, incredible he's still going strong at 95.
I met Patrick when we organized a Star Trek convention. He was even kinder and gentler in person than in his role as Picard.
toddmorey
Always exuded so much authority & confidence. What a legend.
But he start losing his hair at 17 and really struggled with it. A turning point came when a friend (a Hungarian judo black belt) and his wife wrestled him down and physically cut off his toupée with scissors.
His agent even had him do the Star Trek audition in a wig, but luckily the crew had better ideas.
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jjcm
The trial for Data's sentience will always be one of my favorite scenes in television. Such a showcase of his stage background, and a scene that's especially relevant today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFNbTnFHruI
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techteach00
It absolutely sucks to be a millennial (me) because literally everyone I love in music and culture came of age in the 70s-90s and they're all dying. Ozzy was awful for me. But over the next decade, it's only going to get worse.
I was more of a Shatner movies Star Trek kid but I remember watching The Next Generation when it first came out and liked it. RIP to a legend.
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acobster
> He was given no middle name but later invented one, Hewes, when he joined a union that already had a member named Patrick Stewart.
I never knew that. I wonder if, in the "I, Borg" episode, they chose the name "Hugh" as a reference to this when coming up with a name for the newly individuated Borg. It's a stretch, but I'd like to think so.
RIP Mr. Stewart.
psadri
I was dreading this moment. RIP.
I’ll be re-watching The Inner Light in his honor tonight.
One of the things I particularly liked is that he admits to the mistakes he made, and the times when he wasn't the human being he strived to be.
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danso
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched something he’s been in but now learning that he’s gone, it feels similar to having a good childhood friend pass into the night
dustfinger
I know Patrick Stewart wasn't in STEM, but his influence in sci-fi is clearly highly regarded. I am sure there are people out there making a difference in STEM right now that were in some significant way inspired by Patrick Stewart. Any chance we could get a black banner up for him?
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smurda
I have very few holiday traditions, but one is I listen to his one man show reading of a Christmas Carol. It's a great 1 hr and 45 min spent during the holidays: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCE3CU
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card_zero
Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) died too, a few days ago.
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daoboy
I'm not usually invested in celebrity deaths, but this one is heartbreaking. TNG was a formative show in my life.
He was a wonderful actor and by all accounts a wonderful person.
He really was able to translate the literature to acting relevance for me (as a lit person)
robimoller
I often see my wife uncontrollably sad when she hears about the passing of someone she only (barely) knows from watching them on TV; Today she told me the news about the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart, and was immediately embarrassed for how I felt.
I knew all along, but I'm super glad to know how cherished this show was for so many. My favorite episode was the 'Inner Light'.
hackertux
Patrick Stewart didn’t just play a captain. He helped make kindness, reason and curiosity look genuinely cool. Fly safe Sir Patrick.
trashface
In my youth I wanted to be Picard but now in middle age I'm definitely more of a Barclay.
As campy as TNG can be, there are so many moral themes and dillemas and Stewart's Picard always grounded them with his dedication to his craft. RIP.
nuclearsugar
His portrayal of Picard helped me to understand what real maturity could look like. He will be greatly missed. Pour one out for Patrick.
makerofthings
Whenever I run into a moral or political or similar dilemma I always ask myself, if this was an episode of TNG, which side would be the baddies and who would Picard side with? Never steered me wrong. RIP Patrick Stewart.
bayindirh
They formed an invincible duo on stage with Ian McKellen.
When I was a child, my dad used to bring me to school by car. During the ride, I played "Star Trek" and we always had a technical issue like a phase variance in an induction coil. Usually it ended such that the warp core had to be ejected...
Sir Patrick Stewart inspired me since my childhood. Thank you captain!
mikestew
One of my few brushes with fame was when I was in Nevada City, CA for a job interview some twenty years ago. Coming from Seattle, we got there a few days early. Came from the airport, parked and got some coffee, started walking around. Walking down the sidewalk, I see a middle-aged bald guy in a $COLLEGE sweatshirt talking to some folks. Sure enough it is Patrick Stewart, just hanging out. Apparently there was a film festival in town, and he was there to do $SOMETHING I've since forgotten.
I didn't bother him, as much as we both wanted to (he looked busy), what struck me was how casual Sir Patrick Stewart was in his faded sweatshirt talking to some awestruck kid and his mom.
dmayle
There are four lights, my friends
natas
Patrick was and always will be one of the brightest stars.
geoffeg
This hits pretty hard. TNG and Picard's character was a huge part of my childhood.
qingcharles
Not only one of the nicest celebrities I've ever met, but one of the nicest people. His memory for people he met and minor details about them was fantastic. As absolutely as charming in real life as you could imagine.
dwb
RIP to a legend. Picard is an obvious highlight, but I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in Waiting for Godot too, which was delightful (well, maybe not the best word for the play, but you know).
edb_123
I have so many fond childhood memories from TNG together with a persisting, strong feeling of hope for a bright version of the future. Something which gave me a spark of hope and optimism that brought me through the tough teen years and up and through adulthood. And which still to this day gives me a hope for a better future in our world even on days when things feel tough, and even though the current outlooks are dim.
Thank you, Patrick. Rest in peace.
PS. Something that's really sad (at least here in my Scandinavian country) is that it's currently completely impossible to stream TNG anywhere at all. No idea of the situation is the same elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world. Thank goodness I found the complete DVD collection in a thrift store earlier this year. But the saddest thing of all is that the current generation of young people miss out on experiencing the feeling of hope that Jean-Luc Picard and the rest of the TNG crew gave us through their story. And miss out an important vision showing the possibility of a positive and bright version of the future, where humankind has grown into a mature and competent version of itself. Especially now in these dark and uncertain times.
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bemtevi
Ah I have fond memories of The Next Generation. And Patrick Stewart introduced me to earl grey tea. I should have a cup tomorrow morning!
Many have said it already, and it's also true for me: Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard was my role model as a young teenager. The world is a little less bright without him.
yibg
Probably like a lot of people here, I grew up watching TNG in the 90s. There are so many nuggets of wisdom for life, morality, leadership in there. Some episodes makes you think, others sad, others hopeful. It's still my most re-watched series.
The cast also seem like a group of genuinely nice people. It's so nice to see the real world friendship there. A group of people I'd want to be friends with. Sir Patrick Stewart was the perfect Captain Picard. Someone many of us looked up to even though he's a fictional character.
whycome
He had many lives.
It's cool to note that he didn't take on the Picard role until he was 47.
Never too late to do the other thing. Keep going.
hilariously
Don't ever stop boldly going wherever you are.
WalterBright
I recall recognizing him as a Roman soldier in "I, Claudius".
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drannex
Oh. This is going to affect me more than or nearly as hard as George Carlin passing back in '08 did. This is a horrible year.
rcarmo
Damn. And me here typing "make it so" to AI agents instead of re-watching TNG.
Let me go and fix that.
ivankelly
He’s finally seen everything
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izolate
The post title alone elevated my cortisol levels. As a fan of TNG, I was dreading this one. RIP.
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dada216
I grew up without a father.
As it happens children choose father figures when that's the case.
Capt. Jean-luc Picard was mine.
I can't be the only one who did that, that's how powerful that character was.
martin82
Another huge piece of my childhood dies. Very sad, indeed. :(
I think all of us growing up in the 80s and 90s just don't realize that we probably lived in the most awesome time period in human history. Everything was just peak. Vibes, music, film, art, travel.
Now the OGs all die... and I look around and see nothing and no one to step into their humongous foot steps...
It's such a shame how few things in media have even attempted to carry the torch TNG lit. There's been enough written about how Trek itself wasn't, but I always hope something else takes up the mantle.
Closest i've seen is The Orville which I found best described as McFarlen using his money to pay for his Larping (in a good way), but was pretty much just copy pasting.
It was such a fascinating show and handled issues with a tact and nuance you're lucky to get today.
krylon
Star Trek TNG was a very big influence on my younger self, so this news hits rather hard. Rest in Peace, Sir Stewart, you will be fondly remembered by the many people whose lives you have touched.
alittlebee
Gosh this is heartbreaking.
I was fortunate enough to get to chat with him and some of the lead crew of ST:TNG while at a local convention. He was exactly how I imagined he would be in "real life", such a clever and well-spoken class act. RIP <3
A little off topic, but are there any modern utopian/positive sci-fi shows still being released? I feel like ST:TNG was the last of its kind?
choult
Both myself and my wife were in floods of tears at the news. Walter Koenig's passing earlier this week was sad, but this is a whole other level.
Sir Patrick, my captain, you will be sorely missed.
ale
Time to cue the Extras outtakes with Gervais. Stewart was effing funny
karlfrohlich
RIP. I will never forget your roll in X-Men. Watched when I was young and my dad even dressed up as him (i.e. shaved his head) and I thought it was sick
joshstrange
I'm finishing up my Voyager watch right now and was already considering TNG next, this seals the deal. TNG is such a cornerstone to my youth and growing up. Everyday after school I'd come home and watch TNG reruns (Tivo). Call it whatever you will but Star Trek and the ethos in it will always hold a very special place in my heart, I've always held it up as the model to aim for. He will be missed.
theletterf
My first memory of his incredible voice is King Richard (and the narrator's voice) from Lands of Lore. He added something unique to every project he touched.
lz400
I loved Star Trek when I was little and he was a big part of that. I loved him in Dune (the one from 1984, one of my favorite movies). He was also in Excalibur, another early obsession of mine. These are very early movies, he already had no hair, he looked pretty much the same way for 50 years. Of course he was great as professor Xavier too. Even the recent Picard series was decent even though he wasn't in his prime anymore.
I grew up with this guy. I will always remember him, his work. I will always smile when he comes on screen. And I will always keep using his facepalm meme with a smirk. Thanks Patrick Stewart.
davesque
Black stripe would be good for this one I think.
davesque
Man I've cried twice today over this. I guess I really thought of Patrick Stewart as almost like a respected family member in my mind. The state of leadership in the world today is pretty bad, so I guess I'll just have to continue rewatching TNG front to back every couple of years to have an example to live by.
jamesgill
He's not really dead, as long as we remember him.
rbanffy
Since nobody mentioned it, let me introduce my friends here to a Christmas special.
Google “Dear Satan”.
ChrisMarshallNY
One of my favorite CDs, is Arnie Roth's The Compleat Four Seasons, narrated by Sir Patrick[0].
Vivaldi's poetry ... left something to be desired (think Vogon), but Patrick Stewart made it noble.
He will always be "my" captain. The one I grew up with watching re-runs on television with my mother. Rest in peace.
kuberwastaken
This is actually so sad, I watched Star Trek to get out of the covid blues in lockdown and was genuinely amazed how much of it held up, RIP.
corvad
Seize the time… Live now! Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. - Jean-Luc Picard may he rest in peace.
astral_drama
Thanks for entertaining us and bringing stories to life for all these years Patrick. May you boldly go where no man has gone before.
jacobgold
Can't complain too much about 86 years but I'll miss him. I worry how it'll feel to watch him now.
2600
One to beam up.
tumdum_
So sad, TNG was very big part of my childhood.
obahareth
He was so influential and his performances truly changed my life for the better. He will be sorely missed.
ryeguy_24
Very sad. I will always remember my first exposure to Patrick Stewart - Comptons Interactive Encyclopedia. Such a fun time at the beginning of my computer adventures in the 90s.
Sir Patricks portrayal of Picard created one of the great characters in fiction. How many of us were influenced by his decency, values and morality, Picard will always be an all time classic. Very sad to hear of his death, a genuinely great actor and all round good person.
nntwozz
"When I was young, I remember watching my grandfather deteriorate from a powerful, intelligent figure to a frail wisp of a man, who could barely make his own way home."
— Picard in TNG episode Night Terrors
satisfice
Make it so.
yurimo
RIP to the legend. Thank you for making my childhood and making me believe in the possibility of the better future.
onemoresoop
:( Rip Patrick Steward. I grew up watching TNG and Captain Picard has imprinted in my memory.
Parka2574
Captain Jean Luc Picard was a father-like figure to me. Patrick Stewart will be missed.
aliasxneo
Still remember being a small kid running around the house as my dad had TNG playing on the TV. Patrick was pretty formative in the early years for me.
I also really liked him in a Christmas Carrol (1999). I thought he played the role really well.
tosti
Picard out.
disparate_dan
So many dimensions to his class and talents. I've been lucky enough to see him twice, performing live on stage - as Macbeth, and in Ibsen's The Master Builder. Unforgettable.
eska
I often referred to him as an example of a humble Gentleman. Rest in peace sir
guybedo
We're losing both Jean-Luc Picard and Dr Charles Xavier at the same time.
Quite a sad day.
alexandre_m
Very talented actor.
Extremely sad day for the geeks in us. Good bye professor X.
Picard has become a moral example, I don't think anyone but Patrick Stewart could have been the embodiement of a character we could nary live up to.
zacman85
I genuinely wish Apple could figure out a way to respectfully license and preserve his voice to make it the defacto voice of Siri so that my kids would grow up in a world where the intelligent, compassionate voice of Patrick Stewart would be actively associated with seeking, reaching, and exploring knowledge. I know everything nowadays is painfully, annoyingly AI slopped, but I mean this as a long-standing way to preserve his legacy and celebrate what he meant to all of us. That's why it could only be a steward like Apple and not some random-co.ai.
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R1D3R
This news has me so emotionally compromised that I actually signed up for Paramount Plus.
sim04ful
His performance in TNG was so great it left such an impression on adult me. So much so I tend to end my AI agent approvals with "Make it so number 1"
game_the0ry
Star Trek: First Contact is one of my favorite movies of all time. Probably on my top 5. That generation of Start Trek (pun intended) was so under rated.
Veelox
I for one feel a black banner would be appropriate for his contributions to the soul of this place.
scosman
O captain, my captain
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taurath
Patrick was basically my dad - the characters he played were absolutely instrumental in developing my own values. What a sad day.
MPSimmons
<3
It was inevitable, though you always hope for an exception. I don't think I've ever seen any work of his I didn't deeply appreciate.
liuliu
I enjoyed the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Always knew this might happen some day, but always wished it can keep going.
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calf
Progressive neurological diseases suck. I would like to understand though since Stewart was filming up until this year? What was the time frame like, was it a more sudden onset or was he able to manage somewhat while continuing to film and work?
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hsuduebc2
"All good things must come to an end". Loved the Next Generation, loved Picard.
RIP captain.
I can still hear the voice: "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."
Grimeton
#!/usr/bin/env bash
echo $'\U1F596'
tomrod
I feel this is black-titlebar worthy. RIP, you inspiring man.
boyander
Rest in peace, i've enjoyed so much his acting. He will always be attached to my childhood memories.
corvad
"And that is what it is to be human. To make yourself more than you are." - Jean-Luc Picard
V__
I don't knwo why but I was sure he would live to be much older... He will be missed.
alansaber
Wow, RIP. Had no idea he was sick.
MetaverseClub
I think he looks like DAVID PATTERSON, the Turing award winner.
thisisthenewme
Damn, made me unexpectedly sad. RIP. Loved the philosophy and his acting in Star Trek.
zabriel_goss
Tremendous loss. A thespian's thespian, through and through.
alrtd82
I wanted him to live forever, so sad
ExMachina73
Pour one out for Leondegrance.
danaris
"Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I’d rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and allows us to cherish every moment...because they’ll never come again."
~ Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Generations
sholladay
He lived long and prospered.
narrator
My favorite episode of TNG was the one where Q shows him what his life would be like if he had just been a mild mannered scientist and not taken risks and never ended up in command. “Tapestry” — Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 6, Episode 15, originally aired February 15, 1993.
cobbzilla
Make it NOT so
RIP a legend
ktallett
That's terribly sad news. From his brilliant performances in TNG to his hilarious performance in Extras he was such an amazing actor who brought kindness and warmth to me whenever I watched him in anything. He introduced me to the magic of Shakespeare and also to the magic of being authentic and kind no matter how successful you are. A real British legend!
drewbitt
What an incredible actor. He will be missed.
stetrain
I have been meaning to start a rewatch of TNG, I guess now is the time.
petervandijck
I remember his Covid time videos in prospect park those made me happy
t1234s
I enjoyed his character in the Showtime series Blunt Talk
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karmicthreat
I will always remember him for his role in gun men
rampida_com
That's so sad :(
andromaton
proud we collectively deem this site-relevant
bitwize
Lewy Body Dementia? I suppose Captain Picard will be sharing drinks and swapping stories with a certain Orkan in that celestial watering hole, Seven Forward.
Stewart was rather like Alan Rickman's Galaxy Quest character in real life: when he first joined the TNG cast he was rather arrogant and thought he was demeaning himself, a Shakespearean actor slumming it as a spaceman on terrestrial American television. As a consequence, the rest of the season one cast started pranking him pretty hard on set. In a textbook example of what the British mean when they say they're "taking the piss out of someone", Stewart was humbled and developed a good sense of humor about it all, and would go on to embrace Star Trek and the Picard role, and not take himself so seriously in general. Which to me, is worthy of the absolute highest respect for a performer. He brought the same professionalism and enthusiasm to Picard, Charles Xavier, and Yaotl from TMNT (2007) that he did to any of his Shakespearean roles.
throwitaway222
Not unexpected but still hit hard.
catalinjrj
He will be missed. Rest in peace, Captain.
freecodeio
the man who got me into star trek which then got me into computers which got me where I am today, that's extremely sad
__xor_eax_eax
Lost a great one.
pseudosavant
RIP to one of the truly great ones
_doctor_love
Mirab, his sails unfurled.
blueSky1989
I never met him. I'm crying.
moebrowne
Make it not so
teekert
Profound shock.
I often think of Picard looking down at us, through a force field in the Enterprise D, sees our wars, our inequalities and slowly shakes his head: "Savages". In his role as Picard he was a bit of a teacher to me.
shevy-java
I used to watch Star Trek TNG back in the 1990s. Patrick was
great as Captain Picard.
I did notice that in the latest Wolverine he seemed to be
doing not so well with his physical status, looking quite
frail and his voice was also no longer strong as it used
to be (that was in Logan 2017, so already 10 years ago).
Dementia is kind of eating away at the neurons.
puppycodes
He was a gift to the world.
selimthegrim
I remember him as Gurney Halleck and his brief non-speaking turn as Karla in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
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soulofmischief
What can you not say about a man like this. Beloved by all and someone to look up to on and off the screen. Many of us grew up learning from and laughing with Sir Patrick Stewart and his characters. He was an actor's actor, committed to his roles.
No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another, but yesterday we lost someone very important.
semperos
Engage.
glouwbug
Was great in Oblivion. RIP
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glennfiedler
He saw everything
motohagiography
He played one of the most exemplary men of the last century, and brought life to an ideal of what humanity could aspire to be. The fiction was a vehicle, and through it he represented our best.
I didn't know anything about him other than his
work, which is perhaps as fine an epitaph as any man could have.
cellsstudio
I usually don't follow this kind of celebrity news. This is the first time, maybe in my life, that I felt the news of a celebrity passing in my gut.
Patrick Stewart's role in TNG was iconic and left a big mark on me as a kid. I felt like TNG really envisioned a society that would be utopic, and I was always inspired by his code, his faith in himself and his morals, and his deep curiosity and compassion for the people around him and the strangers out in the universe.
The world of TNG still lives in a tiny corner of my brain, as a place of both comfort and inspiration.
gspr
There dies part of my childhood. RIP, you gave the world so much!
orionblastar
RIP Patrick Stewart, he will always be Picard and Xavier to me.
ashton314
I commend you to the stars
teddyh
Plays a melancholy melody on a flute
parenthesis
He is The Picard.
xvxvx
‘Damage report!’
system2
I am going to watch TNG once again for him starting now. I am sad.
digitalsushi
a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts
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r0b05
RIP Professor X
tkdb
THERE. ARE. FOUR. LIGHTS.
I'll never forget this line, and what it means. I think of it often.
throwaway29303
Godspeed. ;~;7
j45
RIP
platevoltage
Just as I'm in the middle of watching Picard Season 1.
elpocko
But it was too late. I've seen everything.
michaelsbradley
In our hearts, you will always live long and prosper, Captain.
Watching Star Trek TNG episodes when they first aired in the late 80s had a powerful effect on my imagination as a child. It would not, and could not, have been the same show without Patrick Stewart. RIP.
louwrentius
I have (re)watched Star Trek TNG more times than I can remember. I got a shock when I saw the title of this post.
teaearlgraycold
One of the celebrity deaths I actually care about. Rest in peace.
MrBuddyCasino
In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979), Patrick Stewart has a short appearance near the very end as soviet KGB mastermind Karla.
Never have I seen such presence and charisma squeezed into so short a scene.
nurettin
Honorable mention: thanks to red letter media for keeping the memory alive. And for being dorky and entertaining.
browningstreet
RIP.
prossercj
Am I the only one who regularly tells Claude to "make it so"?
RIP
testing22321
Damn. Doomsday may be his last appearance. I wonder if they filmed anything for secret wars.
Wow, what a loss. So many iconic characters, so much inspirational
pavlov
I would watch some TNG tonight in his honor… but since the Ellisons bought Paramount, it’s not available on streaming in my country anymore. (Billionaires really will spoil everything.)
Instead I’ll go find my old DVD box set of “I, Claudius” where he had a memorable role too.
groestl
:(
pluc
Paywall for an obituary is something else
obi_khan
i sense a great disturbance in the force...
jh00ker
*Sir Patrick Stewart
samgranieri
I grew up watching this show. I watched it with my dad. I'm bereft right now.
stuartd
make it not so
alienbaby
o7
gigatexal
noooooooooo sad day
more of us men should be like him and who he was and what he stood for
I don’t think I can properly explain what he meant to me, but I will try.
Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of people around me who could show me what a good person was supposed to be like. So I found those elsewhere. In games and in Star Trek. To me, Jean-Luc Picard was probably the closest thing I had to a proper father figure.
He embodied everything I felt a person should aspire to be. Intelligent, thoughtful, but also compassionate, principled.
He taught me that you could exercise authority without cruelty, resolve conflict without violence, understood that strength wasn’t about dominating others, but about having the wisdom and restraint not to.
He taught me that you could be rational without being cold, that you could lead without humiliating others, and that kindness and competence weren’t opposites.
These weren’t just qualities I simply admired in a fictional character in a silly science fiction show. They were things I tried to build into myself. They were what I had.
I’m having a really hard time with this. I never know how to articulate how this feels, because I grew up with these role models and most of the people I know haven’t and it feels awkward.
You were a positive force. RIP
tomhow
[stub for offtopicness]
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syngrog66
should not be on HN
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dspillett
Same as I said about Walter:
Nah, it's SciFi. They'll find a way of writing them back in. Won't they?
Watching him in Star Trek TNG made me reevaluate how management of people should be done, his character was assertive but compassionate. High morals coupled with grounded reason.
I also want to mention his hilarious role as bullock in American dad, the way he takes a role both so seriously and ridiculously makes him so fantastically hilarious.
I love him and will miss him.
One thing that doesn't get enough attention - when COVID lockdowns started, he just made reels reading Shakespeare's sonnets. It was such a lovely break from everything else on social media. Really loved those.
"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness, that is life." - Jean-Luc Picard
Good startup advice. Good life advice.
Like everyone else here, Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard was a foundational part of my childhood. As it happens, I'm currently on bag 27/30 of the Lego Enterprise D right now. I've actually had the thought a couple of times over the past few years that this day had to be coming, and that it'd likely hit me hard when it did, especially after my dad's passing in 2024. (They're not particularly alike, aside from the hairline, but there's still a strong association in my mind, as my dad also loved TNG and was the one who got me into it.)
Anyway, it's a sad day, but I do appreciate that both his work and the influence he's had on people like me live on.
Patrick Stewart's life had the odds against in him in many ways. Abusive father suffering from PTSD. A bald british man in Hollywood invites typecasting. Constant imposter syndrome from growing up poor while entering a profession where many came from more educated or affluent backgrounds.
Shakespeare effectively changed his life, and it's incredible to think that you could map everything he did and his success to his love of the bard.
If I had to take a lesson from his life, it's to have something you love, even if it isn't trendy (especially if it isn't) because most good things flow from that.
Godspeed, captain.
Growing up without a good male role model, I am eternally grateful to Patrick Stewart's performance of Picard.
His performance (as well as how the character was written) still today illustrate what I view as an ideal male archetype. Fair, honest, in control of his emotions yet passionate. Thank you for the gift your performance has given me Mr Stewart. My life would likely have turned out a lot worse without a solid example of that a good man could be
Patrick Stewart portrayed the sort of characters we desperately need more of. A modern day Atticus Finch, in a sense. To boldly speak truth, even when inconvenient, and argue, eloquently, for humanity, even after becoming machine.
I hope our current environment is one that can elevate someone of similar talents to an equivalent stature, but I worry our media is not up to the task.
When I think of our civilization, the Ressikan Flute often comes to mind.
Pour one out. https://picard.ytmnd.com/
This hits hard.
He was host at an academy awards event for technical achievement a few years back. Usually they send some random actor who jokes about how nerdy everything is. Having Patrick Stewart there was very popular he was 'one of us' even though he said himself he knew very little about tech. Had a chance to talk to him a bit afterwards and got to tell him how well appreciated he was by that audience. Gracious and funny, exactly how you might imagine he would be.
A sad loss.
> Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia
Lewy body dementia was what Robin Williams had but they didn't discover until after his death and I guess he was misdiagnosed during life.
https://lewybodyresourcecenter.org/robin-williams-lewy-body-...
I'm so saddened by this news, I still watch TNG regularly. Separately, I'm also kind of blown away that Captain Kirk outlived Captain Picard.
Patrick Stewart was the first actor that I noticed who always seemed to bring his A game. Even for productions where clearly everyone else was phoning it in. It was a good lesson to observe when I was young. Just because you find yourself in a dumb situation doesn't mean you can't do a good job.
This was a person who from a relatively young age looked old, but more importantly behaved with a sort of dignity and thoughtfulness that projected way beyond his years. I'm not really sure how to assimilate the news because on the one hand obviously this was going to be happening sooner or later. He has always just felt old. But on the other, he's felt old for my whole life, so why shouldn't he just continue on that way without bound.
In the early 90s, I didn't get along with my Dad. I was a nerdy kid that didn't seem to fit in.
Star Trek TNG + Captain Picard acted as a male role model, a different moral philosophy, and a celebration of nerdy people as competent and important in the world
If you haven't read his memoir you definitely should, it's a well written piece where he reflects on his life, what he did wrong, what he did right, and the joy and pain that followed him through it all. He was a flawed man, but he was a good man. He will be deeply missed.
Edit: Oh man, I can't believe I'm crying at work over an actor.
I went to a small theater production he was in with my gf. I hadnt realised all the seats would be taken and for some reason I was the only person standing with my girlfriend. We stood at teh back in the dark but I couldnt help but feel he was looking straight at me and my girlfriend for the duration of the play while he was onstage.
It might of been Im not sure, not the case? But perhaps against a white wall it was clear we were the only ones standing for the performance and in turn it felt he was performing for us. It just felt like that.
I ofcourse have no idea if he was just looking in our general direction but it weirdly felt like it and I thought it was kind.
Ive never had such a "he was doing it for us" self centered view of any other performance Ive ever been to, but I always remembered this, and like to believe it was true.
The play itself was about him being an old dying forgetful man. It was so convincing I somehow left thinking that surely he was but ofcourse it was just excellent acting.
As someone who grew up without a father, Patrick Stewart as Picard served as my father figure and shapes my personality and standards. it's hard to live up to those high bars of integrity, honor, and principles communication but I've found that just trying leads to positive outcomes. I owe a lot to this great man and will miss him dearly.
Oh man, Patrick Stewart is a base rock part of my personality. Star Trek The Next Generation was formative for me ages 7-12. Sad to see him go.
He was technically my landlord in London, haha. Never met him, though. Only found out because the council sent me mail addressed to him regarding the property. From the visible window on the letter, I was able to find that it was to pay for extra sound insulation on the apartment I was residing in because the council was building some structure nearby.
Really enjoyed his stuff. Always enjoyed that he could do both the grand and the silly with equal aplomb.
Don't forget his finest work here, in Extras: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg_cwI1Xj4M
I'm surprised that we don't have the black banner. Sir Patrick Stewart played a formative part in the live of many of us in the industry.
His eyes wet…
(I looked up the original script, it’s “Kiazi’s children. Their faces wet.” But I’m gratified that you knew what I meant.)
The tribute that springs to mind best first is Pogo’s Data and Picard: a beautiful track made from Stewart performing as Picard.
Now cheer up me lads, t’is better to have loved and lost, than never have loved at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZn6c4CeJCc [The one on Pogo’s channel doesn’t include clips of Stewart, just his voice. This is a reupload of the original]
Patrick Stewart was a legendary actor, and a pleasure to watch both within and without the Star Trek franchise (Hamlet, Macbeth, the Hollow Crown).
The NY times editorial board seems to have become even more performatively egalitarian. Stewart (like Ian McKellen) was (IMNSHO quite rightly) recognized with a knighthood for his services to drama. They call him "Mr Stewart" - technically there is no such person.
The correct way to refer to him is Sir Patrick Stewart, or Sir Patrick thereafter. Ditto McKellen.
And yes, the US doesn't issue its own knighthoods, peerages &c - but the US constitution is fairly clear on what is disallowed - but that doesn't affect a non-US Citizen
The foreign emoluments clause [0] applies to "holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them" and the section also prevents the US from creating any title of Nobility, but editorial courtesy usually grants foreigners their titles [1]
It's perfectly correct to ignore honorary knighthoods - like that conferred on Bill Gates. It's discourteous to ignore them for those rightly conferred, and inconsistent. [2]
[0] https://constitution.congress.gov/browse/essay/artI-S9-C8-1/...
[1] https://archive.nytimes.com/afterdeadline.blogs.nytimes.com/...
[2] https://www.nytimes.com/1929/10/27/archives/the-unshackling-...
I remember watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my aunt and uncle as a kid. I was always more of a Star Wars fan, but they gave me a huge appreciation for Star Trek. My uncle still has a miniature replica of the USS Enterprise. Rest in peace and thanks for the fond memories.
My favorite scene with Patrick Stewart is him leading the defence of the Atreides palace while being armed with an adorable puppy in Lynch's "Dune". RIP.
The TNG episode "The Inner Light" is profound. I didn't expect it in Star Trek.
I think “tea, Earl Grey, hot” also qualifies him as the first prompt engineer
Very sad to hear. I was just listening to the latest episode of Brent Spiner and Jonathan Frakes' podcast last night, Rick Berman was the guest. They shared some stories about Patrick Stewart.
William Shatner was just on earlier this month, incredible he's still going strong at 95.
One of his most memorable performances (for his girlfriend?) or a pickup line? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XFMrBldVk0s
You might also have missed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptfmAY6M6aA
I met Patrick when we organized a Star Trek convention. He was even kinder and gentler in person than in his role as Picard.
Always exuded so much authority & confidence. What a legend.
But he start losing his hair at 17 and really struggled with it. A turning point came when a friend (a Hungarian judo black belt) and his wife wrestled him down and physically cut off his toupée with scissors.
His agent even had him do the Star Trek audition in a wig, but luckily the crew had better ideas.
The trial for Data's sentience will always be one of my favorite scenes in television. Such a showcase of his stage background, and a scene that's especially relevant today: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFNbTnFHruI
It absolutely sucks to be a millennial (me) because literally everyone I love in music and culture came of age in the 70s-90s and they're all dying. Ozzy was awful for me. But over the next decade, it's only going to get worse.
I was more of a Shatner movies Star Trek kid but I remember watching The Next Generation when it first came out and liked it. RIP to a legend.
> He was given no middle name but later invented one, Hewes, when he joined a union that already had a member named Patrick Stewart.
I never knew that. I wonder if, in the "I, Borg" episode, they chose the name "Hugh" as a reference to this when coming up with a name for the newly individuated Borg. It's a stretch, but I'd like to think so.
RIP Mr. Stewart.
I was dreading this moment. RIP.
I’ll be re-watching The Inner Light in his honor tonight.
I don't typically read non-fiction, but his autobiography ("Making It So", https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Making_It_So) was very, very good.
One of the things I particularly liked is that he admits to the mistakes he made, and the times when he wasn't the human being he strived to be.
It’s been awhile since I’ve watched something he’s been in but now learning that he’s gone, it feels similar to having a good childhood friend pass into the night
I know Patrick Stewart wasn't in STEM, but his influence in sci-fi is clearly highly regarded. I am sure there are people out there making a difference in STEM right now that were in some significant way inspired by Patrick Stewart. Any chance we could get a black banner up for him?
I have very few holiday traditions, but one is I listen to his one man show reading of a Christmas Carol. It's a great 1 hr and 45 min spent during the holidays: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JCE3CU
Walter Koenig (Pavel Chekov) died too, a few days ago.
I'm not usually invested in celebrity deaths, but this one is heartbreaking. TNG was a formative show in my life.
He was a wonderful actor and by all accounts a wonderful person.
Most people focus on his television/movie stuff but I always found his Shakespeare most endearing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwRj8B1dXfk
He really was able to translate the literature to acting relevance for me (as a lit person)
I often see my wife uncontrollably sad when she hears about the passing of someone she only (barely) knows from watching them on TV; Today she told me the news about the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart, and was immediately embarrassed for how I felt. I knew all along, but I'm super glad to know how cherished this show was for so many. My favorite episode was the 'Inner Light'.
Patrick Stewart didn’t just play a captain. He helped make kindness, reason and curiosity look genuinely cool. Fly safe Sir Patrick.
In my youth I wanted to be Picard but now in middle age I'm definitely more of a Barclay.
ETA: Steward also voiced Picard in robot chicken's "night crew": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4ApQrbhQp8
As campy as TNG can be, there are so many moral themes and dillemas and Stewart's Picard always grounded them with his dedication to his craft. RIP.
His portrayal of Picard helped me to understand what real maturity could look like. He will be greatly missed. Pour one out for Patrick.
Whenever I run into a moral or political or similar dilemma I always ask myself, if this was an episode of TNG, which side would be the baddies and who would Picard side with? Never steered me wrong. RIP Patrick Stewart.
They formed an invincible duo on stage with Ian McKellen.
See: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/phwFI-n-big
When I was a child, my dad used to bring me to school by car. During the ride, I played "Star Trek" and we always had a technical issue like a phase variance in an induction coil. Usually it ended such that the warp core had to be ejected...
Sir Patrick Stewart inspired me since my childhood. Thank you captain!
One of my few brushes with fame was when I was in Nevada City, CA for a job interview some twenty years ago. Coming from Seattle, we got there a few days early. Came from the airport, parked and got some coffee, started walking around. Walking down the sidewalk, I see a middle-aged bald guy in a $COLLEGE sweatshirt talking to some folks. Sure enough it is Patrick Stewart, just hanging out. Apparently there was a film festival in town, and he was there to do $SOMETHING I've since forgotten.
I didn't bother him, as much as we both wanted to (he looked busy), what struck me was how casual Sir Patrick Stewart was in his faded sweatshirt talking to some awestruck kid and his mom.
There are four lights, my friends
Patrick was and always will be one of the brightest stars.
This hits pretty hard. TNG and Picard's character was a huge part of my childhood.
Not only one of the nicest celebrities I've ever met, but one of the nicest people. His memory for people he met and minor details about them was fantastic. As absolutely as charming in real life as you could imagine.
RIP to a legend. Picard is an obvious highlight, but I had the pleasure of seeing him on stage in Waiting for Godot too, which was delightful (well, maybe not the best word for the play, but you know).
I have so many fond childhood memories from TNG together with a persisting, strong feeling of hope for a bright version of the future. Something which gave me a spark of hope and optimism that brought me through the tough teen years and up and through adulthood. And which still to this day gives me a hope for a better future in our world even on days when things feel tough, and even though the current outlooks are dim.
Thank you, Patrick. Rest in peace.
PS. Something that's really sad (at least here in my Scandinavian country) is that it's currently completely impossible to stream TNG anywhere at all. No idea of the situation is the same elsewhere in Europe and the rest of the world. Thank goodness I found the complete DVD collection in a thrift store earlier this year. But the saddest thing of all is that the current generation of young people miss out on experiencing the feeling of hope that Jean-Luc Picard and the rest of the TNG crew gave us through their story. And miss out an important vision showing the possibility of a positive and bright version of the future, where humankind has grown into a mature and competent version of itself. Especially now in these dark and uncertain times.
Ah I have fond memories of The Next Generation. And Patrick Stewart introduced me to earl grey tea. I should have a cup tomorrow morning!
Also Checkov died a few days ago: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tv/articles/star-trek-ac...
Now it's just Sulu and Captain Kirk....
Many have said it already, and it's also true for me: Patrick Stewart as Jean-Luc Picard was my role model as a young teenager. The world is a little less bright without him.
Probably like a lot of people here, I grew up watching TNG in the 90s. There are so many nuggets of wisdom for life, morality, leadership in there. Some episodes makes you think, others sad, others hopeful. It's still my most re-watched series.
The cast also seem like a group of genuinely nice people. It's so nice to see the real world friendship there. A group of people I'd want to be friends with. Sir Patrick Stewart was the perfect Captain Picard. Someone many of us looked up to even though he's a fictional character.
He had many lives. It's cool to note that he didn't take on the Picard role until he was 47.
Never too late to do the other thing. Keep going.
Don't ever stop boldly going wherever you are.
I recall recognizing him as a Roman soldier in "I, Claudius".
Oh. This is going to affect me more than or nearly as hard as George Carlin passing back in '08 did. This is a horrible year.
Damn. And me here typing "make it so" to AI agents instead of re-watching TNG.
Let me go and fix that.
He’s finally seen everything
The post title alone elevated my cortisol levels. As a fan of TNG, I was dreading this one. RIP.
I grew up without a father. As it happens children choose father figures when that's the case. Capt. Jean-luc Picard was mine. I can't be the only one who did that, that's how powerful that character was.
Another huge piece of my childhood dies. Very sad, indeed. :(
I think all of us growing up in the 80s and 90s just don't realize that we probably lived in the most awesome time period in human history. Everything was just peak. Vibes, music, film, art, travel.
Now the OGs all die... and I look around and see nothing and no one to step into their humongous foot steps...
Early Enobarbus https://youtu.be/2hulHTH-3bc?t=60
A wonderful human being with charisma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWdUlFCESeY
It's such a shame how few things in media have even attempted to carry the torch TNG lit. There's been enough written about how Trek itself wasn't, but I always hope something else takes up the mantle.
Closest i've seen is The Orville which I found best described as McFarlen using his money to pay for his Larping (in a good way), but was pretty much just copy pasting.
It was such a fascinating show and handled issues with a tact and nuance you're lucky to get today.
Star Trek TNG was a very big influence on my younger self, so this news hits rather hard. Rest in Peace, Sir Stewart, you will be fondly remembered by the many people whose lives you have touched.
Gosh this is heartbreaking.
I was fortunate enough to get to chat with him and some of the lead crew of ST:TNG while at a local convention. He was exactly how I imagined he would be in "real life", such a clever and well-spoken class act. RIP <3
A little off topic, but are there any modern utopian/positive sci-fi shows still being released? I feel like ST:TNG was the last of its kind?
Both myself and my wife were in floods of tears at the news. Walter Koenig's passing earlier this week was sad, but this is a whole other level.
Sir Patrick, my captain, you will be sorely missed.
Time to cue the Extras outtakes with Gervais. Stewart was effing funny
RIP. I will never forget your roll in X-Men. Watched when I was young and my dad even dressed up as him (i.e. shaved his head) and I thought it was sick
I'm finishing up my Voyager watch right now and was already considering TNG next, this seals the deal. TNG is such a cornerstone to my youth and growing up. Everyday after school I'd come home and watch TNG reruns (Tivo). Call it whatever you will but Star Trek and the ethos in it will always hold a very special place in my heart, I've always held it up as the model to aim for. He will be missed.
My first memory of his incredible voice is King Richard (and the narrator's voice) from Lands of Lore. He added something unique to every project he touched.
I loved Star Trek when I was little and he was a big part of that. I loved him in Dune (the one from 1984, one of my favorite movies). He was also in Excalibur, another early obsession of mine. These are very early movies, he already had no hair, he looked pretty much the same way for 50 years. Of course he was great as professor Xavier too. Even the recent Picard series was decent even though he wasn't in his prime anymore.
I grew up with this guy. I will always remember him, his work. I will always smile when he comes on screen. And I will always keep using his facepalm meme with a smirk. Thanks Patrick Stewart.
Black stripe would be good for this one I think.
Man I've cried twice today over this. I guess I really thought of Patrick Stewart as almost like a respected family member in my mind. The state of leadership in the world today is pretty bad, so I guess I'll just have to continue rewatching TNG front to back every couple of years to have an example to live by.
He's not really dead, as long as we remember him.
Since nobody mentioned it, let me introduce my friends here to a Christmas special.
Google “Dear Satan”.
One of my favorite CDs, is Arnie Roth's The Compleat Four Seasons, narrated by Sir Patrick[0].
Vivaldi's poetry ... left something to be desired (think Vogon), but Patrick Stewart made it noble.
[0] https://open.spotify.com/album/024X8FW18wEjWTwiHjcSrR
He will always be "my" captain. The one I grew up with watching re-runs on television with my mother. Rest in peace.
This is actually so sad, I watched Star Trek to get out of the covid blues in lockdown and was genuinely amazed how much of it held up, RIP.
Seize the time… Live now! Make now always the most precious time. Now will never come again. - Jean-Luc Picard may he rest in peace.
Thanks for entertaining us and bringing stories to life for all these years Patrick. May you boldly go where no man has gone before.
Can't complain too much about 86 years but I'll miss him. I worry how it'll feel to watch him now.
One to beam up.
So sad, TNG was very big part of my childhood.
He was so influential and his performances truly changed my life for the better. He will be sorely missed.
Very sad. I will always remember my first exposure to Patrick Stewart - Comptons Interactive Encyclopedia. Such a fun time at the beginning of my computer adventures in the 90s.
The greatest Macbeth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZnaXDRwu84
Had the privilege of attending his one-man show of A Christmas Carol in 1992-93. Amazing actor who very obviously loved his craft and his audience.
RIP Sir Patrick
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X6oUz1v17Uo
Rip
Sir Patricks portrayal of Picard created one of the great characters in fiction. How many of us were influenced by his decency, values and morality, Picard will always be an all time classic. Very sad to hear of his death, a genuinely great actor and all round good person.
"When I was young, I remember watching my grandfather deteriorate from a powerful, intelligent figure to a frail wisp of a man, who could barely make his own way home."
— Picard in TNG episode Night Terrors
Make it so.
RIP to the legend. Thank you for making my childhood and making me believe in the possibility of the better future.
:( Rip Patrick Steward. I grew up watching TNG and Captain Picard has imprinted in my memory.
Captain Jean Luc Picard was a father-like figure to me. Patrick Stewart will be missed.
Still remember being a small kid running around the house as my dad had TNG playing on the TV. Patrick was pretty formative in the early years for me.
I also really liked him in a Christmas Carrol (1999). I thought he played the role really well.
Picard out.
So many dimensions to his class and talents. I've been lucky enough to see him twice, performing live on stage - as Macbeth, and in Ibsen's The Master Builder. Unforgettable.
I often referred to him as an example of a humble Gentleman. Rest in peace sir
We're losing both Jean-Luc Picard and Dr Charles Xavier at the same time.
Quite a sad day.
Very talented actor.
Extremely sad day for the geeks in us. Good bye professor X.
May I treat you to a timeless classic: https://picard.ytmnd.com/
Picard has become a moral example, I don't think anyone but Patrick Stewart could have been the embodiement of a character we could nary live up to.
I genuinely wish Apple could figure out a way to respectfully license and preserve his voice to make it the defacto voice of Siri so that my kids would grow up in a world where the intelligent, compassionate voice of Patrick Stewart would be actively associated with seeking, reaching, and exploring knowledge. I know everything nowadays is painfully, annoyingly AI slopped, but I mean this as a long-standing way to preserve his legacy and celebrate what he meant to all of us. That's why it could only be a steward like Apple and not some random-co.ai.
This news has me so emotionally compromised that I actually signed up for Paramount Plus.
His performance in TNG was so great it left such an impression on adult me. So much so I tend to end my AI agent approvals with "Make it so number 1"
Star Trek: First Contact is one of my favorite movies of all time. Probably on my top 5. That generation of Start Trek (pun intended) was so under rated.
I for one feel a black banner would be appropriate for his contributions to the soul of this place.
O captain, my captain
Patrick was basically my dad - the characters he played were absolutely instrumental in developing my own values. What a sad day.
<3
It was inevitable, though you always hope for an exception. I don't think I've ever seen any work of his I didn't deeply appreciate.
I enjoyed the first two seasons of Star Trek: Picard. Always knew this might happen some day, but always wished it can keep going.
Progressive neurological diseases suck. I would like to understand though since Stewart was filming up until this year? What was the time frame like, was it a more sudden onset or was he able to manage somewhat while continuing to film and work?
"All good things must come to an end". Loved the Next Generation, loved Picard. RIP captain.
I can still hear the voice: "Space: the final frontier. These are the voyages of the starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission: to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before."
#!/usr/bin/env bash
echo $'\U1F596'
I feel this is black-titlebar worthy. RIP, you inspiring man.
Rest in peace, i've enjoyed so much his acting. He will always be attached to my childhood memories.
"And that is what it is to be human. To make yourself more than you are." - Jean-Luc Picard
I don't knwo why but I was sure he would live to be much older... He will be missed.
Wow, RIP. Had no idea he was sick.
I think he looks like DAVID PATTERSON, the Turing award winner.
Damn, made me unexpectedly sad. RIP. Loved the philosophy and his acting in Star Trek.
Tremendous loss. A thespian's thespian, through and through.
I wanted him to live forever, so sad
Pour one out for Leondegrance.
"Someone once told me that time was a predator that stalked us all our lives. I’d rather believe that time is a companion who goes with us on the journey and allows us to cherish every moment...because they’ll never come again."
~ Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: Generations
He lived long and prospered.
My favorite episode of TNG was the one where Q shows him what his life would be like if he had just been a mild mannered scientist and not taken risks and never ended up in command. “Tapestry” — Star Trek: The Next Generation, Season 6, Episode 15, originally aired February 15, 1993.
Make it NOT so
RIP a legend
That's terribly sad news. From his brilliant performances in TNG to his hilarious performance in Extras he was such an amazing actor who brought kindness and warmth to me whenever I watched him in anything. He introduced me to the magic of Shakespeare and also to the magic of being authentic and kind no matter how successful you are. A real British legend!
What an incredible actor. He will be missed.
I have been meaning to start a rewatch of TNG, I guess now is the time.
I remember his Covid time videos in prospect park those made me happy
I enjoyed his character in the Showtime series Blunt Talk
I will always remember him for his role in gun men
That's so sad :(
proud we collectively deem this site-relevant
Lewy Body Dementia? I suppose Captain Picard will be sharing drinks and swapping stories with a certain Orkan in that celestial watering hole, Seven Forward.
Stewart was rather like Alan Rickman's Galaxy Quest character in real life: when he first joined the TNG cast he was rather arrogant and thought he was demeaning himself, a Shakespearean actor slumming it as a spaceman on terrestrial American television. As a consequence, the rest of the season one cast started pranking him pretty hard on set. In a textbook example of what the British mean when they say they're "taking the piss out of someone", Stewart was humbled and developed a good sense of humor about it all, and would go on to embrace Star Trek and the Picard role, and not take himself so seriously in general. Which to me, is worthy of the absolute highest respect for a performer. He brought the same professionalism and enthusiasm to Picard, Charles Xavier, and Yaotl from TMNT (2007) that he did to any of his Shakespearean roles.
Not unexpected but still hit hard.
He will be missed. Rest in peace, Captain.
the man who got me into star trek which then got me into computers which got me where I am today, that's extremely sad
Lost a great one.
RIP to one of the truly great ones
Mirab, his sails unfurled.
I never met him. I'm crying.
Make it not so
Profound shock.
I often think of Picard looking down at us, through a force field in the Enterprise D, sees our wars, our inequalities and slowly shakes his head: "Savages". In his role as Picard he was a bit of a teacher to me.
I used to watch Star Trek TNG back in the 1990s. Patrick was great as Captain Picard.
I did notice that in the latest Wolverine he seemed to be doing not so well with his physical status, looking quite frail and his voice was also no longer strong as it used to be (that was in Logan 2017, so already 10 years ago). Dementia is kind of eating away at the neurons.
He was a gift to the world.
I remember him as Gurney Halleck and his brief non-speaking turn as Karla in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
What can you not say about a man like this. Beloved by all and someone to look up to on and off the screen. Many of us grew up learning from and laughing with Sir Patrick Stewart and his characters. He was an actor's actor, committed to his roles.
No being is so important that he can usurp the rights of another, but yesterday we lost someone very important.
Engage.
Was great in Oblivion. RIP
He saw everything
He played one of the most exemplary men of the last century, and brought life to an ideal of what humanity could aspire to be. The fiction was a vehicle, and through it he represented our best.
I didn't know anything about him other than his work, which is perhaps as fine an epitaph as any man could have.
I usually don't follow this kind of celebrity news. This is the first time, maybe in my life, that I felt the news of a celebrity passing in my gut.
Patrick Stewart's role in TNG was iconic and left a big mark on me as a kid. I felt like TNG really envisioned a society that would be utopic, and I was always inspired by his code, his faith in himself and his morals, and his deep curiosity and compassion for the people around him and the strangers out in the universe.
The world of TNG still lives in a tiny corner of my brain, as a place of both comfort and inspiration.
There dies part of my childhood. RIP, you gave the world so much!
RIP Patrick Stewart, he will always be Picard and Xavier to me.
I commend you to the stars
Plays a melancholy melody on a flute
He is The Picard.
‘Damage report!’
I am going to watch TNG once again for him starting now. I am sad.
a thing isn't beautiful because it lasts
RIP Professor X
THERE. ARE. FOUR. LIGHTS.
I'll never forget this line, and what it means. I think of it often.
Godspeed. ;~;7
RIP
Just as I'm in the middle of watching Picard Season 1.
But it was too late. I've seen everything.
In our hearts, you will always live long and prosper, Captain.
Watching Star Trek TNG episodes when they first aired in the late 80s had a powerful effect on my imagination as a child. It would not, and could not, have been the same show without Patrick Stewart. RIP.
I have (re)watched Star Trek TNG more times than I can remember. I got a shock when I saw the title of this post.
One of the celebrity deaths I actually care about. Rest in peace.
In Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979), Patrick Stewart has a short appearance near the very end as soviet KGB mastermind Karla.
Never have I seen such presence and charisma squeezed into so short a scene.
Honorable mention: thanks to red letter media for keeping the memory alive. And for being dorky and entertaining.
RIP.
Am I the only one who regularly tells Claude to "make it so"?
RIP
Damn. Doomsday may be his last appearance. I wonder if they filmed anything for secret wars.
Wow, what a loss. So many iconic characters, so much inspirational
I would watch some TNG tonight in his honor… but since the Ellisons bought Paramount, it’s not available on streaming in my country anymore. (Billionaires really will spoil everything.)
Instead I’ll go find my old DVD box set of “I, Claudius” where he had a memorable role too.
:(
Paywall for an obituary is something else
i sense a great disturbance in the force...
*Sir Patrick Stewart
I grew up watching this show. I watched it with my dad. I'm bereft right now.
make it not so
o7
noooooooooo sad day
more of us men should be like him and who he was and what he stood for
[Flagged]
sigh.. damn I just started star trek.
Gasp
non-paywall: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/29/arts/television/patrick-s...
I don’t think I can properly explain what he meant to me, but I will try.
Growing up, I didn’t have a lot of people around me who could show me what a good person was supposed to be like. So I found those elsewhere. In games and in Star Trek. To me, Jean-Luc Picard was probably the closest thing I had to a proper father figure.
He embodied everything I felt a person should aspire to be. Intelligent, thoughtful, but also compassionate, principled.
He taught me that you could exercise authority without cruelty, resolve conflict without violence, understood that strength wasn’t about dominating others, but about having the wisdom and restraint not to.
He taught me that you could be rational without being cold, that you could lead without humiliating others, and that kindness and competence weren’t opposites.
These weren’t just qualities I simply admired in a fictional character in a silly science fiction show. They were things I tried to build into myself. They were what I had.
I’m having a really hard time with this. I never know how to articulate how this feels, because I grew up with these role models and most of the people I know haven’t and it feels awkward.
You were a positive force. RIP
[stub for offtopicness]
should not be on HN
Same as I said about Walter:
Nah, it's SciFi. They'll find a way of writing them back in. Won't they?