Patrick Stewart dies, aged 86

Patrick Stewart has died, aged 86

The actor, who is best known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and X-Men star died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles.

He passed away after a "brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia", said Kelly Bush Novak, his longtime spokesperson, to the Hollywood Reporter.

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

Stewart starred as Captain Picard on all seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation. He reprised the character in four Star Trek films from 1994 to 2002, before returning to the role in 2020 on the Paramount+ series Star Trek: Picard.

He then joined the X-Men movie franchise as Professor Charles Xavier, and played him for over two decades.

Stewart was married three times. He shares son Daniel Stewart and daughter Sophia Stewart with first wife Sheila Falconer, who he was married to from 1966 to 1990. He was also married to Wendy Neuss from 2000 to 2003, before tying the knot with singer and songwriter, Sunny Ozell in 2013.

Marvel Studios have released a statement paying tribute to Stewart. "He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art."