Hollywood mourns Patrick Stewart after his death at 86
Hollywood is remembering Patrick Stewart, the beloved actor known for his roles in "Star Trek" and the "X-Men" franchises, following the Thursday announcement of his death at age 86.
Stewart's family announced his death on Thursday, saying the actor died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following a "brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.
Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was among those paying tribute to Stewart, reflecting on their time working together on the "X-Men" films.
"I’ll never forget the first time I saw Sir Patrick Stewart on the set of the first X-Men," Feige said in a statement. "After years of knowing him as the inimitable Captain Picard, I was in awe -- and he turned out to be everything I had seen on screen and more: brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas."
Feige also recalled Stewart's personality offscreen, describing him as "even more remarkable, with a wonderfully sharp sense of humor."
"It was a true privilege to know him and to work with him," Feige continued. "His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed."
Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment also honored Stewart in a joint Instagram post Thursday, remembering his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the "X-Men" franchise, which started in 2000.
"All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart," the post read.
Marvel praised Stewart for bringing the character to life with grace, intelligence and humanity, leaving a lasting impression on generations of fans. He will appear as Xavier in the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday," which comes to theaters on Dec. 18.
"He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman," the post continued. "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."
Wil Wheaton, who starred alongside Stewart in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," also paid tribute to the late actor Thursday.
Wheaton shared a throwback photo of himself with Stewart on Instagram, accompanied by a broken heart emoji and the words, "Godspeed, Captain."
Jonathan Frakes, who played Cmdr. William Riker alongside Stewart in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," also remembered his longtime co-star.
Frakes shared a photo of Stewart on his Instagram story Thursday with the message, "Rest in peace my friend."
Terry Matalas, who served as showrunner of the third and final season of "Star Trek: Picard," also honored Stewart on his Instagram story.
Sharing a photo of the late actor smiling, Matalas wrote, "Oh Captain, my Captain. This is how I’ll always remember you..."
William Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk in the original "Star Trek" series, also remembered Stewart in a heartfelt Instagram post Thursday.
Sharing a photo of the two together, Shatner described Stewart as a friend and colleague whom he deeply admired.
"Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor," Shatner wrote. "From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did."
Shatner also reflected on Stewart's portrayal of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, saying the character and the actor behind him represented the best of the franchise. The actors met as Kirk and Picard in 1994 movie "Star Trek: Generations."
"My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed," Shatner added.
Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News and "Good Morning America."
