In Memoriam: Patrick Stewart

O Captain! my Captain! our fearful trip is done,
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won,
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;
                         But O heart! heart! heart!
                            O the bleeding drops of red,
                               Where on the deck my Captain lies,
                                  Fallen cold and dead.

This was not the post I expected to write today.

Sir Patrick Stewart, the tiny gentle giant of stage and screen, died on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at age 86. His family announced his passing was due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. In lieu of flowers, his family asks for memorial contributions to be made in his honor to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.

Stewart once told me in an interview that an actor can never have too many franchises. His belief in the blockbuster system turned him into a household name, starting with his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Other famous roles include (but are not limited to) Gurney Halleck in the original 1984 Dune, Leondegrance in Excalibur, the original Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, and John of Gaunt in The Hollow Crown. His awards haul includes multiple Oliviers; he was also nominated for numerous accolades, including Golden Globes, Emmys, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and a Tony.

The actor was born during World War II, in Yorkshire, the son of a weaver and a World War veteran. Stewart has been very open about the poverty he experienced in post-war England, and the domestic violence he grew up mired in. He broke through class lines partly because of Churchill’s Great Society program, which gave him grants to attend the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Stewart joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and remained a member until the mid-1980s, when his franchise career first took off.

Below are our picks of our favorite Patrick Stewart performances and where to stream them.

I, Claudius

Stewart’s first major TV appearance on American shores came a good decade before Star Trek made him a household name, when he appeared in the PBS broadcast of I, Claudius. Stewart appears in four episodes of the series as Sejanus, and yes, that is a wig.

All episodes of I, Claudius are streaming on YouTube.

A Christmas Carol

A timely holiday entry, Stewart starred as the infamous Scrooge in the 1999 adaptation of A Christmas Carol. It’s a stacked cast too, with Richard E. Grant as Bob Cratchit and younger versions of Saskia Reeves, Dominic West, Laura Fraser, and Celia Imrie.

A Christmas Carol is available as a streaming rental on Amazon.

Lady Jane

The last film Stewart appeared in before his career took off due to Star Trek was Lady Jane, starring Helena Bonham Carter, about the short rule of Lady Jane Grey. Stewart plays Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk, the mastermind behind putting Jane on the throne.

Lady Jane is streaming on Pluto.

Star Trek: The Next Generation & Picard

Stewart has been a franchise stalwart for Star Trek, appearing as Jean-Luc Picard in TV series and films from The Next Generation’s 1987 debut through the 2023 conclusion of Star Trek: Picard. In between, he appeared in the TV series Deep Space Nine and in the films Star Trek: Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis.

The entire Star Trek franchise is streaming on Paramount+.

The Merchant of Venice

Sadly, most of Stewart’s stage performances occurred before pro-shots became a viable way to watch theater on screen. However, his later appearances include his critically acclaimed role as Shylock in the 2011 The Merchant of Venice, opposite Susannah Fielding as Portia.

The Merchant of Venice is streaming on Marquee TV.

Moby Dick

In a non-Shakespearean classic, Stewart played Captain Ahab in the 1998 Australian adaptation of Moby Dick. The film is notable not just for Stewart’s scenery-chewing, but also for starring the kid from ET, Henry Thomas, as Ishmael and Gregory Peck in his final on-screen role as Father Mapple.

Moby Dick is streaming on Tubi.

Macbeth

The 2010 film version of Macbeth stars Stewart in the title role, with Kate Fleetwood as Lady Macbeth. It originally aired on Great Performances on PBS, but unfortunately, PBS Passport’s Great Performances library is a bit hit-and-miss; luckily, this is still on the Amazon PBS channel.

The 2010 Macbeth is available to stream on the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel.

Excalibur

Stewart had only a small role in Excalibur as Leondegrance (and again, yes, that’s a wig), but since it was the first thing Ani ever saw him in, it’s going on the list. It’s worth watching.

Excalibur is streaming on YouTube.

The Hollow Crown: Richard II

Likewise, Stewart has only a small role in The Hollow Crown cycle, appearing as John of Gaunt in the very first film in the six-film series, Richard II. However, it’s the best Richard II ever committed to screen, so it’s worth a rewatch, and it’s on the list.

The Hollow Crown is available as a streaming rental on Amazon.

Dune

Given that Dune Part 3 will likely be a massive box office success, it’s worth remembering that Stewart starred as Gurney Halleck in David Lynch’s original 1984 disaster version. If you haven’t watched it in a while, do yourself a favor and fix that.

Dune is streaming on Tubi.

Hamlet

One of Stewart’s most acclaimed Shakespeare performances came in Hamlet. Not as the Prince of Denmark – he’s played by David Tennant – but as Claudius and then later as the Ghost of the same. This is one of the two performances that earned him an Olivier Award, in this case, for Best Supporting Actor.

Hamlet is available as a streaming rental on Amazon.

The X-Men & Marvel Cinematic Universe

Stewart cemented himself as a global icon by following up his run on Star Trek with the lead role as Professor X of the X-Men, playing opposite the man who became his lifelong best friend from the first movie on, Ian McKellen. The two actors brought gravitas to the film, making it the first Marvel blockbuster, which then expanded into a multi-film franchise, including X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Wolverine, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Logan. The success of The X-Men films helped pave the way to the creation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Arguably his best performance in the role was in the Wolverine-focused film Logan, which earned him the most accolades of any film role.

With the Disney+/Fox merger, Stewart and McKellen’s X-Men roles were integrated into the current superhero lineup with cameo appearances in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and a final appearance in the forthcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

The entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is streaming on Disney+. Stewart’s final performance in the role in Avengers: Doomsday will debut in theaters Friday, December 18, 2026.

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