The death of Sir Patrick Stewart

Sir Patrick Stewart has died at the age of 86 following a dementia diagnosis, prompting tributes from across the acting world led by his longtime friend Sir Ian McKellen, who called him a "beloved actor." Stewart was best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor X in the X-Men films, alongside decades of work with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Retrospectives have highlighted his range across science fiction, superhero cinema and classical theatre, describing him as an actor who moved effortlessly between Star Trek and Shakespeare.