Patrick Stewart Has Sadly Passed Away at 86
If you, like me, are a 30-45 year old, we’re in the same boat. There is probably a group of actors who imprinted on you as a kid when they were already older. Because you have always seen them as older, it somehow takes us by surprise when pass away. Sir Patrick Stewart is the perfect example of this.
I really would like to focus on three roles of his. The first being what introduced me to his work: Professor X. People may disagree, but I really feel that the Professor is the lynchpin of X-Men. You need a performance that has both the oft used delicate hand of a mentor and the rarely used iron fist of a powerful mutant. You also need what is essentially a friend. A friend to mutants, humans, and most of all Magneto. Their story of brotherhood is critical to the fabric of the franchise. What Stewart was able to do alongside his great friend Ian McKellen is such a huge part of what made those movies work. And after playing Professor X with such a delicate touch in the original movies, he flipped it all on it's head with an even better performance in 'Logan', one of the best comic book movies ever made.
The second is Captain Picard. It took me a while to get to Star Trek as die hard Wars kid. After somewhat enjoying TOS, both TNG and DS9 is what really hooked me as an adult. Once again anchored by Stewart's incredible performance, he gives you a leader that you would go to war for, but also one that is flawed. One that makes mistakes, is willing to listen, learn and evolve. The series gives you the goofy SciFi stuff you want, but also universal lessons.
And the last is Avery Bullock on American Dad. The first two roles I mentioned are mostly dramatic, serious roles. What I didn't know about Stewart when I started American Dad is that he was funny as all hell too. His delivery of the most ridiculous lines you've ever heard in his posh English accent always got to me. A particular favorite moment is when the CIA realizes they have a budget surplus they need to spend ASAP, so Bullock brings the agents to a strip club where he has dancers step on his nuts.
He obviously had a distinguished career outside of these roles as well. Coming up through the theater world in England, he made his name playing some of the biggest roles in classical theater. He rocked a skullet as Gurney Halleck in the original Dune movie, fought with the round table in 'Excalibur' and, after breaking through with Star Trek, he had plenty more movie roles including an underrated horror gem I love, 'Green Room'. He also lent his amazing voice to a lot of animated work including Miyazaki's 'Nausicaa and the Valley of the Wind', 'The Simpsons', 'The Prince of Egypt' and 'The Sheep Detectives'. He also did narrations and a ton of video games.
Like I said at the top, Stewart has been a distinguished, older gentleman for as long as I've known him. A big part of that is him rocking the bald look for the better part of 60 years. Creator of Star trek Gene Roddenberry was once asked how they haven't found a cure for baldness yet in the world of Star Trek and he replied that in the future, nobody would care (I wish). In an age where actors do everything in their power to fight aging, the fact that he embraced his look is what makes this feel shocking and extra hard.
Presumably the last movie we will see him in is the upcoming 'Avengers: Doomsday', where he will reprise the role of Professor X one last time.