Patrick Stewart, star of 'X-Men' and 'Star Trek,' dies at 86

Patrick Stewart, a revered English actor best known for his work on Star Trek, has died. He was 86.

According to a post on his X account, Stewart died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles "in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey" with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.

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

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"His sonorous voice and singular talent will forever be synonymous with indelible performances in every genre. He explored the human condition in all its poetic complexity and brought hope not only to the far reaches of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but into science fiction's most iconic final frontier aboard the Starship Enterprise," it continued: "His professional accomplishments were humbly matched by his philanthropy and activism on behalf of human rights, survivors of domestic violence, global refugees, veterans' mental health services, and animal welfare, particularly his cherished foster puppies.

Also see: Live reaction and tributes to the life and legacy of Patrick Stewart

"He was a Knight, Chancellor, motor sport enthusiast, and lifelong Huddersfield Football fan," the post added. "He will be remembered for the dignity, compassion, and humanity he brought to every role — in his art and life."

Born in Mirfield, Yorkshire, England, Stewart dropped out of school at age 15 to work as a reporter at a local newspaper and then furniture salesman before enrolling in drama school in 1957.

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He made his professional theater debut in 1959, eventually joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966.

In the mid '80s, Stewart moved to Los Angeles to star on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran from 1987 to 1994, as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard.

He later reprised the role on the big screen for a series of Star Trek films, including Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).

Stewart had more than 160 credits as an actor, according to IMDB, most recently as the voice of Avery Bullock on the animated comedy series American Dad!.

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He will also appear posthumously in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday as Professor Charles Xavier, a role he played in several previous X-Men films.

In 2010, Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and given the title of Sir in honor of his contributions to TV, film and theater.

"We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today," Hugh Jackman, who starred alongside Stewart in X-Men, wrote in an Instagram post. "And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days."

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