Patrick Stewart, Star Trek & X-Men Actor & Lifetime LGBTQ+ Ally, Dies Aged 86

Patrick Stewart, internationally acclaimed Star Trek and X-Men actor and staunch lifetime LGBTQ+ ally, has died aged 86. 

According to an announcement published on the star’s X account, Stewart died on 28 October at his home in Los Angeles, in the company of his cherished wife, 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 statement read. “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.

“A son of Mirfield in the West Riding of Yorkshire, he travelled from the Royal Shakespeare Company to an equally acclaimed career spanning six decades on Broadway, the silver screen and television.

“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.”

The post went on to highlight Stewart’s commitment to philanthropy, including activism on behalf of human rights, survivors of domestic violence, global refugees, veterans’ mental health services, and animal welfare, the latter cause for which he and his wife fostered multiple pittbulls.

Patrick Stewart’s Lifelong LGBTQ+ Allyship

Within the queer community, Stewart will not only be remembered for his iconic portrayal of Star Trek’s Captain Jean-Luc Picard and X-Men’s Professor Charles Xavier, but also as a lifelong LGBTQ+ ally.

Aside from consistently advocating for the dignity of LGBTQ+ people, Stewart famously shared a close friendship with fellow actor and gay rights icon Sir Ian McKellen, who officiated Stewart’s wedding in 2013. Through the friendship, Stewart normalised intimate same-sex affection, including sharing public kisses with McKellen and American television host Conan O’Brien.

When Stewart was mistakenly described as gay by The Guardian in 2014, Stewart told The Advocate he was “utterly flattered” by the assumption and described how McKellen had emailed him shortly thereafter simply to say “Congratulations!”. 

“There was never a moment where I made an intellectual choice that I would be a supporter of gay civil rights,” Stewart once said. “It was always a natural and uncomplicated choice. Then later in life, as I got to know well-known activists like lan McKellen, I was only too happy to join campaigns, march, and support in whatever way I could because it always seemed to me to be something that much too much fuss was being made about.”