Patrick Stewart dies at 86, ABC7 reports; colleagues pay tribute

Patrick Stewart, known for his portrayals of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men, died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home at 86, according to ABC7 Los Angeles. His spokesperson announced the death Thursday.

Tributes from stage and screen colleagues reflected a career spanning the Royal Shakespeare Company, Star Trek and X-Men. ABC7 reported that fellow performers remembered both Stewart's acting and his friendship.

The spokesperson's statement referenced Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, according to ABC7. The death announcement was followed by remembrances on social media and in statements from colleagues and organizations.

Actor Ian McKellen, Stewart's X-Men co-star, recalled meeting him at the Royal Shakespeare Company more than 50 years earlier. In his Instagram tribute, McKellen remembered Stewart as a friend he could depend on, ABC7 reported.

According to the Royal Shakespeare Company account cited by ABC7, Stewart joined in 1966 and continued as a core member through 1982. The company's remembrance highlighted the theater work that was part of his career alongside his screen roles.

Star Trek colleagues paying tribute included actors Wil Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes, George Takei and William Shatner. Stewart and Shatner appeared as Picard and Kirk in Star Trek: Generations in 1994, according to the report.

Actor Hugh Jackman remembered learning from his X-Men co-star, while Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige expressed gratitude for having known and worked with Stewart. Writer, actor and filmmaker Seth MacFarlane praised Stewart's ability to strengthen a writer's dialogue through his performance, ABC7 reported.

ABC7 reported that Stewart's final film appearance will be in Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release Dec. 18. McKellen also noted the forthcoming performance in his tribute.