Patrick Stewart was one of the most respected actors of his generation.
On October 28, Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles. One of Stewart’s representatives announced his passing, revealing that the English actor had a brief battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 86. Since the news of Stewart’s death, many tributes have been pouring in from other actors and Hollywood executives, including Hugh Jackman, Kevin Feige, and William Shatner.
In honor of Stewart’s career, here are his five most memorable roles in movies and television.
5 most iconic Patrick Stewart Roles
Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation
For about two decades, the only live-action Star Trek TV show was the original series that ran from 1966 to 1969. In 1987, that changed with the arrival of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Following in William Shatner’s footsteps as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Stewart was the second actor to captain the USS Enterprise.
Die-hard fans of the original series initially met Star Trek: The Next Generation with skepticism. However, that doubt quickly faded, as TNG became a beloved and critically acclaimed series that ran for seven seasons. Stewart reprised his Star Trek role in four movies and a spin-off series. Picard will be in the running for the role that Stewart is most remembered for.
Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol has been adapted into movies and TV shows hundreds of times. Because it’s been done so many times, the great adaptations feel like outliers. 1999’s A Christmas Carol is one of those top-tier adaptations.
The television movie stars Stewart as Ebenezer Scrooge, the grumpy and cruel businessman visited by three spirits on the night of Christmas Eve. Despite playing the crotchety Scrooge, Stewart gave a grounded performance that remained faithful to Dickens’ text. Stewart earned a nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie at the 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Captain Ahab in Moby Dick
A legendary literary character like Captain Ahab can only be played by a distinguished actor like Stewart. In 1998, Stewart played Ahab in the miniseries Moby Dick. Based on Herman Melville’s seminal novel, Moby Dick follows the adventures of the whaling ship Pequod and the crew’s quest to find the famed sperm whale, Moby Dick.
Stewart plays Ahab, the obsessed captain who swears revenge against Moby Dick, the whale that bit off his leg. Stewart garnered critical acclaim for the role, as his theatrical background enhanced his portrayal of Ahab as a tragic Shakespearean figure. For playing Ahab, Stewart earned nominations at the Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.
Darcy Banker in Green Room
Throughout most of his career, Stewart played heroic protagonists and admirable characters. In Green Room, Jeremy Saulnier subverted Stewart’s built-in relationship with the audience by casting him as the villain. In the Pacific Northwest, a punk rock band plays a show at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar. After the show, one of the band’s members sees a dead body in the green room.
When the band tries to call the police, the skinheads cover up the crime. The Nazi leader, Darcy Banker (Stewart), decides to eliminate all witnesses of the crime, which leads to a battle between the band and the skinheads. Green Room is a nasty, claustrophobic thriller that never lets the audience catch their breath. Stewart is sensational as the villain, delivering a chilling performance that could be his most memorable in the last 15 years.
Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men
It wouldn’t be a list of Stewart’s iconic roles without reserving a spot for Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men. Bound to a wheelchair, Xavier was a telepathic mutant and the X-Men’s wise leader. Xavier represented the best qualities of a superhero and always provided hope in times of despair.
Stewart’s graceful performance became a standout across multiple X-Men movies. His best performance came in 2017’s Logan, where Stewart played Xavier as a hero devastated by poor health and a life of regret. Along with Jean-Luc Picard, Professor X is the other role that Stewart will likely be associated with.
