Sir Patrick Stewart died on Wednesday at the age of 86. He is survived by his wife, Sunny Ozell, and his two children, Daniel Stewart and Sophie Stewart.
Stewart had two children with his first wife, Sheila Falconer. The two married in 1966 and split in 1990 after an extramarital affair.
Daniel, 59, is an English actor like his father. He worked alongside Stewart in a few projects, including the 1993 film Death Train and the 2015 sitcom Blunt Talk. He was also a guest star on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Stewart later said that part of the reason “The Inner Light” was his favorite episode was that he worked on it with Daniel.
“My favorite episode is ‘Inner Light.’ It was a beautiful script…But another important reason is that I had a son in that episode who was played by my son, Daniel Stewart,” Stewart said in a Reddit Ask Me Anything post.
Stewart told USA Today in 2015, “I think it’s a great thing that we’re both in the same profession. It has brought so much into both our lives that we can share and enjoy talking about. It’s terrific.”
Daniel explained in the same interview that his childhood was not ordinary. “This industry, and the fact that we’re both in it, brings up all kinds of bizarre circumstances. The lives we lead can be sort of ridiculous. My upbringing wasn’t a typical one in that my mum and dad came home at 5 and dinner was on the table at 6.”
Daniel’s first role was in the 1986 miniseries Shaka Zulu. Since then, he has continued to act on screen and stage, with roles on Broadway and in West End plays.
Daniel is married to Mary Stillwaggon Stewart, who is also an actress. They have been married since 1999 and share two children.
Stewart and Falconer also share a daughter, Sophie.
Stewart told People, “The first two years of her life I was very much a caretaker because her mother was a wonderful dancer and appeared in musicals. I took over the job of being mom and dad, and I loved it. It was marvelous.”
Though not an actress like her parents and brother, she has attended several red-carpet events over the years. Sophie also has two children, a son and a daughter.
Though Stewart has always expressed pride in his children, he has also spoken in recent years about their distance.
“Given that I’m separated from my children now — we don’t have relationships — they have become very important…they’re not children anymore, they’re adults. And my relationship with them is practically non-existent,” he told the Irish Independent.
When asked what happened, the actor replied, “I always put my acting work first, before my family.”
“I could’ve done better as a parent when my kids were little. I was just obsessed with my work and everything else took second place,” explained Stewart. “I’m trying to correct that now whenever possible with my grandchildren. And my own children seem to have forgiven me.”
A spokesperson for Stewart said in a statement on Thursday, “We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday 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. We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
