O Captain Picard! Our Captain Picard! Various cast and crew from the Star Trek franchise are paying tribute to Patrick Stewart. The actor died on Oct. 28 at 86 at his home in Los Angeles from complications of Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
William Shatner and George Takei
William Shatner, who played Captain Kirk in Star Trek: The Original Series, posted a touching tribute on Instagram:
“What a heartbreaking week it has been. Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did. Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work.
My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed.”
Shatner’s TOS co-star, George Takei, who played Sulu, also shared a heartfelt homage to Stewart:
“Fans across the world mourn the passing of a true and irreplaceable legend. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart took the starship Enterprise to places it had never gone before, and he inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a brighter future for all humanity. Our hearts are heavy, indeed. Rest in the heavens, Captain.”
Jonathan Frakes and Wil Wheaton
Stewart’s fellow Star Trek: The Next Generation cast members have also posted in his honor. Jonathan Frakes, who played Commander Will Riker, posted an Instagram story with the message, “Rest in peace my friend.” Wil Wheaton paid tribute with a photo from their time on the show. The Wesley Crusher actor simply wrote, “Godspeed, Captain.”
Terry Matalas, Todd Stashwick, and Akiva Goldsman
Star Trek: Picard co-showrunner and executive producer Terry Matalas shared a picture of Stewart from the show, writing, “Oh Captain, my Captain. This is how I’ll always remember you…”
Todd Stashwick, who portrayed Captain Liam Shaw in Picard‘s third and final season, also acknowledged how rough this week has been for Trekkies:
“We lost an icon today.
Rough week for the Star Trek family
…and not just Trek, to us in the nerd world, he was a mainstay. Excalibur, Dune, X-men. And that was after he secured his legend in London Theater. His one man Christmas Carol is a gift that is evergreen. A brilliant actor, a generous storyteller, and a dear friend to many. I learned a lot in the very short time I got to work with him. It was a treat to say the least.
We will all carry his impact with us into the future. What a life.
The last picture is one of my favorites, cause it was the day we shared with him the video of William Shatner’s rendition of rocket man. He’d never seen it. It might’ve been one of the coolest geek out moments I have had in a string of cool geek out moments.
When you meet a person who has been knighted by the queen, you don’t expect them to be as, dare I say, silly as he was with me. Such a joy. We laughed a lot. He had great stories.
We all should strive to live a life as full.”
Picard co-showrunner and co-creator Akiva Goldsman didn’t take to social media to honor Stewart, but he released a statement, per Variety:
“Patrick was not only a true lion of the profession, he was the rarest of alchemists, one who could literally turn the written word into flesh and blood. Patrick was kind, strong, fiercely intelligent, collaborative, vulnerable and wise. His Captain Jean-Luc Picard permanently expanded the universe of Star Trek without measure. He will be deeply missed by this one fan and by so many more.”
Anson Mount
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds star Anson Mount shared his love for Stewart on Instagram. Mount currently plays Captain Pike on the series, and he posted several photos with individual captions honoring the Captain Jean-Luc Picard actor while recounting their moment together at the Paramount upfronts in New York. He concluded his post with, “Bravo, Patrick. I will miss you dearly. Until next time… Engage.”
‘An Enduring Legacy’
The official Star Trek account posted a series of photos featuring Stewart as the iconic Enterprise captain, along with this caption:
“A voice. A presence. A captain unlike any other.
Sir Patrick Stewart gave generations of fans an icon who inspired us to look toward the stars. Today, we celebrate an extraordinary life and an enduring legacy.
Thank you, Sir Patrick. 🖖”
Stewart is survived by his wife, Sunny Ozell, whom he married in 2013, and his two children, Daniel Stewart and Sophie Alexandra Stewart.
This isn’t the first loss for the Star Trek family this week. Walter Koenig, who played Chekov in TOS, died on Oct. 25.
