Photo:Rich Fury/Getty
Rich Fury/Getty
At 19, he was performing in a small theatre, making five pounds a week: “Enough for my rent, some food and an occasional glass of beer. I was content,” he said. After a brief stint as a journalist, he landed a job with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and remained there until the early 1980s — when he struck it even bigger onStar Trek.
Here, celebrate the beloved actor’s life in photos, on his 83rd birthday.
01of 12Patrick Stewart and His Mothercourtesy“She was so sweet and caring and loving, a simple soul,” Stewart said of his mother (with him, ca. 1943), who died in 1977. “She’d had no education at all and worked at a big weaving mill for decades.”
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Patrick Stewart and His Mother
courtesy
“She was so sweet and caring and loving, a simple soul,” Stewart said of his mother (with him, ca. 1943), who died in 1977. “She’d had no education at all and worked at a big weaving mill for decades.”
02of 12Patrick Stewart on StageEvening Standard/Hulton Archive/GettyStewart played Launce in the Royal ShakespeareCompany’s 1970 production ofThe Two Gentlemen of Verona.His more recent stage work includes a 2013 Broadway production ofNo Man’s Land/Waiting for Godot.
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Patrick Stewart on Stage
Evening Standard/Hulton Archive/Getty
Stewart played Launce in the Royal ShakespeareCompany’s 1970 production ofThe Two Gentlemen of Verona.His more recent stage work includes a 2013 Broadway production ofNo Man’s Land/Waiting for Godot.
03of 12Patrick Stewart on ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’Paramount Television/Kobal/Shutterstock“I think it happened to me at exactly the right time,” Stewart (with the original cast ofStar Trek: The Next Generationin 1987) said of finding sudden fame at age 46. His role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard brought him a new level of success; he played the character for the show’s seven popular seasons and in four subsequent feature films. “There is not a corner of my life that wasn’t impacted.”
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Patrick Stewart on ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’
Paramount Television/Kobal/Shutterstock
“I think it happened to me at exactly the right time,” Stewart (with the original cast ofStar Trek: The Next Generationin 1987) said of finding sudden fame at age 46. His role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard brought him a new level of success; he played the character for the show’s seven popular seasons and in four subsequent feature films. “There is not a corner of my life that wasn’t impacted.”
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Patrick Stewart in ‘X-Men’
In 2000, Stewart was tapped to play Professor Charles Xavier inX-Menand went on to star in seven films in the franchise. He initially turned down the role to distance himself from sci-fi.
Though he’s been nominated for several Emmys, Golden Globe and SAG Awards, plus a Tony, his sole major award is a 1996 Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children forProkofiev: Peter And The Wolf.
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Patrick Stewart as Macbeth
Martin Doyle/FilmMagic
The actor spent a difficult year playing Macbeth opposite Kate Fleetwood at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2008.
06of 12Patrick Stewart and Wife Sunny OzellPatrick Stewart/ InstagramStewart and second wife Sunny Ozell (pictured in Jamaica in 2015) met when she served him in a Brooklyn diner. “It was the only time in my life I’ve given someone my telephone number and said call me,” he told PEOPLE. “I’ve never met anyone like her before. She is so smart and so informed. And her intellectual accomplishments are extraordinary. She remembers everything. My life is perpetually interesting — and it’s largely as a result of Sunny.”
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Patrick Stewart and Wife Sunny Ozell
Patrick Stewart/ Instagram
Stewart and second wife Sunny Ozell (pictured in Jamaica in 2015) met when she served him in a Brooklyn diner. “It was the only time in my life I’ve given someone my telephone number and said call me,” he told PEOPLE. “I’ve never met anyone like her before. She is so smart and so informed. And her intellectual accomplishments are extraordinary. She remembers everything. My life is perpetually interesting — and it’s largely as a result of Sunny.”
07of 12Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellenPatrick Stewart/ InstagramLongtime friend Sir Ian McKellenofficiated the couple’s 2013 wedding. The actors starred in theX-Menfranchise together, with McKellen playing the occasional villain Magneto.
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Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen
Longtime friend Sir Ian McKellenofficiated the couple’s 2013 wedding. The actors starred in theX-Menfranchise together, with McKellen playing the occasional villain Magneto.
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Patrick Stewart and Son Daniel
Michael Kovac/Getty
Stewart credits his children for both encouraging him and teasing him on his initialStar Trekaudition.
“They thought it was hysterical that I was even auditioning,” he said. “They told me, ‘Dad, we used to watch [the original] every night!’ I said, ‘The guys wearing the colored T-shirts?’ That was all I knew about it.”
After landing the role, “they teased me of course,” said Stewart. “But I think they were actually quite proud that dad was Captain Jean-Luc Picard.”
09of 12Patrick Stewart and Daughter SophieAlan Davidson/Shutterstock"When my daughter was born, it just happened to be in a time when my work was slowing down," Stewart (here with her in 2009) remembered to 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.”
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Patrick Stewart and Daughter Sophie
Alan Davidson/Shutterstock
“When my daughter was born, it just happened to be in a time when my work was slowing down,” Stewart (here with her in 2009) remembered to 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.”
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Patrick Stewart Is Knighted
PA Images / Alamy Stock Photo
He also paid tribute to the teacher who encouraged him to act,according to the BBC. “Although many people in my life have had great influence on me, without this man none of it would have happened,” he said.
11of 12Patrick Stewart on ‘Star Trek: Picard’Trae Patton/Paramount+Stewart returned to his iconic ’80s role in 2020 for the Paramount+ seriesStar Trek: Picard(the show wrapped this spring after three seasons).“Thirty-three years later and I’m still doing it,” he said. “I’ve been very, very lucky.”
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Patrick Stewart on ‘Star Trek: Picard’
Trae Patton/Paramount+
Stewart returned to his iconic ’80s role in 2020 for the Paramount+ seriesStar Trek: Picard(the show wrapped this spring after three seasons).“Thirty-three years later and I’m still doing it,” he said. “I’ve been very, very lucky.”
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Patrick Stewart Now
Mike Marsland/WireImage
source: people.com
