His death was announced Thursday by longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak, who said Stewart had been living with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He died in the care of his wife, singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell, surrounded by family and friends.
Stewart became internationally known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, a role he played throughout the series’ seven seasons from 1987 to 1994. He later reprised the character in four films and returned to television in Star Trek: Picard, which premiered in 2020. His portrayal of Picard helped establish him as one of science fiction’s most recognizable actors.
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A second defining role followed in 2000, when Stewart appeared as Professor Charles Xavier, known as Professor X, in the first X-Men film. He continued playing the telepathic mutant leader across multiple installments over more than two decades, including X2: X-Men United (2003) and Logan (2017). His long association with Marvel earned him a Guinness World Record for the longest career as a Marvel character.
Away from acting, Stewart supported human rights causes, survivors of domestic violence, refugees, veterans’ mental health services and animal welfare.
Stewart’s final film appearance is set to be a return as Professor X in Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December 2026.
