Patrick Stewart’s 10 Most Iconic Roles Beyond Captain Picard
Sir Patrick Stewart, an actor equally at home on the stage of the Royal Shakespeare Company and on the bridge of the starship Enterprise , has died at the age of 86. It came as a surprise to most, partly because he kept his final illness a secret, but more so because it once seemed as if nothing could break the man who occupied such a central place in our cultural consciousness.
A thoughtful, erudite artist who survived a difficult childhood in working-class Yorkshire; a committed socialist who was eventually knighted by Queen Elizabeth; an advocate who put his money and his significant voice into the fight for LGBTQ+ acceptance, animal rights, and domestic violence—his presence and performances meant the world (even the galaxy) to me and many others. But those who knew him personally can best commemorate him; perhaps best left to the judgment of Stewart himself, who played the King’s Actor in Shakespeare’s play, opposite David Warner’s Hamlet in 1965:
Where joy reigns, sorrow mourns most; sorrow rejoices, joy grieves, through a trifling coincidence.
Much of Stewart’s best work was on stage; his other roles remain extremely rare (where’s “I, Claudius “?). Nevertheless, he left behind a truly remarkable legacy, extending far beyond Captain Picard and Professor X. Here are 10 of his most iconic roles.
Jeffrey (1995)
A silly, cheerful gay romantic comedy that still places the HIV/AIDS crisis front and center, Jeffrey was practically impossible in the mid-1990s: a film that didn’t demonize its gay characters and portray them as pathetic martyrs. Steven Weber and Michael T. Weiss star, joined by Christine Baranski, Victor Garber, Nathan Lane, Olympia Dukakis, and Sigourney Weaver, but despite all these names, Stewart undeniably excels as Sterling, the irrepressible gay best friend: a simpering, cheeky, eccentric character who steals every scene without ever becoming a caricature. He’s the leader of the Pink Panthers, a squad of gay men who protect locals from homophobes, and that’s the strength of this character: he’s genuinely gay, but he’s not ashamed of it and he’s not a pushover. This film, and Captain Picard’s presence in it, may have saved my life in 1995. Watch Jeffrey on Prime Video , Tubi , and The Roku Channel .
Excalibur (1981)
John Boorman’s sweeping, epic, and, crucially, passionate take on the Arthurian tales, Excalibur is a complex film, full of stunning visuals and iconic moments that never quite gel. Among the film’s many characters, Stewart stands out as Leodegrance, Guinevere’s boisterous, abrasive, but ultimately loyal father, and one of the first to swear allegiance to Arthur. Rent Excalibur on Prime Video.
Green Room (2015)
Darcy Bunker is a erudite and intelligent man, capable of charm in his own way, but otherwise lacking in redeeming qualities. The punk band Ain’t Rights has enough problems: they booked a last-minute gig at an Oregon bar, unaware it’s a haven for white supremacists. Things get worse when they witness a murder and find themselves locked in a dressing room, where Stewart plays the lead skinhead. He’s undoubtedly one of the greatest (meaning absolutely terrifying) villains of all time in this thriller-cum-horror film.Watch Green Room on Netflix.
Logan (2017)
Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Professor Xavier in X-Men is almost as iconic in pop culture as Captain Picard, spanning 26 years and nine films, including the upcoming Avengers: Judgment Day . In most of them, he looks like he’s thoroughly enjoying his work, but in this elegiac role, he delivers his best performance yet, portraying a dying professor in profound cognitive decline, whose dream is shattered and his bravado reduced to a painful addiction. We rarely see our superheroes at the end of their days, and there’s a beautiful bravery in this depiction of Charles’s journey. Logan will likely be his most challenging film to rewatch in the coming days. Watch Logan on Disney+ .
A Christmas Carol (1999)
This theatrical television film isn’t the most lavish of the many adaptations of Dickens’s story, but you won’t be surprised that few can match his performance as Ebenezer Scrooge. It’s a shame Patrick Stewart didn’t star in more Dickens adaptations, as his powerful voice and ability to play completely exaggerated characters without ever slipping into caricature are just as valuable as in Shakespeare’s works. Rent “A Christmas Carol” on Prime Video.
Hamlet (2009)
Known for his role on Star Trek: The Next Generation , Stewart, who was described as “an unknown British Shakespearean actor” early in his career, spent twenty years with the Royal Shakespeare Company before landing his most celebrated role. As is often the case in live theater, much of his career remains an important link in the chain of twentieth-century Shakespeare productions… but not in a form we can conveniently watch online. However, we do have this impressive modern stage production, in which Stewart plays King Claudius with his characteristic brilliance, and David Tennant plays the melancholy prince. Buy Hamlet on Prime Video and Apple TV .
Match (2014)
As a film actor, Stewart possessed an incredible power to bring humanity to larger-than-life, even operatic, roles, whether Arthurian knights, Dickensian villains, or superheroes. This ability is essential for success in Shakespeare productions, as Stewart has done for decades. However, The Match is something entirely different, and it’s refreshing to see him in a more ordinary role, even if the film’s Toby Powell is a choreographer with a near-legendary reputation. Teaching at the Juilliard School as his career draws to a close, he encounters the living embodiment of the past he abandoned for his career. The ensuing relationships become increasingly complicated, and the film builds to a climax that is unexpected and deeply devastating, further enhanced by Stewart’s restrained, subtle performance. Watch The Match on AMC+ .
Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993)
It’s far from Mel Brooks’s best film, but Patrick Stewart delivers a fine performance in the comedy. He loved to tell the story, with self-deprecating amusement, of how, during a rowdy day on the set of Star Trek: The Next Generation , he shouted at his co-stars, “We’re not here to have fun!” By 1993, he’d clearly outgrown that pomposity and clearly enjoyed his cameo as King Richard—a memorable, slightly ridiculous take on a character he might have played seriously in another film. Watch Robin Hood: Men in Tights on Prime Video .
Dune (1984)
Stewart’s first real foray into science fiction came in this sweeping, bold, controversial, and downright bonkers adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novel, directed by David Lynch. Stewart plays the troubadour and warrior Gurney Halleck, doing what he does best: bringing gravitas and verisimilitude (and, it must be said, a bald sexiness) to even the most outlandish material. Watch Dune on Tubi.
The Boy Who Would Be King (2019)
In this surprisingly good modern take on the Arthurian legends, Stewart plays an aged Merlin. His Merlin is all shaggy hair and rock band T-shirts, possessing an innate kindness that makes him a valuable mentor and worthy of a touching farewell at the film’s end. Watch The Boy Who Would Be King on Disney+ and Prime Video .