Overview

• On his 85th birthday, Stewart reflected on how portraying Captain Jean-Luc Picard transformed him from a Royal Shakespeare Company actor to an international sci-fi icon.
• He credited a 1986 Shakespeare recitation at UC Santa Barbara for catching producer Robert Justman’s eye and securing the Picard role despite Gene Roddenberry’s initial doubts.
• Stewart acknowledged that while Picard brought global fame, it also led to typecasting and prompted him to pursue a wider range of roles.
• Since 2000, he has diversified his career with his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, earning acclaim across multiple films.
• Reports confirm he will reprise Professor Xavier in Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday next year, marking his next major franchise return.