Star Trek actor Sir Patrick Stewart dies aged 86

Actor Sir Patrick Stewart has died aged 86 following a "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's Disease and Lewy Body Dementia", a post on his Instagram has said, BBC reports.

The post said he died on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles and that he was in the loving care of his wife Sunny.

Famous for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, Stewart also appeared in the X-Men, the Avengers and Logan.

Born in Yorkshire in 1940, Stewart joined the Royal Shakespeare Company before appearing on Broadway and having a six-decade career in film and television.

Sir Patrick is survived by his wife and two children, Daniel and Sophie.

Marvel Studios said it was deeply saddened by Stewart's death, describing him as "a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman".

When Sir Patrick was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, he said he owed "literally everything" to his former English teacher who first encouraged him to perform.

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