Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Creator / PatrickStewart

Go To

1%%
2%%
3%%Per Administrivia/CreatorPageGuidelines, only tropes associated to a creator's works are allowed on this wiki's pages, and tropes that only apply to the creator's personal life as if the creator is a fictional character are not allowed. Please do not apply tropes about the creator's personal life as if they are a fictional character.
4%%
5%%
6[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/patrick_stewart_1.jpg]]
7 [[caption-width-right:350:Yes, I'm bald. Who said I wasn't awesome though?[[note]][[CantUnHearIt You just read that in my own voice, did you?]][[/note]]]]
8->''"I wasn't campaigning for a role in a Hollywood television series, it was a fluke. So you've got to have a measure of good luck, you really have, being in the right place at the right time."''
9
10Sir Patrick Stewart, [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever OBE]] (born 13 July 1940) is a British actor, best known for playing Captain/Admiral [[Characters/StarTrekTheNextGenerationJeanLucPicard Jean-Luc Picard]] in ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' and ''Series/StarTrekPicard'', and as Professor Charles Xavier in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries''.
11
12Stewart was born [[OopNorth in Mirfield, West Yorkshire]], studying drama at the Bristol Old Vic theatre school before moving on to the Royal Shakespeare Company. He had lost most of his hair by the age of 19, and impressed during his audition for the Old Vic by performing both with and without a wig and proclaiming himself to be "two actors for the price of one."
13
14While at the RSC, Stewart had small parts in several movies (including ''Film/Dune1984'' and ''Film/{{Excalibur}}''), before being cast as a relative unknown in ''Star Trek''.
15
16Stewart has always laughed off those who suggest that, as a classically-trained actor, he was "slumming it" in things like ''Star Trek''--he suggested that in fact, all the kings and emperors that he had played with the RSC were merely preparation for the iconic role of captaining the new Starship ''Enterprise''.
17
18Similarly, Stewart has always tried to remain in touch with his theatrical roots--spending a season at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in his native Leeds, he had little time for critics who suggested that this was all the work he could find--he was doing it because [[DoingItForTheArt he]] ''[[DoingItForTheArt wanted]]'' [[DoingItForTheArt to do it]]. His various theatre roles include playing Theatre/{{Othello}} among an otherwise entirely black cast. Amusingly, at first he was one of the few TNG castmembers who [[ConsummateProfessional took their job fully seriously and didn't mess around on-set]], until he loosened up and, according to co-star Creator/LeVarBurton, would [[NotSoAboveItAll mess around and wreak havoc with the best of them]].[[note]]On the first day, when Burton suggested the cast was just trying to have fun, Stewart replied, "And where in our contracts does it say we're here to 'have fun'?" The cast never let him live that down.[[/note]]
19
20Stewart is also Claudius (and King Hamlet) opposite Creator/DavidTennant in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' and he did the same in an 1980s BBC-TV production with Creator/DerekJacobi as Hamlet. Stewart also became a regular on Seth [=MacFarlane=]'s ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', as the amoral, James Bond-esque CIA Director Avery Bullock.
21
22He is a highly vocal figure in the fight against domestic violence, his father having been abusive towards his mother. More recently, having learned of his father's experiences in World War II and the long-term effects of PTSD, he's also begun campaigning for counseling and treatment of violent men, particularly combat veterans.
23
24Was [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighted]] in the 2010 New Year Honours List for services to drama. He still contributes to his local community, being the chancellor of the nearby University of Huddersfield and having been president of the local football (soccer) academy since his return to the UK in 2004. He has two children, Daniel and Sophia, from his first marriage to Sheila Falconer. He married American jazz singer Sunny Ozell in 2013.
25
26----
27!!Film Roles
28
29* 1981 ''Film/{{Excalibur}}'' as Leondegrance
30* 1982 ''Literature/ThePlagueDogs'' as Major
31* 1984 ''Film/{{Dune|1984}}'' as Gurney Halleck
32* 1985 ''Film/WildGeeseII'' as Russian General
33* 1985 ''Film/{{Lifeforce|1985}}'' as Dr. Armstrong
34* 1986 ''Film/LadyJane'' as Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk
35* 1991 ''Film/LAStory'' as Mr. Perdue, Maitre D' at L'Idiot
36* 1992 ''Film/ChangingOurMindsTheStoryOfDrEvelynHooker'', documentary narrator
37* 1993 ''Film/{{Gunmen}}'' as Loomis
38* 1993 ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'' as King Richard
39* 1994 ''Film/StarTrekGenerations '' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
40* 1994 ''Film/ThePagemaster'' as Adventure
41* 1995 ''Film/{{Jeffrey|1995}}'' as Sterling
42* 1996 ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
43* 1997 ''Film/ConspiracyTheory'' as Dr. Jonas
44* 1997 ''Film/{{Masterminds|1997}}'' as Bentley
45* 1998 ''Film/StarTrekInsurrection'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
46* 1998 ''WesternAnimation/ThePrinceOfEgypt'' as Seti I
47* 1999 ''Film/{{A Christmas Carol|1999}}'' as Ebenezer Scrooge
48* 1999 ''Film/{{Animal Farm|1999}}'' as Napoleon
49* Professor Charles Xavier in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' [[spoiler:and Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse]]
50** 2000 ''Film/XMen1''
51** 2003 ''Film/X2XMenUnited''
52** 2006 ''Film/XMenTheLastStand''
53** 2009 ''Film/XMenOriginsWolverine''
54** 2013 ''Film/TheWolverine''
55** 2014 ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast''
56** 2017 ''Film/{{Logan}}''
57** 2022 [[spoiler:''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'' (Earth-838 Xavier)]]
58* 2001 ''WesternAnimation/JimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' as King Goobot
59* 2002 ''Film/StarTrekNemesis'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
60* 2005 ''WesternAnimation/ChickenLittle'' as Mr. Woolensworth
61* 2005 Disney's dub of ''Manga/NausicaaOfTheValleyOfTheWind'' as Lord Yupa
62* 2006 ''WesternAnimation/BambiII'' as The Great Prince of the Forest
63* 2007 ''WesternAnimation/{{TMNT}}'' as Winters
64* 2011 ''WesternAnimation/GnomeoAndJuliet'' as Bill Shakespeare
65* 2012 ''WesternAnimation/IceAgeContinentalDrift'' as Ariscratle
66* 2012 ''Film/{{Ted}}'' as The Narrator
67* 2014 ''Film/AMillionWaysToDieInTheWest'' as Dream Voice
68* 2015 ''Film/Ted2'' as The Narrator
69* 2016 ''Film/GreenRoom'' as Darcy
70* 2017 ''Film/TheWildeWedding'' as Harold
71* 2017 ''WesternAnimation/TheEmojiMovie'' as Poop
72* 2017 ''[[Film/{{Dragonheart}} Dragonheart: Battle for the Heartfire]]'' as Drago
73* 2019 ''Film/TheKidWhoWouldBeKing'' as Old Merlin
74* 2019 ''Film/{{Coda|2019}}'' as Henry Cole
75* 2019 ''[[Film/CharliesAngels2019 Charlie's Angels]]'' as John Bosley
76* 2020 ''WesternAnimation/DragonRider'' as Nettlebrand
77
78!!Television Roles
79
80* 1967 ''Series/CoronationStreet'' as Fire Officer
81* 1974 ''Series/FallOfEagles'' as UsefulNotes/VladimirLenin
82* 1975 ''Literature/NorthAndSouth'' as John Thornton
83* 1976 ''Series/IClaudius'' as Sejanus
84* 1987-1994 ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
85* 1995: ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' as "Number One", leader of the Stonecutters in [[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E12HomerTheGreat "Homer The Great"]]
86* 1993 ''Series/StarTrekDeepSpaceNine'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Emissary"
87* 1998 ''DerivativeWorks/MobyDick'' as Captain Ahab
88* 2003 ''Series/{{Frasier}}'' as Alistair Burke
89* 2005-present ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' as Avery Bullock, and AsHimself (in live-action) in the episode "Blood Crieth Unto Heaven"
90* 2012 ''Series/TheHollowCrown'' ("Theatre/RichardII") as John of Gaunt
91* 2015-2016 ''Series/BluntTalk'' as Walter Blunt
92* 2020-2023 ''Series/StarTrekPicard'' as Admiral (ret.) Jean-Luc Picard
93
94!!Video Game Roles
95
96* 1995 ''[[VideoGame/AFinalUnity Star Trek: The Next Generation - A Final Unity]]'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
97* 2000 ''VideoGame/StarTrekArmada'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
98* 2001 ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekArmada Star Trek: Armada II]]'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
99* 2002 ''VideoGame/StarTrekBridgeCommander'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
100* 2003 ''[[VideoGame/StarTrekEliteForce Star Trek Elite Force II]]'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
101* 2003 ''VideoGame/X2WolverinesRevenge'' as Charles Xavier
102* 2006 ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'' as Emperor Uriel Septim VII
103* 2006 ''VideoGame/StarTrekLegacy'' as Captain Jean-Luc Picard
104* 2010 ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow'' as Zobek
105* 2014 ''VideoGame/CastlevaniaLordsOfShadow2'' as Zobek
106
107!! His career and roles provide examples of the following tropes and associated trivia:
108* ActingForTwo: More like Acting for Fifty. He put on a one-man stage production of Creator/CharlesDickens's ''Literature/AChristmasCarol'', in which he played every character.
109* AdamWesting:
110** His role on ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' is the writers trying to cram everything that would sound ridiculous coming out of Picard's mouth into the script.
111-->"You are a complicated man, Smith. I would love to do mushrooms with you."
112** [[https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1irhH20XtOOI2_afeYAu-_rcgWa1xKpR And then there's the ads for Strongbow Hard Apple Cider.]] The man is clearly having fun pretending to be disgruntled and offended by the (supposed) disrespect he receives.
113** He had a magnificent cameo as himself in ''Series/{{Extras}}''.
114** His guest spot on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "[[Recap/TheSimpsonsS6E12HomerTheGreat Homer the Great]]," where he said some truly ridiculous lines in the most refined, commanding voice possible.
115* AlternateShowInterpretation: Instead of painting his face black to play ''Theatre/{{Othello}}'', he played the titular role in a racially inverted production, opposite an otherwise all-black cast. This was by all accounts one of the more unusual productions of the play in recent memory.
116* AscendedFancast: He was the fan's most popular choice for the role of Professor X ahead of the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', and wound up playing the iconic role.
117* BaldOfAuthority: One of the most iconic and visible examples of this trope in live acting, the most notable examples being Jean-Luc Picard and Professor X among many other leadership positions he's portrayed[[note]]When first cast as captain of the ''Enterprise'', Gene Roddenberry was asked, "Wouldn't we have cured baldness in the 24th century?" To which he replied, "In the 24th century, no one will care."[[/note]].
118* BaritoneOfStrength: One of the most commanding voices you'll ever hear, which is part of why he's always been a natural for leaders and authority figures, be they good or {{evil|Sounds Deep}}. His voice is practically a force of nature unto itself.
119* ChronicallyKilledActor: He's had a good number of onscreen deaths, but, in a particularly impressive variant of the trope, manages to do this for [[DeathIsCheap a singular role]] across multiple films. [[spoiler:To wit, through the magic of resurrections and alternate timelines, Charles Xavier dies four times, specifically in ''Film/XMenTheLastStand'', ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'', ''Film/{{Logan}}'' and ''Film/DoctorStrangeInTheMultiverseOfMadness'']].
120* ClassicallyTrainedExtra: Inverted. Once a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he said it was good practice for playing Picard, and has never tried to distance himself from the role. He's still a highly respected Shakespearian actor, though he reportedly refuses to say any of Picard's trademark lines during his other roles, though there are exceptions. Occasionally on ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'', but then that's one of the jokes of his character in that show. His appearance as himself in ''{{Series/Extras}}'', in keeping with the persona he played or [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNatvLe18ro this]] brief appearance with the Count on ''Series/SesameStreet''. He also likes to avoid typecasting by intentionally taking humorous and silly roles to contrast with his normally serious and stoic screen persona.
121* TheComicallySerious: Many of his comedic roles, such as his guest spot on ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', get a lot of humor out of using his powerful vocals and classical bearing while saying ridiculous lines with an absolute straight face, making the jokes land even better.
122* {{Facepalm}}: The patron saint of this from his ''TNG'' days. Facepalm reaction images on the internet are more likely to be of Picard than anyone else.
123* InkSuitActor:
124** Bullock, his ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' character, is designed to resemble Stewart. This is particularly noticeable in ''WesternAnimation/FamilyGuy'' gags involving Patrick Stewart, in which they use the exact same character model as Bullock's.
125** A strange case with his role as Professor Xavier. When he was first handed an X-Men comic, his first question was, famously, 'what am I doing on a comic book?' Since then, pretty much every depiction of Xavier has been directly inspired by his take on the character, both in looks and character, especially in ''WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution'', which ran alongside the film series. While he didn't voice Professor X in the series, the creators designed the character to look like him, having been inspired by his performance in the X-Men films. This continued in ''WesternAnimation/WolverineAndTheXMen2009'' and other animated media in which the character appears. It's even appeared, to an extent, in the comics.
126* MauriceChevalierAccent: Sir Patrick explained in [[https://www.npr.org/2014/12/13/370331835/not-my-job-actor-patrick-stewart-gets-quizzed-on-g-i-joe an appearance]] on ''Radio/WaitWaitDontTellMe'' that this was the real-life reason Picard had an English accent instead of a French one: in his own words he sounded "like [[Franchise/ThePinkPanther Inspector Clouseau]]" when he attempted one during pre-production on TNG. He went on to actually use this accent as part of a disguise when he reprised the role in ''Series/StarTrekPicard''.
127-->'''Stewart:''' Space... ze final fron''teerrr''.
128* MoneyDearBoy:
129** His role in ''Wild Geese II''. He urgently needed money for an expensive home repair job and that was the first role he was offered upon receiving the bill from the repairman.
130** His primary motivation for taking on the role of Picard. He wasn't particularly enthused about TNG at first and thought the show would be quickly cancelled, so he took the role thinking that he'd be able to make some cash before going back to theatre roles in Britain[[note]]he says he didn't even unpack his suitcases for the first two seasons[[/note]]. To his surprise, the show was a success and he began to realize the impact ''Franchise/StarTrek'' and its characters had on people, leading him to become one of ''Trek'''s most vocal advocates.
131** Allegedly, he also worked on ''Film/{{Lifeforce|1985}}'' solely to earn money for a home repair job.
132* NotEvenBotheringWithTheAccent: The only man who can pull off a French captain with pure ReceivedPronunciation and occasional Yorkshire inflections. For example: [[Film/LAStory playing]] a French Maitre d'. Professor X, who is fully American in the comics, has been adapted to a half-Brit in the films [[note]]''Film/XMenFirstClass'' establishes that Xavier's mother is English[[/note]] who had studied for several years at Oxford University to accommodate Stewart's accent.
133* OopNorth: He was born and raised in Yorkshire and still has a notable accent that comes through in some of his pronunciations.
134* PatrickStewartSpeech: The TropeNamer, with good reason too. Who wouldn't want to listen to him? He's also been known to give his own such speeches out of character, for instance [[http://www.upworthy.com/a-brave-fan-asks-patrick-stewart-a-question-he-doesnt-usually-get-and-is-given-a-beautiful-answer this speech]] in answer to a fan's question about his work for DomesticAbuse victims.
135* PlayingAgainstType:
136** His ''flaming'' CampGay turn as an interior decorator in ''Jeffrey''.
137** His role as Avery Bullock on ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad''. The writers even specifically said they try to make Stewart do as many silly things as they can with him on the show; which Stewart, having a wonderful sense of humor about his public image, gleefully indulges.
138* PromotedFanboy: On the 10th anniversary night for ''Series/RedDwarf'', he gave the opening introduction while delivering [[StrangeSalute the Rimmer salute]].
139* SesameStreetCred: Has appeared on ''Sesame Street'' multiple times, including once when he got to stretch his classical legs by delivering a soliloquy titled "[[Theatre/{{Hamlet}} B or not a B]]."
140* ShoutOut:
141** In one guest appearance on ''Sesame Street'', he uses his classic order of [[Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration "Make it so, Number One"]] to [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNatvLe18ro get the literal number 1 to get back in line so that Count von Count can count]].
142** During his appearance on ''Extras'', Gervais asks him to give his script to someone he knows, and he says he'll "[[CatchPhrase make it so]]" (and then seems baffled that the man has never seen ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'').
143** Much to the bafflement of an American audience, one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'' sees Director Bullock of the CIA, in his downtime in between interviews, pick up a ukelele and perform ''[[Music/GeorgeFormby When I'm Cleaning Windows]]''. Stewart even performs this in his native broad Yorkshire accent. Which must really bemuse Americans.
144* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
145** He was approached several times by Walt Disney Animation (both the feature-film and TV divisions) to voice characters for the studio, but had to decline each time due to scheduling conflicts with ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration''. A full list of characters he was approached to voice includes: Francis (''WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany''), King Triton (''[[WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989 The Little Mermaid]]''), Cogsworth (''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''), Jafar (''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''), Zazu (''[[WesternAnimation/TheLionKing1994 The Lion King]]''), Clayton (''WesternAnimation/{{Tarzan}}''), Governor Ratcliffe (''WesternAnimation/{{Pocahontas}}''), Zeus (''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}''), Claude Frollo (''WesternAnimation/{{The Hunchback of Notre Dame|Disney}}''), and both Arthur Pendragon, Macbeth, and Goliath (''WesternAnimation/{{Gargoyles}}'' - however he did provide the voice for this character on an episode of ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken)''.
146*** To this day, Stewart considers turning down Jafar to be one of [[OldShame his biggest regrets.]]
147** He was considered for the part of Mister Freeze in ''Film/BatmanAndRobin'' before Creator/ArnoldSchwarzenegger was cast.
148** He was the second choice for Pierce Hawthorne in ''Series/{{Community}}'' before the casting of Creator/ChevyChase.
149** He's a big fan of Creator/WarrenEllis's ''ComicBook/{{Transmetropolitan}}'' (he even wrote an introduction for volume 5) and, at one point, was being considered for the role of Spider Jerusalem in a movie adaptation. When that fell straight into DevelopmentHell, Ellis instead [[ComicBookFantasyCasting cast him]] as the father of one of Spider's Filthy Assistants.
150** His personal interference prevented ''Film/StarTrekFirstContact'' from being a TimeTravel farce about Captain Picard impersonating the injured inventor of the warp drive.
151** After Creator/VincentPrice became too sick to play SantaClaus in ''WesternAnimation/TheNightmareBeforeChristmas'', Stewart was the first choice to replace him, though he ended up not having time to record his lines. He still provides the [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTJaqR7dedg opening narration]] on the soundtrack, as well as a scrapped [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udDDa1aAw_o epilogue]], in character as Santa.
152** The creative team from ''Series/ImpracticalJokers'' express interest in having him to do their voice-overs.
153** Cryptic Studios ''wanted'' to bring him into ''VideoGame/StarTrekOnline'' during the 10th anniversary event to star alongside Creator/SonequaMartinGreen, but they couldn't coordinate a way to bring him in, leading to Creator/JeriRyan to reprise her role as [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Seven of Nine]] in her ''Picard'' incarnation instead.
154** He was considered for a number of roles in ''Series/DoctorWho'' over the decades, especially during the '80s, yet plans to feature him in the show fell through every single time. In chronological order, he was considered for the following parts: Professor Watson in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E2TheHandOfFear "The Hand of Fear"]], Aukon in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS18E4StateOfDecay "State of Decay"]], Commander Scott in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS19E6Earthshock "Earthshock"]], the Castellan in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E1ArcOfInfinity "Arc of Infinity"]], Valgard in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS20E4Terminus "Terminus"]], Vorshak in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E1WarriorsOfTheDeep "Warriors of the Deep"]], Colonel Wolsey in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E2TheAwakening "The Awakening"]], Colonel Archer and/or Lytton in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS21E4ResurrectionOfTheDaleks "Resurrection of the Daleks"]], the Chief Officer in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E2VengeanceOnVaros "Vengeance on Varos"]], Lord Ravensworth in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E3TheMarkOfTheRani "The Mark of the Rani"]], Orcini in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS22E6RevelationOfTheDaleks "Revelation of the Daleks"]], Commodore Travers in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS23E3TerrorOfTheVervoids "Terror of the Vervoids"]], Bruce/the Master in [[Recap/DoctorWhoTVMTheTVMovie the TV movie]], and Rassilon in [[Recap/DoctorWhoS30E17E18TheEndOfTime "The End of Time"]].
155----

Top