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Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed British actor known for Star Trek and X-Men, has died at 86, leaving behind a decades-long legacy on stage and screen.
Stewart died on Wednesday, October 28, at his Los Angeles home following a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, according to a statement posted on his Instagram. The statement said he was in the “loving care” of his wife, Sunny Ozell.
Ozell, 47, is an American singer-songwriter whose music blends jazz, blues, soul and Americana.
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The pair met in 2008 at Franny's, a now-closed pizzeria in Brooklyn, where Ozell was working as a waitress while Stewart was appearing in a production of William Shakespeare's Macbeth.
In a 2022 interview with PEOPLE, Stewart recalled that Ozell approached his table to offer dessert. As they spoke, she mentioned wanting to see Macbeth but had been unable to get tickets because the production was sold out.
Their conversation made an impression on Stewart, who gave Ozell his phone number. The pair later reconnected backstage after a performance of Macbeth and went out to dinner.
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When Did Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell Marry?
Patrick Stewart and Sunny Ozell married on September 7, 2013, after five years of dating. The couple exchanged vows in a ceremony in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, attended by approximately 100 guests, including family and friends. Ozell is from nearby Reno.
Stewart's longtime friend and X-Men co-star Ian McKellen officiated the ceremony. The two actors had worked together on several projects, including the X-Men franchise.
Stewart later revealed that the couple had discovered before their Lake Tahoe wedding that McKellen's credentials were valid only in California. They therefore held a legally binding ceremony at a Mexican restaurant in Los Angeles before the Nevada celebration.
During a 2020 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Stewart recalled the intimate restaurant ceremony, which McKellen also officiated, wearing what Stewart described as a "kind of robe."
"We were formally married in a Mexican restaurant," Stewart said.
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Patrick Stewart: Past Marriages Timeline
Stewart was married three times.
1966–1990 — Sheila Falconer: Stewart married dancer and choreographer Sheila Falconer in 1966. The couple had two children together, son Daniel, born in 1967, and daughter Sophie, born in 1972. They divorced in 1990.
2000–2003 — Wendy Neuss: Stewart married television producer Wendy Neuss in August 2000. Neuss worked on Star Trek: The Next Generation, where the two met. Their marriage ended in divorce in 2003.
2013–2026 — Sunny Ozell: Stewart married singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell in September 2013. “I’ve never met anyone like her before,” Stewart told PEOPLE in 2022. “She is so smart and so informed. And her intellectual accomplishments are extraordinary. She remembers everything.”
Patrick Stewart's Most Famous Roles
Patrick Stewart became internationally known for two iconic roles: Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise. His portrayal of Picard established him as one of science fiction’s most recognizable leading actors, while his performance as Professor X introduced him to a new generation of moviegoers.
Stewart’s work as Professor X spanned more than two decades, with the actor returning to the role in several X-Men films and making a brief appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Stewart reprised his Professor X role for Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release on December 18, 2026.
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Beyond his work in science fiction and superhero films, Stewart maintained a strong connection to the stage. A classically trained actor, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and spent years performing Shakespeare before achieving international fame. He also demonstrated his versatility in productions such as The Lion in Winter and the comedy series Blunt Talk, as well as through his voice work as CIA Deputy Director Avery Bullock in American Dad!.
In his 2023 memoir, Making It So, Stewart reflected on the personal connection he felt with Picard. The following passage was included in an Instagram post published Thursday:
“Like me, Jean-Luc has lived an unusual life that has taken him far beyond the bounds of normal human experience,” Stewart wrote. “But he is also someone who has remained true to his earthbound roots, for they are what gave him his identity. In the end, he feels the call of home, as do I.”
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Kate Nalepinski and Rhian Morgan.
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