The Untold Truth Of Patrick Stewart

It's undeniable that the world of science fiction television would be vastly different without the influence of Star Trek. It's also undeniable that Sir Patrick Stewart, in his role as the Enterprise's Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, is a cultural touchstone for many modern Trek fans — perhaps even moreso than William Shatner's Captain Kirk from the series' original 1960s run. Plus, he's continued to stay relevant in recent years thanks to his portrayal as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise.

With a career spanning more than half a century, Stewart has won over the hearts and minds of audiences in all walks of life, through a unique combination of rigorous theatrical training and a willingness to imbue that experience to all his roles, whether in critically acclaimed films and plays or smaller television productions. With all the gravitas Stewart brings to his work, it's easy to imagine him as an intimidating figure. But the man behind some of the most memorable characters in fiction is just as human as the rest of us, and his personal background is just as interesting as his extensive filmography. From his rough childhood to his Hollywood fame, here's the untold truth of Patrick Stewart.

Patrick Stewart's acting career really took off in 1966, when he began acting as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company. It's not exactly a secret that Stewart has a penchant for the works of the Bard, some of which carried over into his Captain Picard persona on The Next Generation. For Stewart, acting provided a refuge from his painful home life, and also, it just felt natural. He would continue with the Royal Shakespeare Company for over 15 years, taking on a variety of mostly smaller roles before heading for the world of screen acting. 

After Star Trek and a decent amount of Hollywood success, he would find himself returning to the stage and to Shakespeare, with a new perspective on acting and the experience and star power to take on some of the most famous characters in stage history. He's since played Macbeth in that most famous of Shakespearean tragedies, as well as leading man Antony in Antony and Cleopatra. He even played William Shakespeare himself, in the play Bingo: Scenes of Money and Death, which chronicles the legendary playwright in his final, conflicted days.

At 47 years old, Patrick Stewart had a great deal of acting credits to his name, even though no one could call him a celebrity at that time. He was approached to audition for Star Trek: The Next Generation in the late '80s, unaware of what the series meant culturally to American audiences. He was hesitant to sign the six-year contract, knowing it would tie him down to Hollywood and separate him from his stage acting career. But when he was assured that the show probably wouldn't last that long, he reluctantly signed away. And thus, Captain Jean-Luc Picard as we all know and love him was born. 

It's nigh impossible to imagine anyone else in the role of the equally commanding and fair-minded captain, and it's shocking to think that it might not have been if Stewart had placed his stage career over the need to make a little more money. He brought a great deal of sophistication to what many might've considered a silly pulp show, and even today, he never misses a chance to defend his decision and the importance of Star Trek in the lives of many fans. After all, Shakespeare was entertainment for the common man, too, once upon a time.

Every October, otherwise known as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, social media is inundated with that one picture of Patrick Stewart holding a bag of groceries and an Amnesty International sign that pleads "Stop Violence Against Women." Stewart grew up in a fraught environment where he had to watch violence meted out against his mother, and that has in turn made him a fierce advocate for victims of abuse. 

Reading his personal account of his father's abuse against his mother is heartbreaking, but he seems to recognize the importance of talking about domestic violence, ending the silence so that many women and children can find safety. To this end, he supports the charity Refuge, which works to aid abused women and children. But in the wake of advocating for women like his mother, Stewart learned that his father returned from World War II with severe post-traumatic stress disorder, which surely led to much of the tension in their household. As such, he also campaigns for Combat Stress, a charity that advocates for and aids military veterans coping with mental health issues as a result of combat. In this way, he honors the memory of both of his parents, and he serves as a powerful voice for those whom society frequently forgets.

Even as Patrick Stewart ages, there's no denying that there's just something about him that viewers find extremely physically appealing. Ryan Reynolds even went to bat for Stewart in 2017, claiming that he, and not country singer Blake Shelton, should've been crowned People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive. But Stewart claims that he could've used this positive outlook on his appearance when he was younger. The star began balding as an older teenager, the effect of genetically inherited alopecia. As a teen, going bald only added to the list of insecurities Stewart was already likely facing, especially as he tried finding his way in acting and putting himself on display for the judgment of audiences. Today, even without a single strand of hair on his head, Stewart's bearing, talent, support of women, and yes — even his looks — have made him the subject of many fantasies. If only there was a Patrick Stewart for all of us!

Rooting for Huddersfield football is not the only involvement Patrick Stewart has with the West Yorkshire university town. For a time, he was the University of Huddersfield chancellor. He was determined to be more involved than just being a celebrity name to help the school's enrollment, so he even taught master classes in drama to students. It's amazing to think that in our modern world, a man who never finished school could become the professor of a master class in anything, but surely Stewart has proven that if there's anything he's a master at, it's acting. 

Through passing on his skills, he was able to continue the tradition of serious Shakespearean acting, hopefully peppered with a healthy dose of humor and love of the craft. And how lucky for those students, to be taught by such an accomplished performer and to be able to take a little piece of his experience with them into their own careers.