THE NEXT GENERATION OF SIR PATRICK STEWART

THE RENOWNED ACTOR IS BACK TO GUIDE US THROUGH THE GALAXY IN STAR TREK: PICARD

- GINA MCINTYRE

SPEAKING WITH SIR PATRICK Stewart, the first thing one notices is the power and resonance of his voice, that magnificent, mellifluous baritone. It radiates intelligence, commands respect, and suggests profound wisdom acquired during a lifetime of experience—all qualities that the actor imbued Captain Jean-Luc Picard with more than three decades ago, when Star Trek: The Next Generation debuted in 1987.

By the time he took his seat as the sage, steadfast captain of the U.S.S. Enterprise and the consummate statesman of the United Federation of Planets, Stewart had long since established himself as a leading presence on the London stage, with impeccable credentials including a 15-year tenure with the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company. Picard became the cerebral, dignified counterpoint to William Shatner’s hot-tempered, impulsive Captain Kirk, and fans around the world embraced the character with zeal. Yet when Stewart’s Trek tenure concluded in 2002, after seven seasons of television and four spinoff feature films, the venerable actor didn’t look back, embarking instead on a slew of movie, television, and theater projects.