On Star Trek, Patrick Stewart could make anyone feel hopeful for humanity

As Jean-Luc Picard in seven seasons, four films and a sequel, Stewart made us believe the most interesting person in the room might also be the most humane Patrick Stewart dies age 86 His life in pictures Patrick Stewart brought gravitas and complexity to the screen, from Star Trek to X-Men ‘He stood for the best of us’: William Shatner and more pay tribute What might humanity look like in 400 years’ time if we really do become wiser and more compassionate with each passing decade?

The creators of Star Trek: The Next Generation clearly felt the answer closely resembled Patrick Stewart, who has died aged 86 after a short illness . Their decision may well have opened up an entirely new future for Gene Roddenberry’s enduring, resolutely utopian space saga. Prior to the casting of the classically trained Yorkshireman in…