Patrick Stewart’s Final Instagram Video Was a Heartfelt Reflection on Love
The entertainment world is mourning Sir Patrick Stewart, who died at 86 at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday. In a statement posted to his Instagram, his family said his death followed a brief journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, and that he was in the loving care of his wife, Sunny Ozell, surrounded by family, friends, live music, prayer and laughter.
Born in Yorkshire, England, in 1940, Stewart built a career that spanned stage and screen for decades. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966 and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010 for his services to drama, long before generations of fans came to know him as Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier.
As fans look back on his life, one of Stewart’s last posts has taken on new meaning. In a video shared on Instagram on May 20, the actor spoke warmly about love while marking the anniversary of the 1609 publication of Shakespeare’s sonnets.
Sitting comfortably in a casual jacket and shirt, Stewart reflected on his final creative project. He said he hoped it had brought listeners pleasure and curiosity, and explained that he wanted it to capture the many different forms that love can take. Seen now, the message feels like a gentle farewell from an actor who spent his life with Shakespeare’s words.
The video was tied to a project that clearly meant a great deal to him. In April, Stewart announced an audio recording of all 154 of Shakespeare’s sonnets, titled ‘Patrick Stewart Performs the Complete Sonnets of William Shakespeare’.
The idea came from Ozell, who suggested it after Stewart’s popular “Sonnet-A-Day” series during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those readings had become a comfort to many fans during lockdown.
To mark Shakespeare’s birthday in late April, he also posted a video of himself reciting Sonnet 116, which he called his favorite. He wrote that he had converted several friends to its cause and hoped his followers would be next.
Stewart’s love of Shakespeare went back to his earliest days. His English teacher, Cecil Dormand, was the first to encourage him to act, and as a child he admired stage greats, Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud.
He went on to perform in more than a dozen Shakespeare productions, establishing himself as a respected stage actor before Hollywood fame arrived. That classical training shaped the dignity and authority he brought to his most famous roles.
His final public appearance came in June 2024 at the 84th annual Peabody Awards in Los Angeles. In his last interview, given to TV Insider this past July, he said he still received interesting offers and could not imagine officially retiring.
Reaction to his death has been immediate and heartfelt. William Shatner shared a tribute on Instagram, and Marvel Studios released a statement honoring the actor. Hugh Jackman, who starred alongside Stewart in the ‘X-Men’ films, was among the Marvel stars who paid their respects. Stewart had also been among the cast announced for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, returning as Professor X.
For many fans, Stewart’s final videos sum up who he was. Beyond the starship captain and the mutant mentor, he was an actor devoted to language and to sharing the beauty of Shakespeare with as many people as possible. His closing reflection on love may be one of the most fitting goodbyes anyone could have asked for. For the many people he inspired, his performances will keep that love alive.
Which Patrick Stewart performance will you remember most?
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