Patrick Stewart had a dramatic link to Metro Vancouver university
Fans around the world are still mourning the passing of English actor Sir Patrick Stewart, known for his roles in iconic franchises like X-Men and Star Trek, who died at 86 in late October.
Now a local Metro Vancouver university is celebrating the beloved star with a tribute to a time when Stewart shared his passion for theatre with local supporters.
Simon Fraser University Alumni recently posted a photo of the stage and screen legend from when he spent some time on campus in the ’70s.
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“Before reaching international stardom, Patrick Stewart graced the stages and classrooms of SFU as an artist-in-residence with the Royal Shakespeare Company—sharing their dramatic expertise with students and the public alike,” said SFU Alumni on social media.
Stewart was also joined by some fellow theatrical heavyweights, including a future Oscar winner.
“Over five days in February 1977, he—alongside Ben Kingsley, Sheila Allen, Juliet Aykroyd and Richard Pasco—engaged in a whirlwind of workshops, lectures and seminars and performed six plays that attracted more than 1,900 theatre fans to the Burnaby campus.”
The group also met with over 600 English and Fine and Performing Arts students in individual sessions, hosting a sonnet workshop, leading a class on theatre movement for dancers, and more.
SFU was the first Canadian university to host the Royal Shakespeare Company, and was the only stop in Canada on the six-week North American West Coast tour in 1977.
The Peak
According to a statement from Stewart’s family, shared by People, Stewart’s death follows a brief journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. It was reported that he died peacefully at his home in Los Angeles.
While he’ll be largely remembered for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men, Stewart’s catalogue of acclaimed roles goes much further than the fan-favourite sci-fi shows and flicks.
Patrick Stewart (Shutterstock)
Stewart played Darcy Banker in the 2015 thriller Green Room, which was a very different role than what his fans were used to: the villain. Many will also remember Stewart for his portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1999 A Christmas Carol.
He was also in the original Dune from 1984 and is credited in over 100 episodes of American Dad for the character Avery Bullock.
The upcoming Avengers: Doomsday will feature Stewart in one of his final roles, reprising his role as Professor X.
With files from Amir Ali.