Hollywood is remembering Patrick Stewart, the beloved actor known for his roles in Star Trek and the X-Men franchises, following the Thursday announcement of his death at age 86.

Stewart’s family announced his death on Thursday, saying the actor died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige was among those paying tribute to Stewart, reflecting on their time working together on the X-Men films.

“I’ll never forget the first time I saw Sir Patrick Stewart on the set of the first X-Men,” Feige said in a statement. “After years of knowing him as the inimitable Captain Picard, I was in awe — and he turned out to be everything I had seen on screen and more: brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas.”

Feige also recalled Stewart’s personality offscreen, describing him as “even more remarkable, with a wonderfully sharp sense of humor.”

“It was a true privilege to know him and to work with him,” Feige continued. “His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed.”

Marvel Studios and Marvel Entertainment also honored Stewart in a joint Instagram post Thursday, remembering his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, which started in 2000.

“All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart,” the post read.

Marvel praised Stewart for bringing the character to life with grace, intelligence and humanity, leaving a lasting impression on generations of fans. He will appear as Xavier in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, which comes to theaters on Dec. 18.

“He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman,” the post continued. “Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”

Wil Wheaton, who starred alongside Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation, also paid tribute to the late actor Thursday.

Wheaton shared a throwback photo of himself with Stewart on Instagram, accompanied by a broken heart emoji and the words, “Godspeed, Captain.”

Jonathan Frakes, who played Cmdr. William Riker alongside Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation, also remembered his longtime co-star.

Frakes shared a photo of Stewart on his Instagram Story Thursday with the message, “Rest in peace my friend.”

Terry Matalas, who served as showrunner of the third and final season of Star Trek: Picard, also honored Stewart on his Instagram Story.

Sharing a photo of the late actor smiling, Matalas wrote, “Oh Captain, my Captain. This is how I’ll always remember you.”

William Shatner, who played Capt. James T. Kirk in the original Star Trek series, also remembered Stewart in a heartfelt Instagram post Thursday.

Sharing a photo of the two together, Shatner described Stewart as a friend and colleague whom he deeply admired.

“Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor,” Shatner wrote. “From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did.”

Shatner also reflected on Stewart’s portrayal of Capt. Jean-Luc Picard, saying the character and the actor behind him represented the best of the franchise. The actors met as Kirk and Picard in the 1994 movie Star Trek: Generations.

“My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed,” Shatner added of Stewart’s wife, Sunny Ozell. 

Marvel is owned by Disney, the parent company of ABC News and Good Morning America.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Sir Patrick Stewart, an actor known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men film franchise, has died at the age of 86, his representative announced Thursday.

Stewart died “in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny” after a “brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, according to a statement shared on his social media by his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak.

“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” the statement continued. “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, the loss of memory, problem-solving and thinking abilities. It is a progressive disease that begins with mild memory loss and ultimately has no cure, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Lewy body dementia is a type of dementia that can cause complications with movement, behavior, thinking and mood, according to the CDC.

It is unclear when Stewart was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental, according to police in South Carolina, who said Wednesday they are closing their investigation.

“Based on the Medical Examiner’s determination and the findings of the investigation, Hayden Panettiere’s death has been ruled accidental,” the Greenville Police Department said in a statement, adding that the department has “concluded its investigation.”

Panettiere, 36, died in August after she was found unresponsive at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina.

ABC News has reached out to a representative for Panettiere’s family for comment.

The police department’s announcement comes more than a month after the Greenville County Coroner’s Office in South Carolina ruled her death an accidental overdose involving fentanyl and other substances. Police had continued their investigation after the coroner released its findings.

In its Sept. 22 findings, the coroner’s office identified the cause of death as the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine. The autopsy found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death.

4-ANPP is a byproduct of fentanyl production; alprazolam, known as Xanax, treats anxiety and panic disorders; methocarbamol, known as Robaxin, is a muscle relaxant; and quetiapine, known as Seroquel, is an antipsychotic medication.

Of the combination of medications, fentanyl is the most likely to result in an overdose death.

Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, were at the apartment when officers responded, according to a police report obtained by ABC News.

Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures before Panettiere was pronounced dead, according to the report.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration had also been assisting police with the investigation, sources familiar with the matter previously told ABC News.

The DEA’s investigation is believed to be ongoing and could be looking into street-level drug dealers who may have provided drugs to the late actress, sources said.

Prior to her death, Panettiere had spoken publicly about her experiences with addiction and recovery, as well as the challenges she faced growing up in the entertainment industry.

The actress, who was known for her roles in Ice Princess, Heroes and Nashville, released a memoir in May titled This Is Me: A Reckoning. In the book, she discussed postpartum depression, addiction and recovery, trauma, domestic abuse and loss, according to its synopsis.

Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya, whom she shared with her ex-fiance, Wladimir Klitschko.

A memorial service for Panettiere was held in Malibu in September. It was attended by around 80 friends of the late actress, her representative told ABC News at the time.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

(SPOILERS AHEAD) The Diplomat will serve another term.

Netflix confirmed Thursday the award-winning series has been renewed for a fifth season, following season 4’s shocking cliff-hanger.

The show’s latest season ends with hawkish American President Grace Penn (Allison Janney) threatening to attack any country that stands in the way of the United States. It’s the last straw for ambassador Kate Wyler (Keri Russell), who resigns from her diplomatic post. In a move of solidarity, White House Chief of Staff Billie Appiah (Nana Mensah), Secretary of State Miguel Ganon (Miguel Sandoval) and Kate’s husband, Vice President Hal Wyler (Rufus Sewell), follow her lead moments before the screen cuts to black.

Creator and showrunner Debora Cahn tells Tudum of the jaw-dropping moves, “It is very important in terms of what we’re looking at, [to consider] what you can do as a group that you can’t do as an individual, or what will make a difference as a group that won’t make a difference as an individual.”

Plot details for the fifth season of the political drama are tightly under wraps; casting news and a release date have not been revealed.

The Diplomat is executive produced by Cahn, Russell, Alex Graves, Peter Noah and Eli Attie.

All four seasons of The Diplomat are now available to stream on Netflix.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.