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Hollywood mourns Patrick Stewart after his death at 86

Hollywood mourns Patrick Stewart after his death at 86


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.

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‘Star Trek,’ ‘X-Men’ star Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86

‘Star Trek,’ ‘X-Men’ star Sir Patrick Stewart dies at 86


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.

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Hayden Panettiere’s death ruled accidental, South Carolina police closing investigation

Hayden Panettiere’s death ruled accidental, South Carolina police closing investigation


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.

‘The Diplomat’ renewed for fifth season

‘The Diplomat’ renewed for fifth season


(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.

 

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In brief: John Goodman joins ‘The Beast in Me’ and more

In brief: John Goodman joins ‘The Beast in Me’ and more


John Goodman is joining Claire Danes in the cast of Netflix’s The Beast in Me. The actor will play Aggie’s father, Jack, in season 2 of the thriller series. Season 1 starred Danes opposite Matthew Rhys, who won an Emmy for his role as a billionaire suspected of murder …

Melanie Lynskey has found her next role. The Yellowjackets actress will star in the new limited series Mushroom Murders, based on the true story of an Australian woman convicted of killing three of her family members by serving them poison mushrooms. The series has been greenlit for Paramount+ …

The Reba McEntire series Happy’s Place is paying tribute to Dolly Parton with a special dedication in its Oct. 30 episode. “We were filming this episode on the day she passed, and it just felt like the right thing to do as our way of honoring her,” McEntire says in a statement. “The episode is all about remembering those we love who have passed on, and we will always love and remember Dolly.” Happy’s Place airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on NBC …

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Jamie Dornan feels ‘pressure’ replacing Viggo Mortensen in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’

Jamie Dornan feels ‘pressure’ replacing Viggo Mortensen in ‘The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum’


Jamie Dornan is opening up about the pressure he feels stepping into Viggo Mortensen’s shoes.

The actor is taking on the role of Aragorn in the upcoming Lord of the Rings film The Hunt for Gollum. He replaces Mortensen, who portrayed the character that is also known as Strider in director Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Because this new film takes place in between those films and The Hobbit movies, Mortensen, who is 68, was replaced with the younger Dornan, who is 44. Dornan spoke to L’Officiel Italia in a recent interview about the pressure he feels in taking this on.

“There’s pressure when you try to follow in those footsteps,” Dornan said, translated from Italian to English. “I’ve been asked to take on a super iconic role, and I’ll do my absolute best. But for me, Aragorn will always be Viggo, and only Viggo. His performance is one of my all-time favorites, and I feel honored to try and capture even a little bit of the energy he originally brought to the character.”

Dornan also said “there isn’t a single part of me that’s trying to do it better than he did.”

Also joining The Lord of the Rings universe is Leo Woodall, who will play the Dúnedain ranger Halvard. He told the outlet he was impressed by Dornan’s performance in the new film.

“I can honestly say that, for me, Aragorn is now Jamie Dornan,” Woodall said.

Andy Serkis directs the upcoming film that he also stars in as Gollum and his alter ego, Sméagol. Several other original Lord of the Rings cast members are reprising their celebrated performances in the upcoming film. Ian McKellen will return as the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Elijah Wood will play the hobbit Frodo Baggins and Lee Pace will reprise his part as Thrandruil.

Other additions to the franchise are Kate Winslet and Anya Taylor-Joy, who play Marigol and Seren.

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum arrives in theaters on Dec. 17, 2027.

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