Sir Patrick Stewart has died. The actor who steered the Enterprise as Captain Jean-Luc Picard was 86.

His official social media account shared the news Thursday afternoon. The message said he died Wednesday with his wife Sunny by his side after a brief fight with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia.

The post described his final hours as peaceful. Friends and family surrounded him with live music, prayer, tears and laughter.

From the stage to the bridge

Stewart got his start in theater. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late 1960s. New York audiences first saw him on Broadway in 1971 when he appeared in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

He spent years doing smaller film and TV roles. Then came the part that made him a household name in America. He played Captain Picard on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" for 176 episodes. He also led the crew in four feature films.

Professor X

In the early 2000s he took on a second iconic role. He played Charles Xavier, the wise leader of the X-Men. His on-screen rival Magneto was played by his real-life best friend Ian McKellen.

He went back to the wheelchair one more time for "Avengers: Doomsday." That film is set to hit theaters in December.

A long list of credits

His résumé ran far beyond those two franchises. He showed up in "Dune" as well as "Ted" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights." He lent his voice to "Chicken Little" plus "Gnomeo & Juliet." Cartoon fans knew him from "Family Guy" and "American Dad."

He won a Grammy. He earned four Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nods. On the London stage he picked up two Olivier Awards.

In 2023 he told his own story in the memoir "Making It So."

He was also known for years of charity work. His team pointed to that giving in the announcement of his death.

Patrick Stewart was 86.