Actor Patrick Stewart has been known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and in the X-Men films. The former show made him a global star as his character Captain Picard became the epitome of class leadership and diplomacy. The character was so regarded that the makers approached him again to reprise his role in a spinoff show.
While initially apprehensive, Stewart agreed to return to Star Trek: Picard and starred in the show for three seasons. However, the actor reportedly wanted to rectify one mistake he found himself making in the original show. He mentioned that he made sure his intonation while speaking was not as harsh as in his earlier years.
Patrick Stewart Got Criticism For His Voice In Star Trek: The Next Generation
When one thinks of Patrick Stewart, his phenomenal British voice that thunders around the room comes to mind. Stewart, as he admitted himself, has made a life out of his distinct voice. In fact, he even received the role that redefined his career, Jean-Luc Picard, while he was doing a reading at UCLA.
However, the actor reportedly got one criticism about his time on Star Trek: The Next Generation, which he hoped to rectify in Picard. He mentioned that as the spinoff show was set to explore the captain in his old age, his voice would have gotten a lot ragged and his intonation would have to be less heavy.
Hence, Stewart reportedly decided to take a softer tone in his intonation and mentioned that he hoped to rectify the criticisms he received. He said to Time,
Having reviewed my work in Blunt Talk, I’d come to recognize that at times I was being a bit heavy in my delivery, hitting words too firmly and delivering my lines too theatrically. I was determined to remedy that. Also, my voice has grown more ragged with age. So for the Jean-Luc on the precipice of turning 80, I found a tone that was softer and gentler, and it really worked.
Stewart also mentioned that he found the new voice more organic and he could relate to it more as he too was at the same age and faced the same issues.
Patrick Stewart Had A Different Idea To End Star Trek: Picard
Though Patrick Stewart had specifically mentioned in his conditions to return that the spinoff show would not bank on the nostalgia of Star Trek: The Next Generation, the show ended up being just that by the third and final season. However, Stewart was reportedly more forgiving by then.
Still, the fairy-tale ending for the TNG cast in Star Trek: Picard was reportedly not in Stewart’s mind and he actually suggested a more personalized ending for Jean-Luc Picard,
‘What I’d like to see at the end of the show,’ I told them, ‘is a content Jean-Luc. I want to see Picard perfectly at ease with his situation. Not anxious, not in a frenzy, not depressed. And I think this means that there is a wife in the picture.’
The actor mentioned that the writers came up with a brilliant scene where Picard is taking the view of his vineyard with his dog when a female voice calls him for dinner. However, for many reasons, the ending reportedly could not be filmed, and after some back and forth with the studio, the TNG reunion was kept as the end.
Star Trek: Picard is available to stream on Paramount+.
