Sir Patrick Stewart can claim an award for the long list of roles that he has portrayed in his stellar career. He has proven that some of the most iconic films and franchises would not have been the same without his distinct presence. From Macbeth to X-Men, he has become synonymous with his roles.
However, his most iconic role would be that of Captain Jean-Luc Pickard in the renowned sci-fi series Star Trek: The Next Generations. The 1987 show was iconic, as Stewart portrayed the role effortlessly, and it was his acting that won over the fans.
Despite the immense success and a massive fan following around the world, the Green Room actor was hesitant to take his cast to the future addition of the franchise, which is Star Trek: Picard. He had one key reason behind it.
Sir Patrick Stewart Did Not Want to Have a Cast Reunion in Star Trek: Picard
Star Trek: The Next Generation kicked off with massive problems from the very first season of the show. From an unknown cast trying to get along, to producers allegedly taking control of the series, there was a lot of chaos. The problem escalated to the point where Sir Patrick Stewart had to ask Gates McFadden to part ways from the show.
Nevertheless, the cast went along with it, and the show proved a massive hit with a rating of 8.7/10 on IMDb. The series had several highlights, with its cast being one of them. However, the Logan actor had his concerns when he decided to return to the 2020 show.
While talking to Gold Derby, the veteran actor opened up about his feelings and how he had major concerns about the potential reunion in the show. He said,
Oh, I had many concerns, and fundamentally they centered around should I really do this at all? Because Next Generation had been such an iconic series that I didn’t want to risk the impact of that, which it still has. I mean, it grows in worldwide observation. It gets bigger and bigger and bigger.
I think there are millions and millions and millions all around … I mean, for instance, it wasn’t shown in China for a long time, Star Trek. But now it is, and I get lots of responses filter through to me from China, and I was actually in Beijing about three years ago, and I found I couldn’t go out on the street alone.
He continued that he was so “recognizable” in China, that he had to talk to the producers and writers because he had achieved everything he could have anticipated already.
While talking to Alex Kurtzman, one of the creators of the show told him how Captain Jean-Luc Picard has changed, and that convinced him to look at things in the right manner. He said,
And I can’t remember whether it was Akiva or Michael, perhaps Alex, who said to me one day, “Look, what’s happened to you in the last 20 years? Have you changed? Have you had new experiences? Do you feel the same way about the world as you did back then?”
I said, “No, no, not at all.” He said, “Well, that’s exactly the situation that Picard is in. He doesn’t either. He’s not the same person.” And right away, that was my cue to begin investigating what he might have become.
Kurtzman did a great job convincing Stewart because, after their talk, he was open to changes and preferred experimenting, which he used to oppose before.
Sir Patrick Stewart Explains How Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s Past Added Depth To The Show
Captain Jean-Luc Picard is one of the finest members of the Starfleet, but his character development was not easy. He is built on different layers of trauma, adding more depth and enriching the lore.
From the Borg saga to the haunting episodes of Stargazer’s loss, Picard’s memories are full of nightmares. As a result, coming to terms with his past for the character was quite essential.
In the same interview with Gold Derby, the Macbeth actor explained how “these moments” made the show so special. He said,
Well, it was not artificial what we did in those respects. And indeed, there were moments when Picard had no idea what to do, didn’t know what the hell he should be doing next. And of course, his conflict with Commander Riker, which we had not seen before, was disturbing, disturbed me when I watched it.
But it was elements like that that gave this adventurous new series its special quality as well as the extraordinary design and camera work and writing and directing and producing. It was of great value to me.
Nevertheless, in the end, the series changed the 83-year-old actor, as the character had become a part of him, and facing his character’s past had made him clueless at one point in time.
Star Trek: Picard can be streamed on Paramount+.
