Trivia

According to Brent Spiner, Stewart largely affected the way Americans pronounce the word "data". On Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), the name of Spiner's character, Data, was intended to be pronounced "dat-uh", as was commonly used in American English as the time, but Patrick Stewart's used the British pronunciation "day-tah" during the first table read and that was subsequently used for the series. Spiner credits Stewart's pronunciation, coupled with the popularity of the series, for making "day-tah" the more commonly used pronunciation in American English vernacular.

In episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), when he got up, he had a habit of tugging on the uniform where it was creased. Jonathan Frakes jokingly called this the Picard Maneuver, and the name stuck.

In 2013, when Sir Patrick Stewart married singer/songwriter Sunny Ozell, it was Sir Ian McKellen who they asked to officiate the ceremony. Friends Stewart and McKellen have co-starred in many projects over the years, perhaps most notably as nemeses Charles Xavier and Magneto in the X-Men movies.

When (presumably) nominated to complete the Ice Bucket Challenge (which involves filming yourself having a bucket of ice tipped over you or pay a forfeit to charity), Stewart released a wordless video in which he wrote out a cheque, then took two ice cubes from a bucket, put them in a glass of whisky, and toasted the camera.

During the first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), he was so convinced that he was going to be fired from the series that he did not unpack his bags for six weeks.

Is a huge and very much devoted fan of Monty Python, and he is also good friends with all the Python members and was close personal friends with the late Graham Chapman. He is so much of a fan and friend of the Pythons, that they have publicly announced if there ever was a reunion tour, Stewart would be Chapman's replacement.

Stewart related, on Liam Neeson/Sir Patrick Stewart/Alan Davies/Ed Sheeran (2012), a memorable encounter he once had in San Francisco where he was severely mistaken when a tipsy couple boarded a hotel elevator with him. No sooner had the doors closed when the man blurted out, "Oh my God, I can't believe it, it's Dr. Spock from Star Wars." To which his wife responded, "Honey no, no, you got it wrong. This is Sir Ben Kingsley.".

Best friends with his Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) castmate Brent Spiner, who was Stewart's best man at the wedding to Star Trek: Voyager (1995) producer Wendy Neuss.

Out of the four Star Trek series, he is the oldest actor to play a captain for those that held the title of first billed starring role. He was 47 to 54 years old through the length of the series.

He has always lamented the fact that he was never tapped for a role in the Harry Potter movie series.

Has a Human Rights scholarship named after him from Amnesty International.

Because his French character on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) has a British accent, he has joked to fans that Jean-Luc Picard was raised by an English nanny.

Close friends with Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) co-star Gates McFadden, who played Dr. Beverly Crusher. Stewart was the one who convinced her to return in the series' third season.

Once said the stillsuit that he wore in the sci-fi epic Dune (1984) was the most uncomfortable costume he had ever worn.

When starting on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), he was such an unknown with the American networks, that his trailer simply read "British Shakespeare Actor".

Is a patron of UK domestic violence charity Refuge, in tribute to his mother (who suffered abuse at the hands of his father).

Very good friends with Whoopi Goldberg and William Shatner.

He was considered for the role of Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), which went to Johnny Depp.

He was awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Live Theater at 7021 Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, California on December 16, 1996.

Besides his character named by Gene Roddenberry after Jacques-Yves Cousteau's close friend, Picard can also be seen as a reference to Captain Pike of the original series. "Picard" means pike handler in French.

Is a huge fan of Doctor Who (1963) and Red Dwarf (1988).

In June 2016, Stewart, along with Benedict Cumberbatch, guided more than 280 figures for the arts world who backed for the vote to remain in the European Union (EU) for the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.

He was originally the narrator of The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). However, director Tim Burton decided to cut most of the narration and also changed the voice. Stewart's original recording can be heard in Danny Elfman's soundtrack because Elfman liked Stewart's reading better.

Has been close friends with Brian Blessed since childhood. Best friends with Ian McKellen.

Revealed that he had believed he was circumcised his entire life before his wife told him otherwise. Stewart then had his lack of circumcision confirmed by his doctor. Stewart believed in retrospect that his parents told him he was circumcised so he would not be embarrassed as a child.

Scheduling conflicts with Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) forced him to turn down multiple offers to lend his voice to various Disney films including: The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992) and Pocahontas (1995).

Referred to Commander Riker on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) as Number One. When he guest-starred on an episode of The Simpsons (1989), he played a character named Number One.

Has appeared in John le Carré's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1979) and Smiley's People (1982), as Karla, controller of the Russian Secret Service. In both, he appeared in just one scene, both opposite Sir Alec Guinness and had no dialog in either.

Is an Honorary Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Had the first line on both Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), and the last line on the former.

Along with Colm Meaney and Armin Shimerman, he is one of only three actors to appear in the pilots of two different "Star Trek" series (Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993)). Michael Dorn as Worf was in both "Star Trek: TNG" and "Star Trek: DS9", and John de Lancie was in "Star Trek: TNG", "Star Trek: DS9" and Star Trek: Voyager (1995).

Has appeared with Kelsey Grammer in five different productions: Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Frasier (1993), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2013) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) playfully nicknamed him "Old Baldy".

He was awarded the 1994 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (1993 season) for Best Entertainment Award for his adaptation and staged performance of Charles Dickens' novel "A Christmas Carol" at the Old Vic.

US TV Guide -- voted "Most Bodacious" male on television (1993).

He played Richard the Lionheart in Robin Hood: Men in Tights (1993) and his father King Henry II in The Lion in Winter (2003).

Was 47 years old when Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) debuted, a number which frequently appears in the Star Trek franchise.

Has played the same character (Captain Jean-Luc Picard) in five different series: Star Trek: Picard (2020), Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987), Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Family Guy (1999) and Robot Chicken (2001).

Is the new Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, England and made his first official visit to the University on March 10, 2004.

Is a self-confessed huge fan of Reba McEntire.

Father of Sophie Stewart and Daniel Stewart.

He was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 2001 Queen's New Years Honours List and Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 2010 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama.

He accepted a role in Wild Geese II (1985) because he urgently needed money for an expensive home repair job and that was the first role he was offered upon receiving the bill from the repairman. He allegedly appeared in Lifeforce (1985) for the same reason.

Has won three prestigious Laurence Olivier Awards for his work on London's West End stage: "A Christmas Carol", "Antony and Cleopatra" and "Hamlet". He also won the Evening Standard Best Actor Drama award for "Macbeth".

Is a huge fan of the comic book series "Transmetropolitan", written by Warren Ellis. It follows the adventures of journalist Spider Jerusalem in a future of paranoia and corruption, and deals with politics, journalism and, most of all, the truth. He has even written an introduction to "Lonely City", one of the graphic novels in the series, explaining how he enjoys the main character's brutality and hostility towards this world as a desire that we all sometimes feel.

Is a huge fan of F1. He attended the 2003 British Grand Prix, and has taken part in several celebrity car races.

Pictured as the character Captain Picard on one of a set of 18 British commemorative postage stamps issued 13 November 2020, celebrating the "Star Trek" television and film franchise. Stamps were issued as 12 individual stamps, honoring captains and crew members; and 6 stamps in a single souvenir sheet, highlighting heroes and villains. All stamps were nondenominated and marked first class (76p on day of issue). Others honored by this set are William Shatner, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, Scott Bakula, Jason Isaacs, Leonard Nimoy, Marina Sirtis, Alexander Siddig, Dominic Keating, Sonequa Martin-Green, Shazad Latif, Simon Pegg, Tom Hardy, Malcolm McDowell, David Warner, Alice Eve, and Idris Elba.

Actress Teryl Rothery, who co-starred with Stewart in Masterminds (1997) has a longtime crush on the actor, which she often speaks of during convention appearances.

He was offered the role of Jafar in the Disney comedy Aladdin (1992), which he had to turn down due to scheduling conflicts with Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987). The role went to Jonathan Freeman.

He accepted the position of Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield and became a British resident again (2004). (November 2003)