Star Trek and X-Men actor Patrick Stewart dies

Sir Patrick Stewart, celebrated for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at 86. A statement posted Thursday to his Instagram account said he died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home, surrounded by family and friends and cared for by his wife, Sunny. The statement described his final moments as peaceful, with live music, prayers, tears and laughter. Born on July 13, 1940, Stewart also had a distinguished classical theatre career, including work with the Royal Shakespeare Company.