What Star Trek means to Sir Patrick Stewart

The name Sir Patrick Stewart is synonymous with Star Trek. You can't say Patrick Stewart without thinking about Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Picard, not to mention four movies. What began in 1987 has continued for over thirty-six years. Yes, there were times when new Picard wasn't on our screens, but Trekkies have never forgotten Captain Jean-Luc Picard. To some, he's their favorite captain, their role model. And to others, he may not be their favorite, but they still recognize him as a man of honor, courage, and dedication. One can see those same traits in the actor himself.

Stewart has brought a lot to the Star Trek franchise, and his career as Picard has established him as one of the strongest leads in science fiction television. As fans, we all know what both the actor and the character has meant to us, and what he will continue to mean to us in the coming years. But what does Star Trek mean to Stewart? Has it given as much to him as he's given to us?

In an interview given shortly before Star Trek: Picard began, for a special edition of Star Trek Explorer, the collector's edition of Star Trek: Picard Magazine, Stewart is quick to say that Star Trek changed his life.

"“So, when you ask me what does it mean to me… I’ve had a lot of fun. Star Trek changed
my life. Every corner of it was touched by being Jean-Luc Picard. My personal life, emotional life, and friendships. My knowledge of the world. And I learned a hell of a lot more about working on camera, because just before I got Star Trek, I said to my agent, "You know what I need? I need camera time. I’ve never had enough camera time! I want something where I’m on camera day after day after day.’ So be very careful what you wish for, because I got 12 years of it! And now I am back for more.”"

- Patrick Stewart

There are few Trekkies that don't feel the same way about the franchise as it has made a difference in how we view the world. We've made friends through our love of Star Trek, enjoyed experiences we might never have had otherwise, and we've been able to follow the careers of some of the nicest actors in show business. Patrick Stewart is one of those actors, and he changed the face of Star Trek for the better.