[Nerdspresso] Patrick Stewart made it so

By Jeff Stanford, Special to Southpoint Access

I met Patrick Stewart at a Star Trek convention in the late 1980s. It was during the first few seasons of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” His fan following was still taking shape and hadn’t reached a fever pitch. Conventions weren’t the standing-room-only affairs they are today, so I enjoyed a minute or two of face time during a free meet-and-greet. He was very warm and gracious with his fans.

My girlfriend (yes, I was surprised I had one, too) reached out and touched his hand during the autograph session. He just smiled and quipped, “Just flesh and blood like everyone else.” But Stewart wasn’t like everyone else. He stood out. Whether he was a valiant starship captain, a telepath who used a wheelchair, a flamboyant interior decorator, or the calculating leader of a skinhead gang, he elevated every role with his majestic aura.

Patrick Stewart exuded an easy confidence and subtle nobility. When he was on, you paid attention. No matter who he was playing, Stewart made it matter. For many of us, we knew him primarily as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” His Picard was less brash than Kirk but just as commanding, with a regal bearing and thoughtful presence.