Paul Wesley has paid tribute to Patrick Stewart after the death of the Star Trek actor, recalling the meeting they shared and describing him as a “real class act”.
Wesley, who plays Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, spoke about Stewart at LAX on Thursday after learning of the news.
Although the pair did not know each other well, Wesley said he had met Stewart once and had heard enough about him to form a strong impression. He also praised Stewart as one of television’s iconic heroes and a genuinely good man.
Wesley said his admiration extended beyond Stewart’s work in the Star Trek franchise, adding that he was a major fan of the actor’s entire body of work.
Stewart died on Wednesday aged 86 following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was best known to Star Trek fans for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
William Shatner, who played the original Captain Kirk, has also paid tribute to Stewart, his friend and fellow Star Trek captain.
