Patrick Stewart Wants You To Forget About ‘Star Trek’ And ‘X- Men,’ Takes On New Nazi Role

Patrick Stewart is best known for a couple of major roles throughout his successful acting career, those being Jean-Luc Picard in the long-running series Star Trek: The Next Generation and Charles Xavier from the hit action flick X-Men and its sequels. However, as iconic as those characters are to fans of the science fiction genre as well as the Comic-Con world, Stewart has had enough of being purely associated with these two roles.

Stewart discussed his hopes for fans to be swayed away from associating him with these two characters during the Toronto International Film Festival, as the Canadian Associated Press recalls.

“The perception has grown and grown that Patrick Stewart is these two guys, and I’m not. It’s very nice, but it’s not interesting eventually. I’m always on the lookout for something that is very different from what I’m mostly known for.”

The 75-year-old actor then ran through a list of traits the characters he is usually presented with have, as Global News relays, noting their “decency,” their “thoughtfulness,” and their “courage.” However, he ended by noting that they are all very similar. Essentially, Stewart is searching for different.

The star has certainly found it in the form of a new film that casts Stewart as a neo-Nazi club owner. Global News explains that the role Patrick Stewart has taken on is a means to branch off and find the different traits he was looking for. The film, Green Room, screened for the first time during the annual Toronto International Film Festival.

“In the film, Stewart’s character holds a punk band captive in the backstage of his club after they witness a grisly murder. Armed with a few weapons and sheer determination, the young rockers try to escape alive, but run into many setbacks along the way.”

Sounds like just the flick to help fans to see the actor in a new light. Stewart relays that he has enjoyed taking on the role, and although he is not entirely wanting to be known for Star Trek, the actor rightly shows gratitude to the years spent as Jean-Luc Picard.

“I was 46 when I was cast in ‘Star Trek, which is what changed my life. I was always very grateful it happened to me when I was that age because I’d been around a long time and I knew a lot about the territory. It was not my life. It didn’t take over.”

Although Stewart is set on branching out, he also intends to return to his role in future X-Men films. As to his view about all the opportunities the veteran actor is still receiving, Stewart remains appreciative.

“I feel very blessed that I’m having that opportunity at my age. I keep telling people I’m having my teenage years now.”

[Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images]