When Patrick Stewart was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, he was a relative unknown. Having worked in the Royal Shakespearean Company and well-versed in the bard’s plays, the actor reportedly felt a misfit in the world of TV and was happy doing theater when his agent gave him a reality check.
Stewart’s career radically changed when he accepted the role in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The show became a global success and was more profitable than its flagship original series. Stewart, who was initially reluctant to join, ended up playing the role for seven seasons, four films, and three seasons of a spinoff show.
Patrick Stewart Got A Reality Check From His Agent After Refusing Star Trek: The Next Generation
Patrick Stewart was called an ‘unknown British Shakespearean actor’ when he was cast in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Selected for the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Stewart reportedly did not intend to join a sci-fi series and give up his theater work as he was satisfied with the latter.
Stewart had only done a handful of films and shows outside of the stage and was reportedly assured that the show would not be a huge success and that the six-year contract he would sign would be meaningless (via BBC). While Stewart tried to negotiate himself out of the show, his agent reportedly gave a rude awakening to him.
The actor wrote in his memoir Make it So that he found it unlikely to be cast in the show and he was trying to get out of the six-year contract. But his agent had other plans (via Daily Mail),
He said, ‘I’ve got two questions… what were you doing at UCLA last night and why would Gene want to see you this morning?’ Back then, it seemed improbable and unlikely. It was a six-year contract. I said, ‘No, I have theatre commitments.’ My agent said, ‘You’d be lucky to make it through the first year.’
The actor then reportedly found his experiences at the Royal Shakespearean Company to be helpful in playing the character of Picard, who was well-versed with the bard too.
Patrick Stewart Was Offended By Being Called An ‘Unknown British Shakespearean Actor’
Despite his status as a relative unknown before playing not one but two of the most iconic characters in modern pop culture, Patrick Stewart was reportedly still a busy actor. Many actors enter Hollywood to make a name for themselves in the movies, but Stewart had appeared in major Hollywood films without wanting that dream at all.
Hence, when the LA Times reportedly referred to him as an ‘unknown British Shakespearean’ actor after being selected for Star Trek: The Next Generation, he was not very happy. He said to LA Times’ Hero Complex,
Believe me, it was an accurate description at the time. I tell that story now because it’s kind of fun to tell it when circumstances have changed somewhat. But when it appeared, even though I was described as unknown, I had been a very busy working actor for 27 years and there was a slight sting, particularly given the fact that I had worked in the theater in Los Angeles twice and had already appeared in a couple of major Hollywood movies and so forth.
The actor also mentioned that despite the initial sting, the comment led to co-star Brent Spiner creating a sign on his trailer door that read ‘BEWARE: UNKNOWN BRITISH SHAKESPEAREAN ACTOR’, which he reportedly still owns.
Star Trek: The Next Generation is currently available to stream on Paramount+.
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