‘Saturday Night Live’ Pays Tribute to ‘Star Trek’ Legend Patrick Stewart Days After His Death at 86

Honoring an icon, the Saturday Night Live crew paid tribute to Star Trek legend Patrick Stewart days after his death at 86.

The tribute featured a throwback video of the late actor hosting the long-running sketch show in 1994 and excitedly introducing the episode’s musical guests, Salt-N-Pepa.

Stewart passed away last week after secretly battling dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

“We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” his reps confirmed on Oct. 29. “He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all. We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”

Stewart will be remembered for the “dignity, compassion and humanity he brought to every role – in his art and life,” his reps noted.

The reps then included a quote from Stewart’s memoir, Making It So.

“Like me, Jean-Luc has lived an unusual life that has taken him far beyond the bounds of normal human experience,” the quote reads. “But he is also someone who has remained true to his earthbound roots, for they are what gave him his identity. In the end, he feels the call of home, as do I.”

Stewart rose to fame as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. He was the lead character throughout the series as well as Star Trek Generations, Star Trek: First Contact, and Star Trek: Picard.

He later joined Marvel as Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, reprising the role through the X-Men trilogy, X2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Wolverine, and Logan. The late actor appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as an alternate version of the character.

He is also in Marvel’s upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday.