“I hadn’t a bloody clue what was going on”: Patrick Stewart Had to Overcome the Same Problem With X-Men That Nearly Brought Down His Star Trek Career

If I had a nickel for every time Stewart was clueless about his role in a sci-fi setting, I’d have two nickels.

Patrick Stewart recalled being confused when the actor was told he’d be playing Professor X.
Similar was the case when he auditioned for Star Trek, as he had little knowledge about the IP at the time.

When it came to Star Trek and its lore, Patrick Stewart wasn’t the brightest before he auditioned for Star Trek: The Next Generation and eventually secured the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard. Similar was the case when he was initially offered the part of Professor X in Fox’s X-Men.

While for comic readers, it’s easy to see the resemblance between Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier, the actor previously had no idea about the character. So when he initially got the offer to play Charles Xavier in X-Men, he was confused.

Patrick Stewart Was Clueless When He Was Offered the Role of  Professor X

After walking out of the set of the action thriller Conspiracy Theory, Patrick Stewart recalled being handed an envelope from producer Lauren Donner, teasing a new big offer. Upon visiting Donner in her office, he was told that he’d be playing Professor Xavier. But while she was excited about announcing this offer following his resemblance to the character, Stewart replied, “Who on earth is that, Lauren?”

A still from X-Men | 20th Century Fox

In his memoir (via /Film), he recalled:

This conversation made about as much sense to me as the one I’d had with Steve Dontanville all those years ago in which he asked me why Gene Roddenberry wanted to meet me. Charles Xavier? The X-Men? I hadn’t a bloody clue what was going on.

It took a little more explanation to get the actor on board, as “Lauren patiently explained that ‘X-Men’ was to be a big-budget film based on a Marvel Comics superhero team” revealed Stewart.

Patrick Stewart Had a Similar Experience during His Audition for Star Trek

Stewart as Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation

This wasn’t the first time the actor had trouble understanding his character in a sci-fi setting, as Patrick Stewart was also clueless about Star Trek before he auditioned for The New Generation. Being a serious stage actor, who had a long list of Shakespearean credits, Stewart reasonably had little interest in the IP, but his kids were up to date with the ’60s show.

They told me, ‘Dad, we used to watch it every night!’. I said, ‘The guys wearing the colored T-shirts?’ That was all I knew

While his Daniel and daughter Sophie managed to convince him to audition for the part, his initial interview with Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry couldn’t have gone wrong.

My first interview [with Star Trek creator] Gene Roddenberry lasted all of about six minutes. I learned afterward that when I had gone out the door, he said, ‘Who the hell suggested inviting that guy to come up here? What a waste of time.’

But despite the interview not going his way, as opposed to Roddenberry’s stance on Stewart, he was offered the role after six months, and the remaining is history