When it was announced years back that Star Trek would be bringing new shows to television, few could've guessed it would lead to a sequel story with Jean Luc-Picard. Patrick Stewart had been away from the franchise for quite some time and, on the heels of retiring as Professor X in the X-Men franchise, it seemed only logical he would rule out playing the famous Starfleet captain once more.
It's no secret that it took some work to even get Patrick Stewart to the table to discuss Star Trek: Picard and that it took some requirements on his end to happen. What may not be known is the real reason Stewart took the meeting in the first place, which he recently shared in an interview with NPR:
Star Trek had taken over my life. I got to a point ... when I felt that I had said everything that I wanted to say about Jean-Luc Picard and his life on the Enterprise. This may sound somewhat arrogant. but ... I wanted to meet with these brilliant people face to face to tell them why I was going to say no to their show.
Fortunately for fans, the ideas presented to Patrick Stewart in that meeting were better than he expected. The actor noted that he felt "a little tingle" in his spine when he heard some of the things that were planned for Star Trek: Picard. The rest is history and, as the world waits for Season 2 on CBS All Access, I'm sure many are glad that Stewart agreed to reprise the role.
Of course, it wasn't just the ideas presented that ultimately pulled Patrick Stewart on board, either. Stewart was given a voice in the writers' room and offered consultation as the story was crafted in regards to what Jean-Luc Picard would and wouldn't do. It's hard to argue there's a better source than Stewart for that, or that an actor with his legacy wouldn't have a voice in the creation of a show so personal to his career.
Stewart also advocated for more personal things in Star Trek: Picard, such as the fact that Jean-Luc would have a pet pit bull. The plot point wasn't a callback to the Captain's love of the breed, but it was important to Stewart who had advocated for the rights of the breed for a chunk of his career. Little stuff like this had to impact how Stewart felt about the process and probably only further helped him come to love the fact he did not shut the door on playing Picard for good.
Star Trek: Picard Season 2 is on the way to CBS All Access. Continue to stick with CinemaBlend for more on the series in the meantime, and the latest news happening in the world of television and movies.
