When Captain Jean-Luc Picard took the captain’s chair in Star Trek: The Next Generation he could not have looked more different from the Star Trek captain that preceded him. That may have been a big part of why Stewart’s character was so successful, both on the show, and for the actor’s career as a whole. But Stewart actually auditioned for the role with hair, something that required significant help from the actor’s wife and British Airways to accomplish.
In Patrick Stewart’s new memoir Make it So (via AV Club) Stewart reveals that he was literally getting on the airplane to fly to L.A. from England, when his agent called the actor’s wife Sheila, asking if Stewart had a hairpiece and could it be sent to L.A. for Stewart to use in the audition. Sheila then boxed up the hairpiece, delivered it to the airport, and British Airways personnel got the package on a later flight to L.A.
Stewart then returned to the airport to pick up his hairpiece so he would have it for his audition. It’s certainly a lot to go through for a wig, but certainly Star Trek: The Next Generation had the potential to be a big show. And getting the lead role would be worth all the hassle, even if Stewart’s friend Ian McKellen tried to talk him out of taking the job.
It seems that, at the time, Paramount thought it wanted an Enterprise captain more in line with William Shatner’s James T. Kirk, and so it was felt that Stewart would have a better shot at the role with hair. He did the audition with the hairpiece, which, Stewart felt went terribly.
But then three Paramount executives came by Stewart’s dressing room to thank him for coming by. In the book, the actor says his hairstylist suggested the reason they came by was to see him without the hairpiece. Whatever the reason, he, of course, won the role. If Paramount was looking for another Kirk, it would seem Stewart convinced them to broaden their perspectives.
Stewart has appeared with hair from time to time in roles, though occasionally pictures that purport to be Patrick Stewart with hair are fake. And a picture of him in his Star Trek: The Next Generation uniform, wearing a hairpiece, has made the rounds in social media. The actor doesn’t even look that bad with hair. But while Patrick Stewart with hair isn’t terrible, Jean-Luc Picard with hair would likely be a travesty. It’s impossible to imagine. It’s an iconic part of the character now and it’s difficult to believe that Picard would be the same man if he had hair.
Even if Patrick Stewart doesn't love his early work as Picard, he eventually found his footing and made the character something truly special.
