Whoopi Goldberg remembers 'Star Trek' co-star Patrick Stewart after his death: 'I adored him'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Whoopi Goldberg has paid tribute to her longtime friend and 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' co-star Patrick Stewart, remembering their decades-long friendship and his remarkable contributions to the entertainment industry.

Following Stewart's death at 86 on October 28, after a brief battle with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, Goldberg described him as irreplaceable and reflected on the special bond they shared.

Whoopi Goldberg pays tribute to Patrick Stewart's legacy

Goldberg remembered Stewart during the November 2 episode of 'The View', describing him as both a wonderful actor and a great human being.

"We lost a wonderful actor and a great human being this weekend. My friend, Sir Patrick Stewart, he passed away," she said. "He is, in a word, irreplaceable, really."

The friendship between the two actors began in the 1980s when they worked together on 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'.

Goldberg, who portrayed Guinan opposite Stewart's Captain Jean-Luc Picard, said their connection had remained special over the years.

"We went way back, and I adored him," the 70-year-old actress recalled. Alongside remembering their personal relationship, Goldberg celebrated Stewart's versatility as a performer.

As photographs from his career appeared on screen, including one showing him as Professor Charles Xavier in 'X-Men', she praised his ability to move between different genres.

"As a performer, he could do everything," Goldberg said. "He could do drama, science fiction, comedy, and of course Shakespeare."

She also recalled getting the opportunity to work with Stewart again in 2022, when he invited her to reprise her role in 'Star Trek: Picard' after visiting 'The View'.

Goldberg described the experience as an "amazing" memory that still makes her "just giggle all over the place".

Reflecting on her time in the science-fiction franchise, she added, "'Star Trek' remains one of the great events in my life." She continued, "I'll miss him dearly, but he's up with a lot of great people, so I know he's running around having fun."

Goldberg had also previously honoured her late friend on social media by sharing a photograph of their 'Star Trek' characters as action figures. She captioned the post, "See you on the next holodeck @sirpatstew RIP."

Patrick Stewart's spokesperson reflects on his remarkable legacy

Goldberg was not alone in celebrating Stewart's life and career. Kelly Bush Novak, the actor's longtime spokesperson, announced his death in a statement issued on Thursday, October 29.

"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," the statement read.

Novak further added, "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."

She added that his peaceful expression would remain a lasting reminder of his grace, describing the actor's "sonorous voice and singular talent" as forever synonymous with memorable performances across genres.

The statement also recognised Stewart's ability to explore the human condition through his work.

"He explored the human condition in all its poetic complexity and brought hope not only to the far reaches of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but into science fiction's most iconic final frontier aboard the Starship Enterprise," it continued.

Beyond his acting career, Stewart's spokesperson highlighted his philanthropy and activism, particularly his work supporting human rights, survivors of domestic violence, global refugees, veterans' mental health services and animal welfare.