Ricky Gervais Remembers Patrick Stewart: 'Hard to Believe He Agreed to Do Extras'

The passing of Sir Patrick Stewart at the age of 86 has left deep sorrow in the entertainment world, especially for Ricky Gervais, who once worked with him on the comedy series Extras. Gervais admits he still finds it hard to believe that an actor of Stewart's caliber was willing to take part in one of the most iconic and hilarious scenes in the series.

Stewart breathed his last at his home in Los Angeles after battling Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia. The family issued an official statement describing his passing as a peaceful moment, surrounded by family and close friends, with live music accompanying his final moments.

In a post on the X platform, Gervais shared bloopers footage from the filming of Extras. The footage shows how often Gervais failed to hold back his laughter while Stewart seriously delivered dialogue about a fictional character who uses the power of his mind to remove women's clothing. "I still can't believe he agreed to do this scene. And he didn't mind at all when I ruined every take. Legend," Gervais wrote.

In his memoir titled Making It So, Stewart recalled the moment in detail. He said the word "knickers" was the first trigger for Gervais's laughter, and then everything he said only made his co-star laugh harder. "The more seriously I acted, the louder Ricky laughed," Stewart recalled, as quoted from his memoir.

"He has a fire in his eyes and you are truly in the room with him. I have never heard a single bad word about him. The world will be greatly diminished without him."

— Dame Harriet Walter, a senior actress who has known Stewart for four decades

Condolences continue to pour in from various quarters. Dame Harriet Walter, who first met Stewart more than 40 years ago in the theater world, likened his passing to the fall of a "giant tree in the middle of a forest." She highlighted Stewart's charisma and dedication, which never faded with time.

For the Indonesian public, Patrick Stewart may be most familiar through his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise. Both characters became symbols of wise and visionary leadership, often cited in discussions about leadership and humanity. His passing also recalls a generation of classical theater actors that is increasingly rare in the global entertainment industry.

Stewart's career spanned more than six decades, from Shakespearean theater stages to the Hollywood big screen. He was known as an actor able to adapt from serious drama to absurd comedy without losing his authority. The Emmy nomination through Extras is proof that he did not hesitate to laugh at himself for the sake of art.

With Stewart's passing, the world has lost one of the most influential actors of this century. However, his legacy will live on through the works he left behind. Will the next generation of actors be able to emulate his dedication and humility? The public certainly hopes so.