Patrick Stewart is an internationally respected actor known for successfully bridging the gap between the theatrical world of the Shakespearean stage and contemporary film and television. Stewart was most recently seen in a science-based dramatic mini-series Eleventh Hour, for Granada. In December 2005, he performed a limited run of his universally acclaimed solo production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol at The Albery Theatre. He played over 40 characters, relying on just a few props and a wealth of virtuosity and dramatic nuance, and received widespread praise from the critics.

Stewart has had an enormously successful film and television career. He can currently be heard in Steamboy and Chicken Little, and was seen in 2003 in X2, the sequel to blockbuster X-Men (2000); Stewart's role as 'Professor Xavier' earned him a nomination for Favorite Actor in the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards.

In 2002 Stewart was seen in the tenth installment of Paramount Pictures' Star Trek feature films: Star Trek: Nemesis, reprising his role as 'Captain Jean Luc Picard.' His earlier Star Trek film credits are Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact, (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998).

Also in 2002 Stewart was seen in the title role in King of Texas, which he co-produced with Hallmark Entertainment. The previous year he was heard as the voice of 'King Goobot' in Nickelodeon Movies' highly successful computer animated motion picture Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius in December 2001.

Stewart's additional film credits include the film adaptation of Paul Rudnick's play, Jeffrey, Hedda, Dune, Lady Jane, Excalibur, LA Story, Death Train, Robin Hood: Men in Tights, Gunmen, Masterminds, The Pagemaster, Conspiracy Theory, Safe House and Dad Savage. He also lent his voice to the character 'Seti' in Prince of Egypt.

Television has also played a significant role in Patrick's career. He completed production on the Showtime remake of The Lion in Winter, which aired in the UK in December 2003. In addition to playing a starring role, for which he was Golden Globe nominated, Stewart was also an executive producer.

In 2000 Stewart was seen in TNT's A Christmas Carol. He earned a SAG Award nomination for his portrayal of 'Ebenezer Scrooge,' a role which continued a cherished association with the Charles Dickens' classic. This was produced by Robert Halmi and Stewart for Hallmark. Stewart earned both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor for his role as 'Captain Ahab' in the USA network's epic mini-series Moby Dick (1998).

Stewart originated the role of 'Jean Luc-Picard' in the hit series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, which aired from 1988 to 1994; this role earned him Best Actor nominations from the American TV Awards and the Screen Actors Guild. In addition to his starring role, he also directed several episodes, one of which (A Fistful of Datas, 1987) received an Emmy Award.

For the BBC, Stewart was seen in the acclaimed mini-series I, Claudius, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and Smiley's People. He has also portrayed 'Salieri' in The Mozart Inquest, 'Oedipus' in Oedipus Rex, and 'Rev. Anderson' in The Devil's Disciple. Other television roles include the title role in The Canterville Ghost, In Search of Dr. Seuss, and The Simpsons, as well as hosting several documentary series, including The Shape of the World and MGM; When the Lion Roars.

Stewart's current projects are The Game of Their Lives, The Water Warriors and Bambi.

In January 2005 he appeared at the Apollo Theatre in A Life in The Theatre, for which he also received outstanding reviews. He was previously on the West End Stage in 2003, in Ibsen's The Master Builder.

In 2001, Stewart appeared in three theatrical productions. He starred in Johnson Over Jordan in Leeds, in the Guthris Theatre's (Minneapolis) critically acclaimed production of Edward Albee's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and in December he took his celebrated one-man show, A Christmas Carol, back to Broadway for eight benefit performances.

The previous summer, Stewart appeared on Broadway in Arthur Miller's The Ride Down Mt. Morgan, which received a Tony nomination for Best Play. In 1998, Stewart received critical acclaim for his portrayal of the title role of Othello at the Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC.

In December 1996, Stewart took A Christmas Carol to Los Angeles. He first performed this acclaimed one-man show for Broadway audiences in 1991, earning a Drama Desk Award for Best Solo Performer. This marked his return to the New York stage since 1971, when he appeared in the now legendary Peter Brook production of A Midsummer Nights Dream. He performed A Christmas Carol for many years in various locations throughout the U.S. and London, and when he presented the play at the Old Vic Theatre (1993) he received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor and the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment for Solo Performance.

In 1995 Stewart starred on Broadway as 'Prospero' in Shakespeare's classic The Tempest, for which he received a Best Actor nomination from the Outer Critics Circle. He also received the prestigious Will Award from The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC, in 1996, in honor of his work on the stage. That same year, Stewart won a Grammy Award for his narrative work on Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf.

In 1986 he played the title role in Peter Shaffer's play, Yonadab at the National Theatre. In 1978 Stewart won the Society of the West End Theatre (now renamed Olivier Awards) Award for his performance as 'Enobarbus' in Peter Brook's production of Antony and Cleopatra (1978) and was nominated for his 'Shylock' in The Merchant of Venice (1978).

Stewart has a long standing relationship with the Royal Shakespeare Company and is an Honorary Associate Artist, having been made an Associate Artist in 1967. With the RSC he has played roles such as 'King John', 'Shylock', 'Henry IV', 'Cassius', 'Titus Andronicus', 'Oberon', 'Leontes', 'Enobarbus', 'Tochstone' and 'Launce'. He has also starred in many contemporary works with the RSC, including plays by Tom Stoppard, Edward Bond, Howard Barker and David Rudkin.

In addition to a Christmas Carol, Stewart has adapted other works for the stage, TV and radio, including two works by Mikhail Bulgahov: The Procurator (from the novel The Master and Margarita) and A Country Doctor's Notebook. In 1992, he directed the musical drama Every Good Boy Deserves Favour by Tom Stoppard and Andre Previn, starring with four other cast members of Star Trek: The Next Generation and the Orange County Symphony Orchestra. In 1993, the same production was presented with symphony orchestras in Minneapolis, Chicago and Atlanta.

This year will also see Stewart return to Stratford where he will play 'Antony' in Antony and Cleopatra followed by 'Prospero' in The Tempest, for which he is currently in rehearsals.

In 2001 New Years' Honours list, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth conferred on Stewart the order of the Officer of the British Empire (O.B.E.).