Sir Patrick Stewart immortalised in cement at LA hand-print ceremony ahead of Star Trek: Picard launch

Sir Patrick Stewart’s legendary work on TV and film was commemorated at the TCL Chinese Theatre as his hands and footprints were immortalised in cement ahead of the Star Trek: Picard launch.

The 79-year-old actor, who is about to return to his role as Star Trek icon Jean-Luc Picard, was joined by co-stars, family and friends to mark his astonishing career at the special event in LA.

Positively beaming (sorry) as he posed for pictures, the British star got a helping hand as he stood in the cement, before getting on his knees and adding his hands.

At the ceremony, he joked: ‘I think the last time I kneeled was before the Queen!’

He then planted a kiss on his wife, Sunny Ozell, as they posed for photos.

At the ceremony, he said: ‘I’m still not really believing any of it. Any moment now somebody will say, “Patrick, Patrick, get up, you’re dreaming again”.’

LeVar Burton, who played Geordi alongside the star on Star Trek: The Next Generation, led the speeches in his honour.

Sir Patrick first played Picard in 1987 in Star Trek: The Next Generation and it’s arguably been one of the defining moments of his career, alongside X-Men’s Charles Xavier and his theatre work.

He is now returning as his character enjoys retirement on a vineyard, only for his peace and quiet to be disrupted by the mysterious arrival of a new girl named Dhaj (Isa Briones), a young girl who needs his help.

Returning to adventures in time and space, the character is seen reuniting with old faces and making new friends on the mission, which has currently been kept under wraps by the production team.

It was a massive risk for Stewart, who originally turned down the opportunity to reprise the role, before ultimately changing his mind.

But it seems that the team have a lot of faith in what they’re about to release – with a season two already appearing to be greenlit after winning a multi-million pound grant from the state of California.

Speaking to TrekCore, Kurtzman said: ‘You know, we feel a tremendous responsibility to the fans who have loved [the Picard character], and Patrick himself, who took a massive leap of faith with us in choosing to come back and play Picard [after] he said he was done forever.

‘He also said, “I want to make sure if I come back, if you loved The Next Generation, you’ll feel we’re honouring it, but this is a very different experience.” This is a very different experience.’

However, after showrunner Michael Chabon sent Sir Patrick a brief on what they were planning to do – and it grew from there to the series it became.

Speaking about his role in getting the legendary star on board, Michael said: ‘I’ve lived with these imaginary worlds since I was 10 years old.

‘From that moment until the day Akiva proposed this to me, I’ve never stopped living in these imaginary worlds.’

On what to expect for the character when he makes his return, writer, director and producer Akiva Goldsman revealed: ‘We wanted to let the ensuing years that have happened for us also have happened for Jean-Luc.

‘We spent a lot of time, collaboratively, filling in the intervening years,’ he said.

‘We know pretty much everything that happened in those 20 years. I include in “we” Patrick, who is the singular expert in Picard.’

Star Trek: Picard starts 23 January on Amazon Prime Video in the UK.

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Source: metro.co.uk