I was astonished to learn that Gene Roddenberry did not want to cast this legendary actor on Star Trek TNG

Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was known for implementing specific ideas to keep up with his vision for the illustrious franchise. From casting, costumes, to props, Roddenberry was involved in every aspect of creating Star Trek shows and movies. While today Patrick Stewart’s name has become synonymous with Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise-D, Roddenberry was highly reluctant to cast him in his celebrated role in The Next Generation.

The Next Generation producer Rick Berman wanted Patrick Stewart for the coveted role against Roddenberry’s initial wishes. Roddenberry instead wanted someone similar to Captain James T. Kirk, portrayed by William Shatner. And Stewart’s Picard was a far cry from the playful and bold Kirk. During The Hollywood Reporter’s Drama Actors Roundtable, Stewart said,

“It was very odd with Gene because I was dragged in to audition for him in his living room the morning after I’d been seen doing something at UCLA and my meeting lasted about six minutes and then it was perfectly clear I was not wanted in that room any time longer. And it was Gene who said why the hell, I don’t want a bald middle-aged Englishman. I was middle-aged in those days…but there was a faction who were very enthusiastic, Rick Berman who when Gene sadly died in the third season, Rick took over and he had been a campaigner for me.”

He further added,

“…Gene used to come on the set once a week, maybe twice, it depends on who the cast were…and I would catch him looking at me with an expression on his face, which said ‘what the **** is this guy doing in my show.’ And it was clear he couldn’t understand why I was there…there is somewhere, in the cellars of Paramount Pictures a postage note which says ‘I do not want to hear Patrick Stewart’s name mentioned again ever, signed Gene Roddenberry. So, it made me a little uncomfortable.”

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Gene Roddenberry’s vision for Captain Picard

Visionary Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was known to have had several differences with the writers and crew members while implementing his definite ideas. While casting for The Next Generation, Roddenberry wanted an actor with similar valiant traits to Captain Kirk.

Producer Rick Berman shared that although Patrick Stewart’s performance was brilliant, Roddenberry’s hesitation was due to his vision for the captain. During an interview with the Television Academy Foundation, producer Rick Berman said,

“I think Gene probably pictured someone closer to a young William Shatner… a Horatio Hornblower, Indiana Jones swashbuckling character. Gene did not like Patrick Stewart, Gene did not like the idea of a bald English guy taking over…stepping into the shoes of William Shatner. He aired that pretty quickly.”

In the interview, Berman would recall Gene rejecting the idea of Stewart taking on the role of the Captain. They went on to audition about 60 people for the role, but no one came close to Stewart. Berman decided to push for the legendary actor. He recalls,

“I started bugging Gene about the bald English guy and he finally agreed. And he said, ‘But when we bring him to the studio for the final audition, I want him to wear a wig. Because I don’t want this guy going in bald.”

Patrick Stewart got a special wig done and arrived at the studio to read for John Pike, who was the head of Paramount Network Television at the time. The final audition was between Stewart and another actor.

“At the end Pike said, ‘Go with the English guy, but lose the wig.’ And that was the best three words we could have heard.”

Roddenberry went on to accept Stewart’s intellectual take of Captain Picard. Today, Trekkies would share that the success of The Next Generation lies in the vast difference between Picard and Kirk, giving the show a completely different feel. During the Hollywood Reporter interview, Stewart also recalled having a conversation with Roddenberry over lunch, where the creator shared that he had based Picard on Horatio Hornblower books.

During an interview with the BBC, Stewart reminisced about how Roddenberry had accepted the actor’s appearance. He shared,

“That came up at the very first press conference. A reporter asked Gene Roddenberry…‘This doesn’t make any sense. You got a bald actor playing this part. Surely by the 24th century, they will have found a cure for male pattern baldness.’ And Gene Roddenberry said, ‘No, by the 24th century, no one will care.’ It was one of the nicest things said about men like me.”

Patrick Stewart portrayed the role of Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek shows The Next Generation (1987-1994) and Picard (2020-2023), as well as the movies Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996), Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002).

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