Patrick Stewart Questions Smithsonian’s ‘Star Trek’ Collection, Donates ‘X-Men’ Costumes
Patrick Stewart, who plays Professor X in the X-Men movies and Jean-Luc Picard on the Star Trek television series, was in Washington on Saturday afternoon to donate costumes to the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History.
WJLA reports that the 73-year-old actor donated four costumes to the museum – his Professor X costume, Ian McKellen’s Magneto costume, Halle Berry’s Storm costume, and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine costume.
However, it was Stewart’s Star Trek role that got him questioning John Gray, the museum’s director.
After the unveiling ceremony for the costumes, Stewart asked Gray, “I am right in assuming you have no Star Trek artifacts? None?” Museum personnel told him that they indeed have an artifact from the Star Trek series. They said that they have the pointy ears of Leonard Nimoy, who played the character of Spock in the original Star Trek. “I trust they are in a room all by themselves?” Stewart asked.
After the exchange, Stewart said that he was going to make it a mission to provide the museum more significant artifacts from Star Trek.
Aside from the four costumes that were given to the museum, other artifacts and props from X-Men were also donated. US News reports that Gray said that the artifacts will allow the museum to tell and share the story of the American superhero genre.
Stewart was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company before he got into acting for film and television. In 1987, he landed the role of Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, which ran from 1987 up to 1994. From 1994 to 2002, Stewart also played his character in several Star Trek films including Star Trek: Nemesis, Star Trek: Insurrection, Star Trek: First Contact, and Star Trek: Generations.
Stewart’s next breakout film role came with the X-Men film franchise when he landed the role of Professor Charles Xavier.
The latest X-Men installment, X-Men: Days of Future Past, will be released next Friday. Gray said, “American movies have provided a strong and enduring cultural connection, shaping the way we perceive ourselves and how people around the world understand us.”
At the unveiling of the costumes, Stewart said that he is sure visitors will enjoy seeing the costumes and other artifacts from the movie. However, he also hopes that they “recognize the important – not to say, urgent – themes that continue to resonate through these stories.”
After the unveiling of the costumes, the Smithsonian screened the movie in the evening. Before the movie started, Stewart told the audience that neither the RFK stadium, the Pentagon, and the White House were harmed during the filming.
[Images via seraphi0701]
