Sir Patrick Stewart, a celebrated actor and author of 'Making It So', joins Conan O’Brien to discuss his humble roots, share a passionate kiss, and talk about trying something new in the acting industry. They also discuss their latest podcast project about former theme park employees and the importance of rating, reviewing, and subscribing to podcasts.
Patrick Stewart's dedication to treating his role in Star Trek: The Next Generation with the same seriousness and depth as a Shakespearean role contributed to the success of the show.
Patrick Stewart's encounters with fellow actors like Vivien Leigh and Rod Steiger left lasting impressions on him, emphasizing the importance of presence and thoughtful facial expressions in acting.
Sir Patrick Stewart's teenage introduction to Shakespeare by his English teacher sparked his love for the language and his development of a unique talent for accents and dialects.
Deep dives
Patrick Stewart's Childhood and Ambition to Join the Royal Shakespeare Company
Patrick Stewart grew up in a humble neighborhood in Yorkshire and had a Victorian-like childhood. His ambition was always to join the Royal Shakespeare Company, and he achieved that dream by working his way up through various theater companies. He considered the Royal Shakespeare Company his home and had a deep appreciation for the craft of acting and stage work.
Approaching Star Trek as a Shakespearean Role
When Patrick Stewart was offered the role of Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he approached it with the same seriousness and dedication as he would a Shakespearean role. He wanted to bring depth and complexity to the character, treating it as if it were Lear or Hamlet. Stewart's commitment to the role and his decision to open up and have more fun with it over time contributed to the show's success.
Memorable Encounters and Lessons Learned
Patrick Stewart reflects on memorable encounters with fellow actors like Vivien Leigh and Rod Steiger, who left lasting impressions on him. He shares the importance of presence and thoughtful facial expressions in acting, emphasizing that the camera captures even the smallest of thoughts. Stewart also reveals his decision not to meet Marlon Brando and the impact it had on preserving his admiration for the legendary actor.
Discovering a Passion for Shakespeare
As a teenager, Sir Patrick Stewart was introduced to the works of Shakespeare by his English teacher, Cecil Dorman. Holding a copy of Shakespeare for the first time, Stewart made a connection to the words and fell in love with pronouncing them. Despite initially not understanding all the words, he found joy in speaking a language that was completely new to him. Stewart's teacher, Ruth Winowin, encouraged him to lose his dialect accent, leading him to develop a unique talent for accents and dialects.
Embracing Baldness and Wig-Wearing
Stewart started going bald in his late teens, a trait that runs in his family. Rather than feeling like a failure, he realized the advantage it gave him as an actor. With the ability to wear wigs, Stewart could portray different characters effortlessly and take on multiple roles. He shared his experience of being told he was 'two actors for the price of one' because of his wig-wearing ability, and how it allowed him to explore various characters throughout his career.
Sir Patrick Stewart feels proud, happy, honored to be Conan O’Brien’s Friend.
Sir Patrick Stewart sits down with Conan to talk about his humble roots, his new book Making It So, and about what it’s like for the two of them to share a passionate kiss. And later, the gang discusses yet another new podcast from Matt Gourley.
For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com.
Get access to all the podcasts you love, music channels and radio shows with the SiriusXM App! Get 3 months free using this show link: https://siriusxm.com/conan.
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode