Patrick Stewart Shares His Thoughts On 'Star Trek: Discovery'

Star Trek icon Patrick Stewart — who portrayed Captain Jean-Luc Picard for 15 years across seven seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and four movies — says he hasn't seen the saga's newest small screen iteration, Star Trek: Discovery, but the franchise veteran is pleased the series continues to boldly go.

"I think that's marvellous," Stewart said of the Star Trek revival launched in September. "I have seen none of it, nor indeed the most recent film, but that the franchise continues gives me great satisfaction."

"We were just a part of it," Stewart added, saying, "We were a significant part of it — we probably did more Star Trek work than any of the other groups that there have been."

Stewart made his comments during an appearance at the 14th Dubai International Film Festival, where the thespian was honored for his career.

The actor revealed earlier this year Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry thought he was "wrong for the role," which has since gone on to emerge as one of the most iconic in the Star Trek canon.

"I was invited up to Gene's house one morning after I had been seen by [producer] Robert Justman on the stage at Royce Hall in UCLA," Stewart recalled. "Justman discovered me. Apparently – and his wife claimed this was true – at some point during this scholarly, academic evening he turned to his wife and said 'we found the captain.' Gene saw me the next morning and profoundly disagreed."

Picard, who last appeared on screen in 2002's Star Trek: Nemesis, might one day return: Stewart said in 2015 he would play the role again, under a single condition.

"Absolutely," he would, "if it were a really good script."

"But, the poor soul is getting old and long in the tooth," Stewart admitted. "He would probably need some help mounting his horse unlike the youthful captain of 30 years ago."

The complete Star Trek: Discovery is available on CBS All Access.