Patrick Stewart didn’t like this animal in Star Trek: Picard’s pet violates an essential rule of the SF saga

News culture Patrick Stewart didn’t like this animal in Star Trek: Picard’s pet violates an essential rule of the SF saga

A problem fish

Sir Patrick Stewart is known today for his roles as Professor New Generation, a role he eventually reprised in the sequel to Star Trek: Picard, which aired from 2020 to 2023.

And if the actor has often praised the series and the role that made him famous, there is one element that he particularly hated during filming: Livingston, Picard’s fish. And the reason is completely legitimate. For the actor, the fact that his character had a pet violated the fundamental principles of the series, which defends diversity, equality and respect for all living species. This anecdote was revealed by the actor Ronny Cox, who played Admiral Jellico, during a film interview in 2022.

Patrick Stewart always hated the fish in the prep room. He said, “We’re making a show about the dignity of all living things in the universe, and we keep a fish trapped in the prep room?”

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A committed actor

Aside from the message Star Trek was meant to convey, Patrick Stewart’s irritation also stemmed from his personal values. The actor is an ardent advocate for the animal cause, has participated in several awareness campaigns and received the Pit Bull Advocate & Protector Award in 2021. For his part, Livingston, Picard’s pterosaur, remained on screen for many years, despite Patrick Stewart’s repeated protests to the production, which wanted to keep him because it valued the fish’s footage. Finally, in season 6 of the series, during the episode “Hierarchy,” which was split into two parts, Livingston left his aquarium.