Stewart to play Henry II

Former Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart is following in the footsteps of Peter O’Toole by playing Henry II in a film of The Lion In Winter.

The role of Eleanor of Aquitane, which won an Oscar for Katherine Hepburn in 1968, has been taken by Glenn Close.

“There’s no way we are saying we can do a better job than Peter O’Toole and Kate Hepburn,” Stewart, who produced the project with his wife, Wendy Neuss Stewart, told syndicated columnist Marilyn Beck.

“I felt a little intimidated by the reputations of the two great actors who had played it on film, but we thought another reason the film was so marvellous was that it had a brilliant screenplay. And something written so well deserves to be redone.”

Stewart, who is known to Star Trek fans for his role as Captain Jean Picard, has left the bridge of the star ship for good.

“We did seven years, 178 episodes and four feature films,” he said. “Many people actually thought the last one was the best. I think it’s the right time now to hang up our space suits.”