On the set of Star Trek, there was a conflict between lead actor Patrick Stewart and the production. The reason for this was the pet of protagonist Captain Picard in the series.
What pet are we talking about? It sounds trivial, but in the complex world of Star Trek, a single fish can become a problem. Viewers of The Next Generation, the series with Patrick Stewart as Captain Picard, may have noticed that the main character has a fish as a pet.
The fish is named Livingston and belongs to the species of red lionfish. The fact that his character keeps a pet enraged Patrick Stewart very much.
The actor was worried, by the way, that he wouldn’t get the role because he was bald – in the end, he even played Picard in his own series; here you can see the trailer for the 3rd season:
The Fish Contradicts the Values of the Series
What was the problem? The issue was actually quite simple: Patrick Stewart took his role and the universe of Star Trek very seriously, even though he initially had little idea about it. Therefore, he knew that values such as diversity, equality, and mutual respect were very important.
These values were preached in the numerous episodes of the series and were considered fundamental principles. Stewart did not understand why his character should have a pet – that is, an animal in captivity.
Stewart’s acting colleague Ronny Cox, who played Admiral Jellico, shared this anecdote during an interview in 2022 and said:
Patrick Stewart always hated the fish in the prep room. He said, “We’re making a series about the dignity of all beings in the universe, and we’re keeping a fish trapped in the prep room?”
Ronny Cox via trekmovie.com
Aside from Stewart’s role, the actor is also an advocate for animal rights outside of his work environment. He has participated in various awareness campaigns and received the “Pit Bull Advocate & Protector Award” for his commitment in 2021. This award recognized his efforts to protect pit bulls.
What happened to the fish? Patrick Stewart protested to the production about the use of the fish on set. For a long time, the protest went unheard. Only with season 6 did Livingston disappear from the series. May he live on, long and in peace. Stewart could, however, soon return to Star Trek: A new script is in the works – Could this mean the return of “Captain Picard”
