Jonathan Frakes just casually dropping that 82-year-old Patrick Stewart is still an absolute machine on Picard and somehow makes it look easy. How
Dude’s been acting his whole life. Royal Shakespeare Company young, never stopped. Says the set is basically home for him. Frakes talks about how they structure the day around Patrick early call, get his scenes done by lunch or just after so he’s not grinding 13-hour days like the old times.
Then Frakes says seasons 2 and 3 of Picard were still 13 months straight because Patrick insisted. Studio pitched him a show, he told them what he wanted it to be, and that’s how Picard happened.
And directing him? He’s putty. No ego, no grief. If Frakes comes over with a note, Patrick either already knows the moment or just goes I know, Johnny… act better or think faster. Absolute pro.