Patrick Stewart Explains Why His New Memoir Is 'the Frankest I Have Been About My Life' (Exclusive)

The esteemed stage and screen actor shares his story in his new memoir, 'Making It So,' out now

Sir Patrick Stewart is finally sharing his story.

The Star Trek and X-Men actor gets candid in his highly-anticipated memoir, Making It So, out now from Gallery Books. Stewart delves deep into the trajectory of his career, from his humble beginnings in England to his current place in the Hollywood firmament.

“When I see people holding the book in their hands, it first amazes me; and then, I have the feeling of how pleased I am that this exploration of my family life, childhood, growing passion for acting, has grown,” Stewart tells PEOPLE.

A longtime lover of books, he says, "As a child, I would look around in the children’s department but found there wasn’t a lot there that I wanted to read. So, I would creep away into the regular adults' section of the library, where I found books that interested me and made me curious."

Related: Celebrate Patrick Stewart's Birthday with His Life in Photos

The idea of penning his own story had been brought up a few times, but Stewart didn’t begin to write until the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Isolation proved fruitful for his creative process, as Stewart’s literary agent assured him that the book “only needs you to create it.”

“From the very day I sat in front of my computer, I was lost in the world of remembering my childhood, all aspects from my first earliest recollections at 18 months to two years old, and my later childhood as well,” Stewart says. “I was gripped by it, so I continued. The first draft I presented to my literary agent was 750 pages long.”

Making It So delves into both the good and the challenging aspects of Stewart’s life. He recalls his boyhood in Yorkshire, where his father’s “dark moods” after being “demobbed” from World War II took over the family home. He touches upon the “mixed-up feelings” from childhood that continued throughout the beginning of his professional acting days.

“There were passages in the book that were painful to write about, but I knew that by writing about them I was doing myself some benefit and that it would be good for me,” Stewart says.

The actor also shared with PEOPLE some of the highs of his career — his friendship with his X-Men co-star Sir Ian McKellen being one of them. The two were members of the Royal Shakespeare Company during the same period but didn’t work together until the superhero movie franchise, when they landed neighboring trailers.

Related: Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart Are the Best Best Friends Ever, and We've Got the Proof

“When we worked late into the day — which we often did — there would be a glass of wine and a bottle being opened,” Stewart recalls. “As that relationship grew, I came to love him dearly and respect him. He has become possibly my closest friend.”

Stewart also recalls in the book that McKellen “almost bodily prevented” him from signing his Star Trek contract, and to not give up theater for TV.

Related: Patrick Stewart Admits He Initially 'Vetoed' a 'Star Trek: The Next Generation' Reunion on 'Picard'

While writing has been a good experience for him, Stewart said he's anxious to get back on stage (his last role was the character Hirst in the Lyceum Theatre’s 2016 production of No Man’s Land). Making It So has left Stewart wondering “if there’s any possibility of me having another shot at writing.”

“This is the frankest I have been about my life, my passions, my relationships,” Stewart says. “I do have a tiny wish that the book would give some insights and some encouragement to others.”

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Making It So: A Memoir is now available wherever books are sold.

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