Sir Ian McKellen has led tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart following his death from Alzheimer’s disease, calling him “the most respected and beloved actor of his generation”.
Sir Patrick, famed for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in later versions of Star Trek, died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday.
Sir Ian, who starred alongside Sir Patrick in the X-Men series, said the actor “was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire”.
In a statement posted to social media, Sir Ian said: “You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt.”
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Sir Ian continued: “Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”
Recalling one of his strongest memories of Sir Patrick, Sir Ian admitted he cautioned him against starring in science fiction.
Recalling the conversation, Sir Ian wrote: “‘But Patrick, think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk—getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?’”
“Well, he took the risk and, thank goodness for us all, he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes (‘X-Men ‘ of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.”
Sir Ian said Sir Patrick “never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire”.
The X-Men stars will feature in Sir Patrick’s final movie, Avengers: Doomsday, which is releasing in December.
Meanwhile, Dame Harriet Walter said the world is “going to be very poor” without Sir Patrick.
Dame Harriet was another longtime friend of Sir Patrick, and the pair met at Stratford-upon-Avon in the early 1980s.
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Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Dame Harriet said she “can’t really imagine a world without him”, adding: “It’s like a huge giant tree has fallen in the forest.”
William Shatner, who played Captain James T Kirk in the original 1960s Star Trek TV series, posted on social media: “What a heartbreaking week it has been.
“Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did.
“Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work. My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed.”
Sir Patrick’s X-Men co-star Hugh Jackman posted two photos of the two of them together on Instagram, saying: “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man.
“I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”
Marvel Studios, which has owned the rights to X-Men since 2019, described the actor as “a true gentleman”.
In a message posted on social media, it said: “All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart.
“Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from ‘X-Men’ to ‘Logan’ to ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
“He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman. Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”
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