Patrick Stewart Praised by Ian McKellen: ‘Most Respected and Beloved Actor of His Generation’

By J. Kim Murphy — October 29, 2026 9:38 pm
Photo: Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Starz

Ian McKellen remembers Patrick Stewart as a man of Yorkshire and the stage

Sir Ian McKellen has paid public tribute to his longtime friend and former co-star Sir Patrick Stewart, who died Wednesday at 86. In a message shared on social media, McKellen recalled the many chapters of Stewart’s life — from his roots in northern England to his rise as an international screen and theater star.

McKellen emphasized that Stewart’s identity was shaped early on by growing up in Yorkshire. He wrote that the county’s plainspoken outlook could be heard in Stewart’s voice and in the directness with which he expressed himself. That candor, McKellen added, made Stewart someone people could depend on and, in McKellen’s own words, love.

A friendship that began at the Royal Shakespeare Company

The two actors first crossed paths decades ago as young company members with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Though they weren’t cast together at the start, their professional lives would repeatedly intersect — onstage and on screen. To mainstream audiences, they became inseparable through their portrayals of rival-turned-friends Magneto and Professor X in the X-Men films.

Outside of comic-book cinema, the pair also reunited for theater: in 2009 they shared the West End stage in a production of Waiting for Godot. Over the years, McKellen and Stewart often appeared at each other’s premieres and were widely regarded as two of Britain’s most visible ambassadors for classical theatre.

McKellen recalled a telling conversation in central London years ago, when Stewart told him he’d been offered the lead role on Star Trek: The Next Generation. McKellen admits he warned Stewart about the potential cost to a stage career — “Do you really want to risk getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?” — but celebrated the choice in hindsight, noting how the Picard role introduced Stewart to millions and helped him leverage that fame into both blockbuster film work (including the X-Men series) and major classical roles.

McKellen also highlighted Stewart’s broad repertory on stage: Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Harold Pinter and Samuel Beckett — performances given at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London’s West End and on Broadway.

Personal life and honors

McKellen spoke warmly about Stewart’s life in the United States, calling America his adopted home and referencing Stewart’s partner Sunny, who “cared for him through sickness and health.” He added that despite living abroad, Stewart never abandoned his Yorkshire roots. McKellen described Stewart’s appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire as among his proudest achievements, underscoring the esteem in which he was held on both sides of the Atlantic.

They will appear together one last time on the big screen: both actors are listed to reprise Magneto and Professor X in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for release in December.

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Claude Merritt

Claude Merritt explores the world of entertainment with a keen eye. From music to film, TV series, and popular culture, he covers celebrity news and American cultural trends with a lively and critical approach.