Sir Ian McKellen has led tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart following his death at the age of 86, calling him “the most respected and beloved actor of his generation”.
Tributes to the renowned British actor have poured in since his death at his Los Angeles home after “a brief and poignant journey” with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy Body Dementia was announced on Thursday.
“He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and, in my case, love,” Sir Ian, Sir Patrick’s X-Men co-star, said.
Famous for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek, Sir Patrick was a versatile actor who won multiple awards, balancing Hollywood roles and a career in classical theatre.
“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,” Shatner added.
Stewart depicted Picard in more than 170 episodes of the hit sci-fi TV series between 1987 and 1994, as well as in four feature films. He returned to the role for Star Trek: Picard in 2020.
George Takei, who played Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, said the actor “inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a brighter future for all humanity”.
Sir Patrick would later be celebrated for his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise.
Hugh Jackman, who starred alongside him in the franchise, called him a “tremendous friend and man”, saying: “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today.”
Sir Ian, a longtime friend of his X-Men co-star, who officiated his wedding in 2013, said Sir Patrick was “defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire”.
“You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues.”
Sir Ian recalled first meeting Sir Patrick as young actors in the Royal Shakespeare Company [RSC], and how he had expressed caution over him taking on the Star Trek role.
“He took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did,” said Sir Ian, who appeared with Sir Patrick in a 2009 theatre production of Waiting for Godot.
He added that while the US had become Sir Patrick’s “adopted home”, he “never forsook his origins” growing up in Yorkshire, and said “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”.
Sir Ian noted that Sir Patrick’s final film appearance will be as Professor X in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday film. Marvel Studios described him as “a singular talent, a generous collaborator and a true gentleman”.
Sir Patrick died on Wednesday “in the loving care of his wife”, a statement from his family said. It added: “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
The veteran actor is survived by his wife, Sunny Ozell, as well as by his two adult children from his first marriage, Daniel and Sophie Stewart.
Born in the town of Mirfield in 1940, Sir Patrick’s love of drama began at school where he was introduced to Shakespeare and his first public performance was in a local church production of Cinderella.
He threw himself enthusiastically into the flourishing local theatre. “I used to recite Shakespeare from memory,” he said. “I just learned all these big speeches.”
When Sir Patrick was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, he said he owed “literally everything” to his former English teacher who first encouraged him to perform.
His first foray into professional acting was when he joined the RSC in 1966, going on to play King John, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Henry IV.
The RSC described him as a “colossus of both stage and screen”, remembering him as “one of the finest classical Shakespearean actors of his generation” whose contribution to the company was “beyond measure”.
Dame Harriet Walter, who met Sir Patrick in his theatre days more than 40 years ago, said his passing was like a “huge giant tree has fallen in the forest”.
“He had fire in his eyes and you were absolutely in the room with him,” the Succession actress told BBC Newsnight. “I’ve never heard a bad word against him. And I think the world’s going to be very poor without him.”
As well as having roles in films such as Safe House, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and the original Dune, Sir Patrick continued to appear on TV throughout his career.
US actor and animator Seth MacFarlane, who grew up as a fan of Sir Patrick, said he was “gifted the privilege of becoming a colleague and friend” as they worked together on Family Guy, American Dad! and Ted.
MacFarlane described him as a “rare actor who could take any bit of dialogue and elevate it, making a good writer sound great and a great writer sound masterful”.
Comedian Ricky Gervais, whose BBC programme Extras Sir Patrick guest starred in, described him as a “legend”.
Sharing a video of the pair giggling in a set of bloopers for the series, Gervais said: “I still can’t believe he agreed to do this scene. And he didn’t even mind when I ruined every take.”
Sir Patrick was a lifelong supporter of English Football League club Huddersfield Town, which called him a “titan of his craft”.
“Fiercely proud of his Yorkshire roots, Sir Patrick was a Terrier in every sense, and we’re proud to have counted him as one of our own,” the club added.
The Alzheimer’s Society CEO Michelle Dyson said Sir Patrick was an “extraordinarily talented and much-loved actor, admired by millions around the world”, adding: “His death is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating impact dementia has on people and families across the globe.”
