Patrick Stewart dies at 86: Ian McKellen remembers their 50-year friendship, ‘He wore his heart on his sleeve’

Actor Ian McKellen has paid tribute to his longtime friend and former co-star Patrick Stewart, following the actor's death at the age of 86.

Stewart, best known for his roles in Star Trek: The Next Generation and the X-Men film franchise among others, died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, according to a statement from his representative. His wife, Sunny Ozell, was by his side.

In a post on Instagram, McKellen, 87, reflected on their friendship, which spanned several decades, and remembered Stewart for his Yorkshire roots, honesty and contribution to theatre and cinema.

“Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end,” McKellen wrote.

He added: “He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”

The two actors first met while working with the Royal Shakespeare Company around 50 years ago, although they did not initially appear in the same productions.

McKellen also recalled advising Stewart against accepting the lead role in Star Trek, concerned that a move to Hollywood could affect his career in British theatre.

However, Stewart took the opportunity, going on to play Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation. The role brought him international recognition and led to further appearances in the franchise's films.

Their professional paths crossed again in 2000, when they starred opposite each other in Bryan Singer's X-Men. Stewart played Professor Charles Xavier, while McKellen portrayed Magneto. They reprised their roles in several films, including X2, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past. “We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in Star Trek. ‘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 that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marveled 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.”

Beyond cinema, the pair also worked together on stage, appearing in Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot and Harold Pinter's No Man's Land in London and on Broadway.

Their friendship extended beyond their professional lives. McKellen officiated at Stewart's wedding to Ozell in 2013.

In his tribute, McKellen also acknowledged Ozell's support during Stewart's illness and spoke about his friend's continued connection to Yorkshire, despite making the United States his home.

Stewart served as Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield, a role McKellen described as one of his friend's proudest achievements.

The two actors will also appear together in Marvel's upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, having reprised their respective roles as Professor X and Magneto. The film is scheduled for a December 18 theatrical release.

“His farewell performance in Avengers: Doomsday is yet to be seen,” McKellen wrote.

Stewart's career spanned theatre, television and film. In addition to his work with the Royal Shakespeare Company, he received widespread recognition for his performances in Star Trek and the X-Men franchise, alongside appearances in works by Shakespeare, Henrik Ibsen and Arthur Miller.