Patrick Stewart’s X-Men Family pays homage to the late sci-fi icon.
Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles at the age of 86 after “a brief and harrowing journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” his longtime spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said.
“He was held in the warm arms of his family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayers, tears, laughter and the kind of deep emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of dedication to us all,” Bush Novak wrote. “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on her face, a lasting reminder of her invincible grace.”
The actor directed the original X-Men franchise, an adaptation of Marvel comics, for 20th Century Fox. In the lead role of Professor Charles Xavier, he brought the role to the big screen in the first film in 2000, then appeared in X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and Logan (2017).
He made subsequent appearances in Origins: Wolverine (2009) and The wolverine (2013), and will reprise the role in the next Marvel film Avengers: Apocalypse this December. He will be joined doomsday by some of its originals X-Men co-stars from the Fox era, including Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming and Rebecca Romijn.
McKellen, who played Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr, Professor X’s rival-turned-friend on Fox’s X-Men films, shared a tribute on his social media platforms on Thursday. He commemorated his Yorkshire roots, writing: “Patrick was defined by the fact that he was born and raised in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England that he loved to the end. You could hear it in his accented voice and the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt. Yorkshire people don’t like half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, this which made him a man to rely on, admire and in my case, love.
The Oscar nominee then reflected on how they first crossed paths at the Royal Shakespeare Company, then a few years later in London “when he told me about an offer to reprise a starring role in Star Trek.”
He continued: “But Patrick, think about 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 not only for his loyal Trekkies, but also for cinema and theater audiences, who marveled as he used international stardom to star in a series of cinematic hits (X-Men of course) and in great classic plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett in Stratford-upon-Avon, London’s West End and on Broadway.
McKellen concluded his statement by discussing Stewart’s final film, in which they will appear as Magneto and Prof. Avengers: Apocalypse remains to be seen. »
Hugh Jackman, who graced the big screen alongside Stewart in the X-Men films as Wolverine/James “Logan” Howlett, wrote on Instagram: “We lost one of the greatest of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a great friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all my days.”
Romijn, the original Mystique/Raven actress who will also star alongside Stewart in doomsdayshared a video on Instagram. “I have just received the very sad news of the passing of my dear friend Patrick Stewart. I am very grateful to have known him for 25 years and been in his orbit for 25 years, both as a fellow mutant and a member of Starfleet,” she said.
“He was really delightful, hilarious, wicked, with an incredible sense of humor,” Romijn continued. “And his booming voice that always spoke from the back of the room. As any great classically trained Shakespearean must master, she was always an inspiration. I want to offer my condolences to his family and I will miss my friend dearly. Rest in peace, Patrick.”
The Emmy Nominee’s Comrade Startrek: the next generation And X-Men co-star Famke Janssen, who played Jean Grey/Phoenix in the film franchise, said in a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter“Patrick was a legend. One of the greatest.”
“I had the pleasure and honor of working with him for several decades. First as Kamala opposite him as Captain Picard in Startrek: the next generation and later as Jean Gray with Patrick playing Professor X-Men films,” Janssen said. “We will miss you, Patrick, but you will never be forgotten.”
Grammer, in a statement made to THRwrote: “Sending love to Patrick, all his fans and his family. He was just awesome. He gave one of the greatest turns as a guest on Spawn – Never! A wonderful man. I loved him so much. Time spent with him was always time well spent.
As the Emmy winner noted, Stewart made an appearance on Spawn in the 11th season of the sitcom. They also collaborated on Fox’s X-Men films, where Grammer played Beast/Dr. Hank McCoy, as well as the next Marvel film doomsday.
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige shared in a statement with THR“I will never forget the first time I saw Sir Patrick Stewart on the set of the first X-Men. After years of knowing him as the inimitable Captain Picard, I was in awe – and he turned out to be everything I had seen on screen and more: brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas. Off camera he was even more remarkable, with a wonderfully keen sense of humor.
“It was a true privilege to know him and work with him,” he added. “His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but also in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed.”
Marvel Studios also shared on social media: “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, X-Men has Logan has Avengers: Apocalypse. 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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