LOS ANGELES: Tributes have begun pouring in for veteran actor Patrick Stewart following his death on Wednesday at the age of 86.
Several Hollywood actors, filmmakers and other industry figures took to social media to remember the celebrated star, paying heartfelt tribute to his remarkable career, enduring legacy and contributions to the world of entertainment.
Hollywood actor Hugh Jackman mourned the passing of his longtime ‘X-Men’ co-star and friend Patrick Stewart, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86 following a brief battle with Alzheimer’s and Lewy Body Dementia.
In an emotional Instagram post, Hugh Jackman shared a picture with the late actor and wrote, “We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days.”
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Jackman and Stewart famously portrayed the fan-favourite characters of Wolverine and Professor Charles Xavier in multiple X-Men films, including 2000’s ‘X-Men’, 2006’s ‘X-Men: The Last’, 2009’s ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, 2013’s ‘The Wolverine’, and 2017’s ‘Logan’.
In a previous interaction with Variety, Patrick Stewart opened up about his bond with Hugh Jackman, adding, “Hugh and I were so thrilled when the last thing we did for ‘X-Men’ was ‘Logan’. It was the best ‘X-Men’ experience we both had, because we were the same characters but their world had been blown apart.”
Stewart was also seen in Marvel’s 2022 sequel ‘Multiverse of Madness’ and is now all set to reprise his character one last time in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ alongside his close friend and co-star Ian McKellen.
One of the most beloved friendships in Hollywood, McKellen and Stewart portrayed the iconic pair of Magneto and Professor X. In a moving tribute, McKellen remembered his late friend with much love and warmth.
“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. You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt,” he wrote. Reflecting on their friendship, he added how they met as young actors.
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“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 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,” he continued.
McKellen noted ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ as Stewart’s farewell performance. Patrick Stewart, known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and as Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak announced.
“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” Bush Novak wrote. “We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace, as per The Hollywood Reporter.
Stewart’s ‘Next Generation’ co-star Wil Wheaton posted a photo with the late actor, writing, “Godspeed, Captain.’
Alex Kurtzman, who co-created ‘Star Trek: Picard’ with Akira Goldsman, Michael Chabon, and Kirsten Beyer, wrote, “I am heartbroken, and also deeply proud, to know that legacy lives on as of today. A legacy that also includes being fearless when it came to speaking out about the things he believed in. A legacy that includes the way he loved his wife and cared for his family. A legacy that was so beautifully evident in the way he’d snuggle up to any pitbull he saw, and the way these supposedly fearsome creatures simply snuggled back. He was magic. He was my colleague. He was my friend. He taught me what ‘Star Trek’ was really about. And in the end, he was and always will be, my captain.”
William Shatner, who portrayed Captain James T. Kirk alongside Patrick in ‘Star Trek: Generations’, took to X and wrote, “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.”
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.
— William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) October 29, 2026
Marvel Studios head, Kevin Feige, in a statement, shared, “I’ll 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. Away from the cameras, he was even more remarkable, with a wonderfully sharp sense of humour. It was a true privilege to know him and to work with him. His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed,” as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
Seth MacFarlane, who worked with Stewart in a number of projects like ‘Family Guy’, ‘Ted’, ‘Blunt Talk’, and ‘American Dad!’, wrote on Instagram, “Patrick was one of those icons who we somehow all took for granted would always be with us. I grew up as a fan, and was later gifted the privilege of becoming a colleague and friend, working with him for many years on “American Dad!”, “Family Guy”, and “Ted”. He was that rare actor who could take any bit of dialogue and elevate it, making a good writer sound great, and a great writer sound masterful. He was also as humble as they come.”
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Dafne Keen, who featured alongside Stewart in ‘Logan’, penned a long note for the late actor. “He was such a kind, genuine, funny, unique, caring and charming man. I remember his endless jokes, nurturing nature and colourful reading glasses. Every single day spent working by his side was an honour and a privilege I can’t quite believe I had. He was a walking master of his craft, and of life. One of the greatest of our time, on stage and on screen,” a part of her post read.
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Russo Brothers, the directors of Stewart’s last film ‘Avengers: Doomsday’, wrote, “We’ve been lucky enough to work with some of our childhood heroes. And Sir Patrick Stewart will always be one of them. A legendary actor with an unmistakable presence, and an unmatched integrity. Thank you for entertaining all of us, sir. And for teaching us humanity, both on and off the screen. Sending our love to your family, friends, and fans around the world.”
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Among others were Rebecca Romijin, Minnie Driver, Lea Thompson, Trace Lysette, James Marsden, Kelsey Grammer, and Alan Cumming.
Patrick Stewart, known for his roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and as Professor Charles Xavier in the “X-Men” films, passed away on Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles following “a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia,” longtime spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak announced.
His final performance – Marvel’s ‘Avengers: Doomsday’- will hit theatres on December 17 in India and December 18 in the US. (ANI)
