Patrick Stewart passed away Wednesday at 86 after a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia, and tributes have poured in from every corner of Hollywood. None hit quite like Ian McKellen’s. The two met as young Royal Shakespeare Company actors in the 1970s and later became Professor X and Magneto in the X-Men films, a bond Stewart once described as a“love affair.”
McKellen’s Instagram post praised Stewart’s Yorkshire roots and open heart, writing that he“wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love.”The friendship ran deep off-screen too. McKellen officiated Stewart’s 2013 wedding to singer Sunny Ozell, who cared for him through his illness.
Hugh Jackman and Marvel Studios have also shared tributes, and there is one more chapter to come: Stewart’s final on-screen appearance in Avengers: Doomsday this December. Which Patrick Stewart role meant the most to you?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.