The enduring relationship between Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen extended far beyond their memorable portrayals of Shakespearean icons or comic book rivals. Stewart died Wednesday at the age of 86 following a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, marking the end of a profound friendship that spanned decades and crossed theatrical and cinematic boundaries.
Remembering his longtime colleague and friend on Thursday, McKellen described Stewart as the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic. In a social media statement, McKellen noted that Stewart wore his heart on his sleeve, making him a man to rely on, admire, and love.
The two actors, born roughly a year apart, first crossed paths at England’s Royal Shakespeare Company, where Stewart joined in 1966 and McKellen in 1974. Although they met as ambitious young performers, they did not initially share the stage until collaborating in Tom Stoppard’s play “Every Good Boy Deserves Favour” in 1977. Reflecting on their early interactions, Stewart recalled in a 2019 interview with The Guardian that he had admired McKellen from the start of his career and was frankly intimidated when McKellen joined the company.
Despite his initial hesitation, Stewart later sought McKellen’s counsel when offered the lead role in “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” McKellen advised against taking the television part, warning him about the risk of losing his UK stage career and getting lost in Hollywood. Looking back during a 2014 SAG-AFTRA Foundation panel, Stewart joked that McKellen was the only person who advised him against the career-defining move. Nevertheless, McKellen later expressed gratitude that Stewart took the risk, praising him for using his international celebrity to champion both blockbuster cinema and classical theater.
Their cinematic careers intersected most famously in 2000 with the launch of the “X-Men” franchise, where Stewart starred as the telepathic Professor Charles Xavier and McKellen portrayed the magnetic antihero Erik Magnus Lehnsherr. While their characters engaged in ideological battles over the future of mutants, the lengthy downtime in adjoining luxury trailers on set allowed the actors to bond, reminisce, and discover numerous overlaps in their professional lives.
That off-screen camaraderie blossomed into a widely celebrated friendship, characterized by their signature affectionate greetings on red carpets and television appearances. The bond grew so close that singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell, Stewart’s wife, suggested that McKellen officiate their wedding in 2013, a role he gladly fulfilled.
Outside of their film success, both men achieved legendary status in other fantasy franchises—McKellen as the wizard Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” films, and Stewart as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in the “Star Trek” universe. Both were also honored with knighthoods by Queen Elizabeth II, with McKellen receiving the title in 1991 and Stewart in 2010.
Their commitment to live theater remained a cornerstone of their careers, leading them to co-star in several acclaimed stage productions. They played Vladimir and Estragon in Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” at London’s West End in 2009 and on Broadway in 2013 and 2014. They also shared the stage as Hirst and Spooner in Harold Pinter’s “No Man’s Land” at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre, on Broadway, and later in the West End in 2016.
During their 2014 joint appearance, Stewart spoke with visible emotion about the joy of performing alongside someone he had long admired as a fan, pausing momentarily before McKellen reached out to hold his hand.
