The British actor recalled the friendship of half a century with his colleague, who died at the age of 86, and highlighted his honesty, his origins in Yorkshire and his legacy in film and theater
The United States became his adopted home. There he met Sunny, his wife, who stood by him in health and sickness. Despite this new life, Stewart never renounced his roots. McKellen emphasized that the achievement he was most proud of, the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on both sides of the Atlantic, was his appointment as chancellor of the University of Huddersfield in Yorkshire.
British actor Ian McKellen posted a deep and heartfelt message to say goodbye to his close friend and colleague Sir Patrick Stewart, who passed away on October 28, 2026, at the age of 86. Online, McKellen painted an intimate portrait of his colleague of decades, both on stage and on the big screen.
McKellen began his text by highlighting Stewart's origins: “First and foremost, Patrick defined himself by being born and raised in Yorkshire, the proud county in northern England that he loved until the end.” He noted that this identity was evident in his accent and in the straightforward way he expressed what he thought and felt. People from Yorkshire, he explained, do not accept half-truths or shy away from important topics.
This frankness, according to McKellen, made Stewart a man one could trust, admire, and, in his case, love. The memory of that honesty runs through the entire tribute and summarizes the closeness that united them over the years.
The two met half a century ago when they were young actors with ambitions at the Royal Shakespeare Company. Although they did not appear in the same plays, McKellen has a vivid memory of a later encounter in central London. There, Stewart told him that he had been offered a leading role in Star Trek.
McKellen warned him about the risk of moving away from British theater and getting lost in Hollywood. Stewart still accepted the challenge. “Thank goodness for all of us that he did,” McKellen wrote, because he not only won over fans of the series but also used his international fame to return to classics and major film successes.
Among those works are the X-Men films, where McKellen played Magneto alongside Stewart's Professor X. He also recalled their appearances in plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter, and Beckett, both in Stratford-upon-Avon and in London's West End and on Broadway.
In recent times, both resumed their characters from the X-Men saga for the upcoming MCU film. McKellen mentioned that Stewart's farewell performance in Avengers: Doomsday is still to be seen. The film premieres on December 18 in theaters.
McKellen's text not only bids farewell to a colleague of immense stature. It also celebrates someone who knew how to combine the prestige of classical theater with the mass appeal of genre cinema, never losing the authenticity of his origins. This combination, according to the tribute, is what made him a unique figure.
The post closes a circle of friendship and mutual respect that spanned over fifty years. McKellen chose simple yet affectionate words to summarize what Stewart meant in his personal and professional life. The result is a testimony that reads like an intimate farewell and, at the same time, a public acknowledgment of an exceptional career.
With this message, the actor of Magneto made it clear that the loss is not just of a set companion, but of someone he truly admired and loved. Stewart's figure, with his Yorkshire accent and imposing presence, remains etched in the memory of those who knew him closely as well as in that of millions of viewers around the world.
