Ian McKellen Pays Tribute to Patrick Stewart: “A Man to Rely on, Admire and in My Case, Love”

McKellen and Stewart led the original 'X-Men' franchise for 20th Century Fox, portraying Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr and Professor Charles Xavier, respectively. Their characters were infamous rivals who forged a friendship, which was true for their off-screen relationship. Ian McKellen is paying tribute to Patrick Stewart, his X-Men and stage co-star. McKellen and Stewart led the original 'X-Men' franchise for 20th Century Fox, portraying Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr and Professor Charles Xavier, respectively. Ian McKellen is paying tribute to Patrick Stewart following news of his death at 86. Stewart died 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.” The Oscar nominee shared a tribute on his social media platforms on Thursday, writing, “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