‘X-Men’ Stars Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen Honor “Fellow Mutant” Patrick Stewart: “One of the Greats”

The actor originated the role of Prof. Charles Xavier for 20th Century Fox in 2000, and will reprise the role in Marvel's upcoming 'Avengers: Doomsday.' Patrick Stewart's X-Men and Marvel co-stars, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Hugh Jackman, more are paying tribute to the late actor who died at 86. Patrick Stewart‘s X-Men family is paying tribute to the late sci-fi icon. Stewart died Wednesday at his home in Los Angeles at 86 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 actor led the original X-Men franchise, an adaptation of the Marvel comic books, for 20th Century Fox. Starring as Prof. Charles Xavier, he brought the role to the big screen in the first film in 2000, and went on to appear in X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) and Logan (2017). He had subsequent cameos in Origins: Wolverine (2009)