BBC: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen and William Shatner Lead Tributes to Patrick Stewart

Photo: Patrick Stewart / Facebook

Sir Patrick Stewart died Wednesday, Oct. 28, at his home in Los Angeles. He was 86. His spokesperson, Kelly Bush Novak, said he died after "a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia." News of his death was shared Thursday on his social media accounts, and within hours the people who had worked beside him for six decades began to respond.

What follows is a record of what they said, drawn from their own posts and from coverage by the BBC and The Guardian.

Hugh Jackman

Jackman played Wolverine opposite Stewart's Professor Charles Xavier across the X-Men films, ending with Logan in 2017. On Instagram he wrote: "We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man. I learned so much from him. I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days."

Ian McKellen

McKellen was Stewart's closest friend in the profession, his partner in Waiting for Godot and No Man's Land, and the officiant at his 2013 wedding to Sunny Ozell. In a statement posted on social media and reported by the BBC and The Guardian, he wrote: "Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire... You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt... He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love."

Writing of the risk Stewart took in leaving the classical stage for American television, McKellen added: "Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did." He called him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic."

William Shatner

The first captain of the Enterprise posted: "What a heartbreaking week it has been. Sir Patrick Stewart was a friend, a colleague, and a magnificent actor. From the stage to the bridge of the Enterprise, he brought intelligence, grace, and a deep sense of humanity to everything he did. Captain Picard stood for the best of us, and so did the man who played him. I was filled with affection and admiration for him and his work."

George Takei

Takei, Sulu in the original Star Trek, wrote on Threads: "Fans across the world mourn the passing of a true and irreplaceable legend. As Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Patrick Stewart took the starship Enterprise to places it had never gone before. He inspired a whole next generation of star-gazers who looked longingly ahead to a brighter future for all humanity. Our hearts are heavy, indeed. Rest in the heavens, Captain."

Kyle MacLachlan

MacLachlan starred as Paul Atreides in David Lynch's 1984 Dune, in which Stewart played Gurney Halleck. On Instagram he wrote: "My friend, we shared some memorable times…from the deserts of Arrakis to the mysterious jungles of Thailand and onto the New York stage. I already miss you. You will always be my Gurney Halleck and I, your young pup."

Seth MacFarlane

Stewart voiced Avery Bullock on MacFarlane's American Dad! and narrated his film Ted. On Instagram, MacFarlane described him as "that rare actor who could take any bit of dialogue and elevate it, making a good writer sound great, and a great writer sound masterful," adding, "He was also as humble as they come."

Rebecca Romijn

Romijn, who played Mystique in the X-Men films, wrote on Instagram: "What a gift to have been your friend. Rest in peace, dear Patrick." According to the BBC, she also said, "I'll miss my friend dearly."

Cary Elwes

Elwes made Lady Jane with Stewart in the mid-1980s. In a social media post reported by The Guardian, he recalled, "I first met Patrick on the set of Lady Jane back in 1984 and fell in love with him immediately," and closed with a line from Hamlet: "Good night, sweet Prince."

Ricky Gervais and Kumail Nanjiani

Gervais, who directed Stewart in a celebrated guest turn on Extras, shared bloopers from their scene and wrote: "What an actor." He added, "I still can't believe he agreed to do this scene. And he didn't even mind when I ruined every take."

Kumail Nanjiani kept it short: "Sir Patrick Stewart was the best. I don't know what else I can say."

From the Bridge

Anson Mount, who plays Captain Christopher Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, signed off his tribute with "Bravo, Patrick. I will miss you dearly. Until next time… Engage."

Members of the Next Generation cast spoke to The Guardian. Marina Sirtis, who played Counselor Deanna Troi, said, "It was the privilege of a lifetime to work with him." LeVar Burton, who played Geordi La Forge, said, "He was family," and added, "Of all the dames and knights I've known, he was deep down the silliest."

Institutions

Marvel Studios called him "a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman." The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said his work showed that "strength could exist alongside vulnerability, and that compassion was never a weakness." The Royal Shakespeare Company, where he spent 16 years, called him a "colossus of stage and screen."

Actor Harriet Walter, speaking on BBC Newsnight, put it in a single image: "It's like huge giant tree has fallen in the forest."

Stewart's family has asked that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center Fund.

Legend Magazine extends its condolences to Sir Patrick Stewart's family and friends. Sources: BBC, The Guardian, Associated Press, USA Today and the public social media accounts quoted above.