Ian McKellen leads tributes to 'beloved' Patrick Stewart

Ian McKellen has led tributes to Patrick Stewart following his death from Alzheimer's disease, calling him "the most respected and beloved actor of his generation".

Stewart - famed for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in later versions of Star Trek - died at his home in Los Angeles, it was announced on social media yesterday.

McKellen, who held a long friendship with Stewart, said the actor "was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire".

In a statement posted to social media, McKellen said: "You could hear it in his accented voice and in the stern honesty with which he told you what he thought and felt.

"Yorkshiremen have no truck with half-truths or avoidance of big issues. He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love."

McKellen said one of his strongest memories of the actor was cautioning him against starring in science-fiction.

Recalling the conversation, McKellen wrote: "'But Patrick think of your stage career in the UK. Do you really want to risk-getting lost in Hollywood for years and years?'"

"Well, he took the risk and thank goodness for us all that he did for not just his devoted Trekkies but film and theatre audiences, who marvelled at his using international celebrity to star in a string of cinema successes ('X-Men' of course) and in great classical plays by Shakespeare, Ibsen, Arthur Miller, Peter Shaffer, Pinter and Beckett at Stratford-upon-Avon, in London's West End and on Broadway."

"McKellen said Stewart 'never forsook his origins', adding that one of his proudest achievements was his appointment as Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield in Yorkshire."

The X-Men stars will feature in Stewart's final movie, Avengers: Doomsday, which is due for release in December.

Meanwhile, Harriet Walter said the world is "going to be very poor" without the actor

Harriet was another longtime friend of the Star Trek actor, with the pair having met at Stratford-upon-Avon in the early 1980s.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, she said she "can't really imagine a world without him".

"It's like a huge giant tree has fallen in the forest," she said.

"I've never heard a bad word against him. And I think the world's going to be very poor without him."

William Shatner, who played Captain James T Kirk in the original 1960s Star Trek TV series, posted on social media: "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. My heart goes out to Sunny and his family. He will be deeply missed."

Stewart's X-Men co-star Hugh Jackman posted two photos of the two of them together on Instagram, saying: "We lost one of the greats of stage and screen today. And, in my book, a tremendous friend and man.

"I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days."

The production company Marvel Studios, which has owned the rights to X-Men since 2019, described the actor as "a true gentleman".

In a message posted on social media, it said: "All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Patrick Stewart.

"Sir Patrick brought Professor Charles Xavier to life with extraordinary grace, intelligence, and humanity, defining the character for generations of fans, from 'X-Men' to 'Logan' to 'Avengers: Doomsday.'

"He was a singular talent, a generous collaborator, and a true gentleman.

"Our hearts go out to his wife Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art."