Sir Patrick Stewart Remembered by Sir Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen is deeply saddened by the passing of his dear friend and colleague, Sir Patrick Stewart, mourning the loss of a true legend in the arts.

Reflecting on their friendship, Ian shared, “He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire, and in my case, to love.”

The ‘Lord of the Rings’ star recalled their first meeting “half a century ago.” He vividly remembers advising Patrick against accepting his iconic role in ‘Star Trek,’ concerned that it might jeopardize his esteemed theater career.

Ian expressed his appreciation on behalf of both “Trekkies” and “film and theater audiences” who were fortunate to witness his late friend’s remarkable talents.

The enduring friendship between these iconic actors began decades ago when they both starred together in the 2000 film “X-Men.”

In a touching moment, Ian officiated Patrick’s wedding to Sunny Ozell at a cozy Mexican restaurant in 2013.

Patrick fondly recounted the spontaneous nature of their wedding ceremony on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” explaining, “We learned that [McKellen] could not use his [ministry] credentials in Nevada, where we were getting married … so we invited Ian, two of our guests, and a [theater] director to a Mexican restaurant for dinner.”