Patrick Stewart, the acclaimed English actor known for his roles in “Star Trek” and “X-Men,” has died. He was 86.
Video above: Patrick Stewart at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival
Tributes poured in from fellow actors and celebrities, but one Instagram post garnered nearly 3 million likes, more than 8,800 comments and 150,000 reposts.
“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,” his “X-Men” co-star Hugh Jackman said on Instagram, featuring two photos of the pair embracing.
Jackman’s breakout role was playing Wolverine in Bryan Singer’s “X-Men” — a superhero film based on the Marvel Comics. Stewart was cast as Professor Charles Xavier, founder and mentor of the superhero team.
Stewart played the role in nine feature films (“X-Men,” “X2,” “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “The Wolverine,” “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “Logan,” “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and “Avengers: Doomsday”) and voiced the role in several video games (“X-Men Legends,” “X-Men Legends II,” and “X-Men: Next “)
Stewart died Wednesday at his Los Angeles home following a brief battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia, a statement on the actor’s Instagram page reads.
The 2017 film “Logan” dives deeper into the relationship between Wolverine and Xavier, which was emblematic of the deep friendship between Jackman and Stewart.
