Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios, and Hugh Jackman Pay Tribute to Sir Patrick Stewart After Actor's Death at 86
Kevin Feige, president of Marvel Studios and COO of Marvel, has given a heartfelt response to the death of acclaimed actor Sir Patrick Stewart.
Stewart, best known for his roles as Jean Luc Picard in Star Trek and Charles Xavier in Marvel’s X-Men films, died on Wednesday, October 28 following a brief battle with Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Dementia. His family broke the news in a public statement on October 29.
As shared by Variety, Kevin Feige gave a touching eulogy to the celebrated actor and knight following the news of his death.
“I’ll never forget the first time I saw Sir Patrick Stewart on the set of the first X-Men,” Feige said. “After years of knowing him as the inimitable Captain Picard, I was in awe — and he turned out to be everything I had seen on screen and more: brilliant, charming, warm, generous, with a quiet strength and gravitas.”
“Away from the cameras, he was even more remarkable, with a wonderfully sharp sense of humor. It was a true privilege to know him and to work with him. His legacy lives on not only in decades of extraordinary work, but in the many, many people he mentored. He will be deeply missed.”
Marvel Studios also released a statement after in a post on its official Twitter/X account.
“All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir 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.”
Hugh Jackman, who starred alongside Stewart as Wolverine, also shared a tribute to the actor on Instagram, along with two photos from their time working together.
"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," he wrote.
Stewart's longtime close friend and X-Men costar Ian McKellen shared a touching post on his social media accounts, saying in part, "He wore his heart on his sleeve, which made him a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love."
On Twitter/X, James Mangold, the director of Logan, posted a wordless tribute to Stewart. His post included a GIF from Logan and a photo of an empty wheelchair. Heartbreakingly, it's worth noting that the film followed an 'old man Logan' as he cared for a sickly and aging Charles Xavier, who also suffered from dementia.
SIR PATRICK STEWART (1940-2026)Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. 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.We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in 'Star Trek'. “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.America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.His farewell performance in 'Avengers: Doomsday' is yet to be seen.Ian McKellen 29 October 2026Photo: University of Huddersfield— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) October 30, 2026
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SIR PATRICK STEWART (1940-2026)Before everything else, Patrick was defined by being born and bred in Yorkshire, the proud county in the north of England which he loved to the end. 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.We first met as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company half a century ago but we weren’t in the same productions. My first strong memory was a few years later, meeting him in the street in central London when he told me about an offer to take over a leading part in 'Star Trek'. “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.America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin. But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire.His farewell performance in 'Avengers: Doomsday' is yet to be seen.Ian McKellen 29 October 2026Photo: University of Huddersfield
David Hayter, who wrote the 2000's X-Men movie, also shared a post remembering Stewart. "Damn. He was so kind to me on the X-MEN set. I was so touched to see his magical friendship with Ian McKellen bloom on that film. A true gentleman. A wellspring of effortless charisma. A galaxy-spanning talent. Thank you for the memories, Professor," he wrote.
On Instagram, fellow Star Trek and X-Men actor Rebecca Romjin recalled her time on set with Stewart in a short video, fondly remembering him as "positively delicious, hilarious, and naughty," with an "incredible sense of humor and a booming voice that always spoke to the back of the room, as every clasically-trained Shakespearean great needs to master."
The Russo Brothers, who famously directed some of the biggest and most iconic films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, spoke out about their time working with Stewart in a public statement.
"We’ve been lucky enough to work with some of our childhood heroes. And Sir Patrick Stewart will always be one of them. A legendary actor with an unmistakeable presence, and an unmatched integrity. Thank you for entertaining all of us, sir. And for teaching us humanity, both on and off the screen. Sending our love to your family, friends, and fans around the world," they said.
All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir 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.— Marvel Studios (@MarvelStudios) October 29, 2026
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All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir 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.
Avengers: Doomsday marks Stewart’s final film performance, where he will reprise his role as Charles Xavier. He was 86 years at the time of his death, leaving behind a storied legacy of unforgettable performances in film, television, video games, and stage plays.
Marvel fans have gathered online to grieve together, with many quoting a line from Stewart’s Charles Xavier: “Just because someone stumbles and loses their way, it doesn't mean they're lost forever.”
In lieu of flowers, Stewart’s family urged friends and fans to donate to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources.
Image Credits: Rich Fury/Getty Images