17 Sweet Photos of Sir Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen’s 50-Year Friendship
17 Sweet Photos of Sir Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen’s 50-Year Friendship
Stephanie SengweSat, October 31, 2026 at 10:41 AM UTC
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Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellenCredit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
Sir Patrick Stewart’s long-term friend Sir Ian McKellen was one of the many friends and colleagues who paid tribute following news of the Star Trek actor’s death Oct. 29. Stewart and McKellen were friends for over 50 years, having met “as ambitious young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company” back in the ‘70s. As their respective stars rose in Hollywood, their bond never wavered and they not only supported each other, but starred in several projects together, most notable of which were their roles as Professor X and Magneto in the X-Men franchise.
“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,” McKellen wrote in his tribute. “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.”
As we continue to remember Patrick Stewart, look back at some of his sweetest friendship moments with Ian McKellen below.
01 of 17
‘X-Men’ to the World
The Cast of ‘X-Men : The Last Stand’Credit: PASCAL GUYOT/AFP via Getty
The duo walked the 2006 Cannes red carpet with their X-Men: The Last Stand castmates, including Anna Paquin, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman and more.
Jackman was among several other X-Men actors who shared their sadness following Stewart’s death. “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 on Instagram.
02 of 17
Chinwagging
Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellenCredit: C. Uncle/FilmMagic
If you and your best friend don’t enjoy a good chinwag, then is the friendship even real? The pals were pictured having what appears to be a hilarious conversation while they walked around Cannes in 2006.
03 of 17
Can You See Us Now?
Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick StewartCredit: Tim Whitby/Getty
The longtime pals wanted to let everyone know they were ready for their close up as they directed their faces straight into the camera at the reading of The Letters of Samuel Beckett at The Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2009.
04 of 17
Shall We Go?
Ian McKellen and Patrick StewartCredit: J. Countess/Getty
McKellen and Stewart were pictured having a ball on stage as they performed a dance during curtain call at the opening night of Waiting for Godot in New York City in 2013.
05 of 17
Got Your Back
Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick StewartCredit: Andrew Toth/Getty
The two gents decided to shake up their red carpet walk, opting to stand back to back instead of the standard front-facing pose, as they attended their TimesTalks event in 2013.
06 of 17
When You Need a Hand
Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick StewartCredit: Andrew Toth/Getty
Stewart offered a comforting hand to a pouting McKellen at one point during their talk.
07 of 17
At the Ball Game
Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellenCredit: James Devaney/GC Images
Stewart and McKellen got spirited while watching the New York Knicks take on the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden in 2014.
08 of 17
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Kiss the Hand
Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellenCredit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty
McKellen teased his pal with an affection chin chuck during their talk at the John L. Tishman Auditorium at University Center in New York in 2014.
09 of 17
Bring It Here
Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellenCredit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty
The two later embraced while acknowledging the audience following their sit-down.
10 of 17
The Takeover
Sir Patrick Stewart with Seth Meyers and Sir Ian McKellenCredit: Peter Kramer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
They took charge of The Late Show with Seth Meyers when they appeared on the late-night show the same year.
11 of 17
Passing the Baton
Patrick Stewart, James McAvoy, Sir Ian McKellen and Michael FassbenderCredit: Karwai Tang/WireImage
Stewart and McKellen shared a laugh with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender while at the 2014 U.K. premiere of X-Men: Days of Future Past. In the film, McAvoy and Fassbender play younger versions of Stewart and McKellen’s characters, Professor X and Magneto.
12 of 17
All Dressed Up
Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick StewartCredit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
McKellen and Stewart, who were both knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and 2010, respectively, were dressed to the nines at the 62nd London Evening Standard Theatre Awards in 2016.
13 of 17
Toast to the Good Times
Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellenCredit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
The same night, the pair also hit the stage, with McKellen donning a full robe à la Francaise for a pantomime moment and Stewart along for the ride.
14 of 17
Looking at You
Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick StewartCredit: Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty
And when McKellen got cheeky during their 2017 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Stewart was right there enjoying the antics.
15 of 17
Showing Love
Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McKellenCredit: David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
Sir Ian McKellen planted a kiss on his friend’s cheek at they attended the press night after party for King Lear in 2018. Stewart had just turned 78 on July 13.
16 of 17
Bending the Knee
Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick StewartCredit: David Parry/PA Images/Getty
Stewart giggled as McKellan playfully bent the knee at the London premiere of Star Trek: Picard in 2020.
17 of 17
One Big Kiss
Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick StewartCredit: Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty
The duo also delighted fans by sharing a kiss on the lips as they made their way through the Picard red carpet.
on People
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