Marvel Studios has issued a public tribute to Sir Patrick Stewart following his death at 86.
The studio posted a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday after the legendary actor died at his Los Angeles home. Stewart, who suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease, passed away on October 28, his representatives confirmed.
“All of us at Marvel Studios are deeply saddened by the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart,” the statement began.
“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,” the statement continued. “All of us at Marvel Studios are thinking of Sunny, his children, his friends, and the countless fans around the world whose lives he touched with his art.”
Stewart’s own team announced his death through a statement on his Instagram profile. “We announce with great sorrow the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart yesterday at his home in Los Angeles, in the loving care of his beloved wife Sunny, following a brief and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia,” the post read.
“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all. We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invincible grace.”
The Instagram statement concluded with a request for memorial contributions to Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources, rather than flowers.
Tributes from Stewart’s colleagues quickly followed the announcement. Jonathan Frakes, 72, who played William Riker opposite Stewart in Star Trek: The Next Generation, shared the news to his Instagram story with a simple message: “Rest in peace my friend.”
Stewart’s career spanned seven decades across stage, television and film. He appeared in more than 170 episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation as Captain Jean-Luc Picard, reprising the role in four feature films. His portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise began with the 2000 original and continued through multiple sequels, including 2017’s Logan.
The British actor had completed one final performance as Xavier. He is set to appear in Marvel’s Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for theatrical release on December 18.
Stewart married American singer-songwriter Sunny Ozell, 45, in 2013. He had two children, Daniel and Sophie, with his first wife Sheila Falconer, to whom he was married from 1966 to 1990.
Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to premiere in theaters December 2026.