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James McAvoy remembers X-Men co-star Patrick Stewart: ‘He was lovely to me’

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Cite

O'Grady, S. (2026, October 30). James McAvoy remembers X-Men co-star Patrick Stewart: ‘He was lovely to me’. Evening Standard. https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/patrick-stewart-james-mcavoy-david-suchet-ian-mckellen-seth-macfarlane-b1302920.html

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Evening Standard · collected 2026-10-30 · by Sean O'Grady

Quick Summary

Sir Patrick Stewart, known for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," passed away at age 86 on Wednesday in Los Angeles. Scottish actor James McAvoy, who worked with Sir Patrick in "X-Men: Days of Future Past," shared photos and a tribute on Instagram, expressing how lucky he felt to have known him both as an admirer and colleague. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's official spokesman praised Stewart for his contributions to British culture and his advocacy work against domestic violence.
Written by AI on 2026-10-30, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

Patrick Stewart, renowned British actor known for his iconic roles as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men film series, died on Wednesday at age 86. The cause of death was attributed to complications from Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Stewart passed away at his home in Los Angeles, surrounded by family and friends, including his wife Sunny, as announced on Instagram. His career spanned decades, with significant contributions to both stage and screen, earning him the title "Sir" for his service to drama.

Written for “Patrick Stewart Dies At 86” on 2026-10-30, grounded in this article and the 55 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political question, so it has no leaning score. That is an answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political position.
No political leaning scored for article 117778 · logged 2026-10-30

Story

📰 Patrick Stewart Dies At 86
Entertainment · 56 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads unscored and hedges 0% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
Evening Standard
Hedges 0 of 29 claims Outlet record 65/100
Evening Standard
Hedges 2 of 40 claims Outlet record 65/100
Evening Standard
Hedges 2 of 40 claims Outlet record 65/100
The Straits Times
Hedges 2 of 37 claims Outlet record 66/100
“Article A reports Patrick Stewart's death, while Article B is a remembrance by James McAvoy about his colleague and co-star Patrick Stewart after Stewart's passing.”
Toronto Star
Hedges 1 of 45 claims Outlet record 64/100
“While both articles are about tributes to Patrick Stewart following his death, they describe different people's reactions and do not focus on the same specific incident or time.”
ABC News (US)
Hedges 1 of 2 claims Outlet record 70/100
“While both articles report on Patrick Stewart's death, they describe different aspects: Article A focuses on the announcement and cause of his death, while Article B is about a colleague remembering him.”
Al Jazeera
Hedges 0 of 27 claims Outlet record 60/100
“Article A reports on Patrick Stewart's death, while Article B focuses on James McAvoy's tribute to Patrick Stewart following his death.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
36
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 36 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
65/100
Evening Standard's corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
56
Entertainment
Same framing elsewhere
2
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-30 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

Evening Standard · 7829 article(s) · 62 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 62 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Sean O'Grady
93 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 He will be so much missed.
🔮 He will be so much missed.”
🔮 He will be so much missed.”
🔮 Ms Bailey’s brother Gerard told the BBC the archive has been offered to auction by her widower, Ian Belcher, adding his sister “would be horrified at the prospect of the auction being held in her name and that her personal, cherished possessions are being sold off to the highest bidder”.
🔮 “So that was the most difficult thing, and not being able to tell them exactly when I would be going because I didn’t know – I could be back in 48 hours, I could be gone in three weeks, which turned out I was.”
🔮 Maestro Italian tenor Bocelli will make an appearance to celebrate 30 years since he first became an international star.
🔮 “I want to say thank-you all for watching and I will be here for another eight weeks or so, and I will say a proper goodbye when I go just before Christmas.” She then joined the BBC political unit at Westminster, working on national TV programmes.
🔮 The hunt for the next James Bond will reportedly reach its final stages this weekend as screen tests for the role will be held in London.
🔮 The Lilacs, Logicaltramp, Rick Parfitt Jnr Band, Rudimental and T’Pau will also perform.
🔮 Set against the backdrop of 1980s Britain, Alan Bennett’s play follows eight schoolboys at an all-boys grammar school in Sheffield, as they navigate sex, school politics and their teachers’ intellectual battle of wills.
Also by Sean O'Grady
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 93 articles by Sean O'Grady →

Topics

BBC Radio 4’s Britain Downing Street Los Angeles Scottish

Subjects

Patrick PERSON · 12× Yorkshire NORP · 2× BBC Radio 4’s ORG · 1× Charles Xavier PERSON · 1× David PERSON · 1× Downing Street ORG · 1× Jean-Luc Picard PERSON · 1× Los Angeles GPE · 1× McAvoy PERSON · 1× Scottish NORP · 1×

Narrative

Sir David told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s a great loss but he leaves the most fantastic legacy in all his work in radio, film, television and theatre. “He covered all bases and has done great performances in each of the media.
framing: assertive · carried by 2 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-30
🔮 He will be so much missed.
2026-10-30 · Evening Standard
James McAvoy remembers X-Men co-star Patrick Stewart: ‘He was lovely to me’ · assertive framing

Claims (36 extracted, 0 hedged)

Sir Patrick, famed for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in The Star Trek: The Next Generation, died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday. asserted
Patrick → fame → Wednesday
The two actors portrayed older and younger versions of Charles Xavier in X-Men: Days Of Future Past in 2014. asserted
actors → portray → 2014
Scottish actor McAvoy shared several photos on Instagram of them together, writing: “Wherever you’re going I know you’ll go boldly… asserted
you → share → them
I was lucky enough to work with Sir Patrick a number of times and he was always lovely to me. asserted
he → work → me
“First as a fan and then as a colleague, I count myself lucky to have gone with you for a short time.” asserted
myself → count → time
Sir David told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s a great loss but he leaves the most fantastic legacy in all his work in radio, film, television and theatre. “He covered all bases and has done great performances in each of the media. asserted
He → tell → media
He will be so much missed. asserted
He → miss → ?
“I was on stage yesterday all afternoon and evening and I heard of his death in the interval and it came as a huge shock.” asserted
it → hear → shock
Downing Street said Sir Patrick “brought joy to millions”. asserted
Patrick → say → millions
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s official spokesman said: “The Prime Minister was very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Patrick Stewart. “ asserted
Minister → say → Stewart
As a former culture secretary, he knows how much Britain’s greatest actors mean to the country. asserted
actors → know → country
He never forgot his working-class Yorkshire roots. asserted
He → forget → roots
“He brought joy to millions. asserted
He → bring → millions
He always stood up for what he believed in, including through his campaigning to help those affected by domestic violence. asserted
he → stand → violence
Read More “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.” asserted
thoughts → read → family
Former artistic director of the Royal Shakespeare Company Sir Gregory Doran also paid tribute, after he worked with Sir Patrick on a production of Antony And Cleopatra in 2006 and Hamlet in 2013. asserted
he → pay → 2013
He said: “I think it’s something about the very firm classical foundations that he had that gave him the ability to, whether it was X-Men or Shakespeare on stage, that just gave him that grounding. asserted
that → say → grounding
“He was a magnificent Antony in Antony And Cleopatra, a part many people don’t want to play because they think it’s Cleopatra’s play. asserted
it → want → Antony
He brought an intense forensic analysis to the role.” asserted
He → bring → role
Sir Gregory added: “He was really democratic, no airs and graces, real fun. asserted
He → add → ?
Minnie Driver, who worked with Sir Patrick in the 2017 romantic comedy The Wilde Wedding, posted a photo of them together. asserted
who → work → them
She wrote: “Is this year some kind of portal to a much, much better place that all the greatest people know about and so have gently made their exits? asserted
people → write → exits
Who always had the best advice, the funniest story, the patience to listen. asserted
Who → have → advice
I’m just bereft. asserted
I → ’m → ?
He wrote on Instagram: “I remember exchanging emails with him a number of years ago when he was beginning day 1 of a new film. asserted
he → write → film
“He commented to me that he always walked onto a new set feeling like the biggest novice there. asserted
he → comment → novice
I said, ‘Patrick, if you feel that way, the rest of us are screwed.’ asserted
rest → say → us
“We have lost a legendary actor today, and for many of us, a good friend. asserted
We → lose → us
He will be deeply missed by the entire planet.” asserted
He → miss → planet
Actress Rebecca Romijn, who starred as Mystique in the X-Men films alongside Sir Patrick, posted a video paying tribute to him. asserted
who → star → him
She said: “I feel so grateful to have known him for the last 25 years. asserted
I → say → years
I want to send my condolences to his family, and I’ll miss my friend dearly.” asserted
I → want → friend
Singer Patti Smith posted a photo of herself giving Sir Patrick a kiss on the cheek and referenced his Star Trek character Captain Jean-Luc Picard’s phrase “make it so”. asserted
it → post → character
Born in Yorkshire, Sir Patrick became a member of the RSC in 1966 and found international fame in Star Trek: The Next Generation. asserted
Patrick → bear → Trek
He was also known for appearing in the X-Men franchise and films including Excalibur (1981), Dune (1984) and Jeffrey (1995). asserted
He → know → Excalibur
He was knighted in 2010 for services to drama. asserted
He → knight → drama
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