Then Came X-Men

Stewart added another defining franchise role when he played Professor Charles Xavier in 2000's X-Men.

He went on to portray the telepathic mutant for 17 years across multiple films, sharing the screen with his friend and frequent stage collaborator Sir Ian McKellen, who played Magneto.

Stewart's performance established Professor X as one of the most recognisable characters in the superhero genre.

He would go to reprise the part in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and will appear posthumously in the upcoming blockbuster Avengers: Doomsday.