Sir Patrick Stewart Announces Immediate Retirement From The ‘X-Men’ Series

Like Hugh Jackman, since 2000, Sir Patrick Stewart has portrayed Professor Charles Xavier. An iconic role, for an iconic actor. Stewart’s most recent performance comes in this March’s Logan, in which he plays an old, broken version of Xavier. The new X-Men film has received critical acclaim as of late, with the movie securing a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with over 70 reviews counted. The R-Rated finale will send off Jackman’s Wolverine, and now, Stewart’s Xavier.

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sir Patrick Stewart revealed his immediate retirement from the role of Charles Xavier. While it is sad to see the famed thespian depart, it is also a perfect time. Stewart revealed his reasons for hanging up the suit and tie below:

“A week ago, Friday night in Berlin, the three of us sat, watching the movie. And I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it. Maybe it was the company of these two guys, but the movie ended and — this is an admission — but at one point [Hugh] reached out, and he took my hand in those last few minutes, and I saw him go [mimes wiping a tear from his eye] like this, and then I realized I had just done the same thing. Then, the movie ended… and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over. So, we had some time to sit there and, as I sat there I realized there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie. So, I told [Hugh] that same evening, ‘I’m done too. It’s all over.’”

A rather touching goodbye, to be honest. Of course, Sir Patrick Stewart will remain iconic with the franchise, as he has appeared in (nearly) every X-Men film. Interestingly, Stewart only missed out on 2011’s X-Men: First Class and last year’s X-Men: Apocalypse. But, what do you guys think? Are you sad to see Stewart say goodbye to such a role? Honestly, hearing his response to Logan makes (somehow) even more excited than I originally was. Go figure!

Logan hits theatres everywhere on March 3rd, 2017.

Source: Entertainment Weekly