India, Oct. 30 -- Ian McKellen, the actor known for roles like Magneto in the X-Men movies, has paid a touching tribute to late star Patrick Stewart, who died on Wednesday at the age of 86. Stewart portrayed Professor Charles Xavier or Professor X on screen, Magneto's sworn nemesis. Despite their on-screen relationship being that of enemies, McKellen and Stewart have long been friends off-screen.

Hours after the news of Stewart's death broke, McKellen put out a lengthy post on Instagram, looking back on their friendship.

McKellen, 87, wrote, "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." He added, "You could hear it in his accented vo...