Patrick Stewart almost rejected playing Professor X which could’ve doomed X-Men before it took off.

Patrick Stewart was more popular than Hugh Jackman when Bryan Singer approached him to play Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men. For Star Trek fans, he was the famous Captain Jean-Luc Picard from The Next Generation. Singer got to meet him on the set of 1997’s Conspiracy Theory, which X-Men executive producer Richard Donner directed. However, Stewart was reluctant to take on the role for one reason.

The Doctor Strange 2 actor believed that he had already done enough science fiction and fantasy films with the Star Trek projects. However, Singer convinced him that X-Men wouldn’t be anything like his previous works. Stewart revealed that he never regretted his choice to join the films.

Hugh Jackman’s X-Men Would’ve Failed If Patrick Stewart Didn’t Take On The Titular Role

Patrick Stewart was not big on leading another fantasy franchise after Star Trek: The Next Generation. It took some convincing on the part of Bryan Singer to make him accept the role. Stewart’s Professor X went on to become one of the iconic characters in the comic book movie genre. Stewart played the role in the first three films followed by X-Men: Days of Future Past and Logan.

He went on to reprise the role of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and is rumored to appear in the upcoming film, Deadpool & Wolverine. Stewart told The Guardian during a 2022 interview that he initially turned down the offer to star in the role, only to be persuaded by the filmmakers that X-Men was nothing like Star Trek.

Stewart didn’t regret changing his initial decision as both Star Trek and X-Men expanded his acting capabilities as a pro actor. He shared that in his long acting career starting at the age of 18, the last 10-15 years made the most impact on him. The Wilde Wedding actor revealed that these roles compelled him to continue in the job more than ever. Stewart shared with The Guardian:

I said, ‘Look, I know this isn’t science fiction but it’s fantasy, and I’ve done that.’ But they persuaded me that it wouldn’t be like Star Trek, so I did it. And yet again I was proved wrong. Both shows broadened my sense of what it was to be a professional actor.

I’ve been an actor since I was 18 – and I’m now 81. I think the last 10 to 15 years have had more impact on me than anything before and left me more than ever compelled to do this job.

Stewart’s character helped X-Men gain its current popularity. He was the major star of the films at the time, where Hugh Jackman came in as a replacement actor to play Wolverine. It is highly unlikely that audiences would have flocked in to see a bunch of mutants, played by some unfamiliar faces if it wasn’t for the presence of Stewart.

Patrick Stewart Was Impressed With Hugh Jackman When He First Met Him

Patrick Stewart wrote in his memoir, Making It So: A Memoir, that he was elated when Hugh Jackman was cast as Wolverine in X-Men. The character was originally slated for Mission: Impossible 2 actor Dougray Scott, but he had to drop out due to commitment issues. When Jackman came in for a screen test as the replacement, he met Stewart on set.

Stewart described him as “a handsome, dark-haired fellow with a relaxed, amiable manner” in his book. He shared that all the actors on the set were charmed by The Prestige actor. Stewart noticed an intangible star quality in the actor, but he was concerned about Jackman’s Australian accent. He wrote in his book (via SlashFilm):

In his absence, we discussed the new guy, who had asked us to call him Hugh. We were all rooting for him; he had that intangible star quality. But he also had a thick Australian accent. Would that disqualify him? We wondered if he would be able to cover it up, maybe by working with a dialogue coach.

Stewart shared that the cast had initially thought that Jackman didn’t make it and were disappointed. But when he was promptly called back and given the role, Stewart was one of the first ones to welcome him to the film.

All X-Men movies are now available for streaming on Disney+.