X-Men writer David Hayter has revealed that Patrick Stewart did not originally want to play Professor X for the 2000 film.
It’s kind of hard to imagine the role of Professor X without Patrick Stewart. Perhaps more than any other actor in the franchise, Patrick Stewart fully embodied the role of the X-Men character in a way that no other actor could have. He would go on to play the role in seven of the 20th Century Fox produced X-Men films. But, as it turned out, Patrick Stewart was originally very hesitant to take the role.
David Hayter is perhaps better known for his voice acting roles in video games like Metal Gear Solid but has also written the scripts for a number of high profile films, including the first two X-Men films and the 2009 adaptation of Watchmen. While speaking to the Observer, the X-Men writer revealed that Patrick Stewart was difficult to convince partly due to the actor being confined to a wheelchair the entire time:
“Patrick Stewart didn’t want to [play Charles Xavier]. It took a long time to convince him. Terence Stamp told me, ‘You know why Patrick doesn’t want to do it? Because of the chair. He doesn’t want to be stuck in the chair. But I don’t mind. In fact, I also look excellent bald.’ Everyday I was surprised by the faces coming in. Like, I’d find Mariah Carey sitting in my office wanting to go talk to Bryan about being Storm or something. So that’s always shocking.”
What do you all make of David Hayter’s words? Are you surprised to hear that Patrick Stewart originally did not want to play Professor X in the X-Men films? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Patrick Stewart’s final portrayal as Professor X was in the 2017 film, Logan. Here is the plot synopsis for the film:
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hide out on the Mexican border. But Logan’s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces.
Directed by James Mangold, Logan stars Hugh Jackman, Sir Patrick Stewart, Dafne Keen, Stephen Merchant, Richard E. Grant, Eriq LaSalle, Elizabeth Rodriguez, and Boyd Holbrook.
Logan is now available on Digital HD, Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD. Stay tuned for all the latest news on the future of the X-Men and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more video content!
Source: Observer
