Why Patrick Stewart Agreed To Star In X-Men After Turning Down The Movie At First

Professor Charles Xavier is more than just a massive telepathic mutant. He is an activist who founded the Xavier School for Gifted Youth, which serves as a home for young mutants while also providing them with the opportunity to hone their abilities. His complex dynamic with Magneto stems in part from his assimilationist tendencies, which clash with Magneto’s more assertive and often violent brand of mutant pride. While Professor

This key character trait is the sole reason Patrick Stewart, who primarily portrayed Professor X in the “X-Men” franchise (and the Marvel Cinematic Universe), accepted the role. Speaking to Smithsonian Magazine, Stewart explained that he only said yes after learning that the character rallied for peaceful coexistence while fighting for trans rights:

“I turned it down when it was first offered to me, and director Bryan Singer, whom I had not met yet, said, ‘Please meet me. I want to talk to you before we go ahead and talk to someone else.’ He told me about what he hoped to achieve with the first of those films: how the theme would be to examine the rights of those who are different from others and ask, because they are different, do they have the same rights as everyone else.”

A lifelong advocate for social justice, Stewart was drawn to this aspect of Professor X’s character, as it promised a more in-depth examination of the tense relationship between humans and mutants. Furthermore, the actor’s initial hesitation stemmed from the fact that Stewart did not know who Professor X or the X-Men were before he accepted the role.

Singer was able to interest Stewart in the character by positing an unambiguous moral conflict between good and evil. Stewart went into further detail about the feud between Charles and Magneto sparked by Singer, with Professor X being framed as “an active voice for the good guys:”

“And he [Singer] He said in the movie [2000s ‘X-Men’] There will be two camps. There will be a camp led by Magneto, who believes that the only way the mutant world can protect itself is to fight and destroy its enemies, and Xavier, who believes that there is… […] Another path is peaceful and involves discussion, exposure, conversation and dialogue. And I saw that, and I saw the point. So I happily signed on to be an active voice for the good guys.”

There’s no doubt that Magneto’s motivations are traditionally antagonistic, though thematically complex – after all, it’s easier to align with Professor X’s values ​​when Magneto displays an unchecked resentment toward humanity as a whole. However, the true nature of the X-Men cannot be viewed as completely perfect, as the group is not a monolith, and is as flawed/error-prone as non-mutants.

In fact, in Kieron Gillen’s “Immortal X-Men #10”, Professor He thinks about how to use his powers to help the underprivileged, but has been somewhat selective in his assistance, picking and choosing those deserving of it based on practical strategy. Finally, having understood why humans instinctively fear mutants, Professor