Ian McKellen honours Patrick Stewart with ‘Waiting for Godot’ song tribute at London gala

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: 'X-Men' actor Ian McKellen found a beautiful way to remember his dear friend Patrick Stewart.

The actor took the stage at a London charity gala and performed a song that brought back memories of their time working together in 'Waiting for Godot'.

This was not the first time McKellen had paid tribute to his dear friend. He had earlier shared a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), remembering Stewart and celebrating their decades-long friendship.

The 'Star Trek' and 'X-Men' actor died at the age of 86, leaving behind a lasting legacy.

Ian McKellen honours Patrick Stewart with emotional song tribute

McKellen led the musical tribute at the 'Raise the Roof' gala at London's Victoria Palace Theatre.

The event raised funds for Denville Hall, a residential home for retired entertainment professionals, where Stewart had served as an ambassador.

During the event, McKellen recalled performing Samuel Beckett's 'Waiting for Godot' with Stewart and how the two would sing 'Underneath the Arches' at the end of the show.

The 1932 music-hall song had become a special memory from their time together, both in London and on Broadway.

Introducing the song, McKellen told the audience, "When we played the tramps in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Pat Stewart and I sang that song - here in London and on Broadway, at the end of the show."

He then invited everyone to join him, saying, "As we sing it, let’s remember Pat Stewart, a great actor."

Ian McKellen recalls friendship with Patrick Stewart in heartfelt tribute

Reflecting on their friendship, which began nearly 50 years ago when they were both young actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company, McKellen remembered the qualities that made his friend so special.

"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 wrote on X.

McKellen also described Stewart as someone who "wore his heart on his sleeve," adding that he was "a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love."

He also recalled the moment Stewart told him about being offered the role of Captain Jean-Luc Picard in 'Star Trek'.

At the end of his tribute, McKellen shared, "America was his adopted home, where he met his adored Sunny, who has cared for him through sickness and health, through thick and thin."

"But he never forsook his origins: and the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire," he concluded.