James McAvoy calls Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen ‘a different kind of actor’ after X-Men moment

James McAvoy shares how Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen impressed him during X-Men: Days of Future Past filming

James McAvoy is looking back on a memorable moment with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen during the filming of X-Men: Days of Future Past.

The actor, who portrayed young Professor Charles Xavier, revealed that the experience showed him how the veteran stars were “a different kind of actor.”

Speaking at New York Comic Con alongside co-star Elliot Page, McAvoy recalled spending an afternoon with Stewart and McKellen during production. He shared that when he entered their trailer, Stewart was cooking while McKellen relaxed nearby. McKellen then brought up that McAvoy had recently finished performing Macbeth in London and suggested they all recite lines from the play.

“I’d only finished two weeks before and couldn’t remember a single line,” McAvoy admitted. “Meanwhile, those two were quoting their favorite bits from Macbeth back and forth. I was like, ‘Wow — it’s a different kind of actor, a different kind of machine.’”

Both Stewart and McKellen have deep roots in theater, having performed extensively with the Royal Shakespeare Company before becoming cinematic icons as Professor X and Magneto. McAvoy, who also has a strong stage background, said he was inspired by their effortless recall and passion for Shakespeare.

In X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), McAvoy’s younger Xavier and Stewart’s older version meet through Wolverine’s time-traveling consciousness, resulting in one of the franchise’s most emotional moments.

Fans can stream X-Men: Days of Future Past on Disney+, while McAvoy’s next project, California Schemin’, premiered at TIFF. Meanwhile, Stewart and McKellen are set to reprise their iconic Marvel roles in Avengers: Doomsday, hitting theaters on December 18, 2026.