The tributes to Sir Patrick Stewart have not stopped since word of his death got out Thursday.

Co-stars from both of his signature franchises are speaking up. So are old theater friends and fans who grew up with Captain Picard.

The man who played his on-screen student was among the first to share his grief.

Hugh Jackman

Jackman spent years as Wolverine opposite Stewart's Professor Xavier. Their bond on screen peaked with the emotional 2017 film "Logan."

On Instagram he posted two photos of the pair. In one he has an arm around his old friend. In the other the two stand in the wings of a theater watching a show.

Jackman called Stewart one of the greats of stage and screen. He added a simple promise: "I will miss you, Patrick Stewart, all of my days."

William Shatner

Shatner, who first sat in Kirk's chair, was quick to speak up too. Shatner and Stewart passed the torch on screen in the 1994 movie "Star Trek: Generations."

They stayed close after that. Stewart sat down for Shatner's 2011 documentary "The Captains." He also appeared in "Chaos on the Bridge" in 2015.

Shatner praised the intelligence and grace his friend brought to every role. He said Picard stood for the best of us. In his view the man who played him did too.

Ian McKellen

McKellen first met Stewart about 50 years ago. He said his earliest strong memory of his friend was telling him to turn down "Star Trek." He worried the show would hurt Stewart's stage career.

The pair later played rivals Professor X and Magneto starting with "X-Men" in 2000. McKellen even led the wedding of Stewart and Sunny Ozell in 2013. That small ceremony took place over dinner at a Mexican restaurant.

McKellen said his friend wore his heart on his sleeve. He thanked Trekkies plus film and theater fans for sharing in that talent.

More stars speak up

Simu Liu works with Stewart in the upcoming "Avengers: Doomsday." He called the loss devastating. He said the legend was even lovelier when the cameras were off.

Seth MacFarlane cast Stewart as the CIA boss Bullock on "American Dad!" He said Stewart could make a good writer sound great.

Paul Wesley plays Kirk on "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds." He said he met Stewart once. Everything he heard made the man sound like a real class act.

Marvel Studios honored him as well. So did the social media account for the late Stan Lee.

A private regret

Not every memory being shared is a happy one. In a 2023 interview Stewart admitted he barely had a relationship with his two grown children, Daniel and Sophie. He said he always put acting ahead of his family. He called the distance a source of real grief.

He did say he hoped his kids had forgiven him. He also wanted more time with his four grandchildren.

Stewart died Wednesday at 86 after a short battle with Alzheimer's and Lewy body dementia.