Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart get handsy and smooch at ‘Mr. Holmes’ premiere
Actors Ian McKellen, left, and Patrick Stewart kiss at the U.K. premiere of “Mr. Holmes” in Kensington as Sunny Ozell, Stewart’s wife, watches.
Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart just took their bromance to the next level: smooching on a red carpet.
The British stars have been close pals for decades, and Stewart and his wife, Sunny Ozell, attended the U.K. premiere of McKellen’s “Mr. Holmes” on Wednesday presumably to show their support — but what the guys ended up showing was a very public display of affection.
Included were a strong embrace and a kiss on the lips for all the cameras to see. And for Ozell to get caught in the middle of. Hey, Ian was here first, sister.
After the fact, the usually voluble actors remained mum about the exchange on social media.
McKellen, 76, plays an aged and reflective version of legendary detective Sherlock Holmes in Bill Condon’s mystery drama, which hits theaters stateside on July 17. But what you really care about is the actors’ Holmes-and-Watson-style real-life bromance, right?
The lighthearted “X-Men” stars, favorites in the genre universe thanks to Stewart’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation” role as Capt. Jean-Luc Picard and McKellen’s turn as Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings,” have also appeared together in several projects since the 1970s, including Broadway and West End shows.
McKellen also officiated at Stewart’s 2013 wedding to Ozell, and the actors have showcased their friendship all over social media. The “LOTR” star also opened up about his pal last March in an AARP the Magazine profile about Stewart.
“In Yorkshire [where Stewart’s from] they tend to be blunt ... Patrick is indeed straightforward. This helps his acting be crystal clear. But underneath, his nature is a very sweet one. And we spend much of our time laughing,” McKellen said.
The men also shared a dressing room for 22 weeks while working on the London production of “Waiting for Godot.” But they kept things chaste, the openly gay McKellen said, quipping, “We were always in separate beds!”
So — do we need to have separate red carpets, gentlemen?
Follow me on Twitter @NardineSaad.
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