Patrick Stewart Was Briefly Considered For Legion's Professor X

Marvel fans always wondered whether Professor X would be introduced in FX's Legion. After all, the science fiction superhero series focused on David Haller, a powerful but mentally ill psychic mutant who also happened to be Charles Xavier's son.

After years of waiting, the third season of Legion introduced Professor X in the series. While Counterpart and Game of Thrones actor Harry Lloyd was chosen for the role, Legion creator Noah Hawley reveals that he had actually briefly considered the possibility of tapping X-Men star Patrick Stewart for the role.

Speaking with The Wrap, Hawley decided to open up about the process behind casting Professor X and the direction that the series was taking.

"We're going to have to meet [David's] parents eventually. Nobody fought us on it. There was a question obviously about what age is he? What's the model? Is he the McAvoy age? Is he Patrick Stewart age? Should we try to get either of those actors to do it? Ultimately, I felt like we established our own alternate reality here on ‘Legion,' where it's both 1964 and the future… I think I felt like the younger Xavier was actually more consistent with the timeline. But there's something about David, if David meets his father and his father is his age, I think there's something interesting about that," Hawley explained.

Of course, there's also probably the fact that it would have cost a lot to bring Stewart in to the series. Still, seeing Lloyd in the series, one finds it a bit difficult to counter Hawley's decision to cast the Game of Thrones star as Professor X. Lloyd's depiction of Professor X fits well with the show's tone, so really, there's no problem there – though it would have been a treat to see Fox's own Professor X on television.

Legion is set to air its next episode "Chapter 23" next Monday, July 14 at 10pm on FX.

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