Professor Charles Xavier, the man behind the X-Men, is one of the great characters in the comic book world. A legend of Marvel Comics, he first made his debut in 1963, showing up to lead the X-Men into the history books.
To describe Charles as the brains of the operation might be a little on-the-nose, but even then, it's understating the facts. A mutant with limitless telepathic abilities, he designed a machine called Cerebro, which enhances his powers, magnifying them when necessary and often helping him track down any mutant he wishes to find. He is also a fan of teaching mutants how to use their own abilities, both through the X-Men and his public job as a leader at his own school for gifted youngsters titled Xavier Institute for Mutant Education and Outreach.
With a character as popular and beloved as Professor X, you can bet that he has been adapted into movies and television over the years. The X-Men may not have had as many live-action portrayals as some of their fellow famous heroes, but that's only because the long-running Fox film series was so successful. Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Professor X was indeed a game changer, but this is one character who had more live-action appearances than you might expect. And that's not even taking into account how some of his animated outings are part of revolutionary shows.
On that note, let's take a look at all of the actors to play Professor X and decide which one portrayed him the best.
5. Harry Lloyd
Appeared in: Legion
Legion is now held up as one of television's best ever comic book shows but it was widely underappreciated during its three-season run. One of the most clever shows on TV, it took a different spin on the X-Men universe and centred on David Haller, who was a young mutant diagnosed with schizophrenia. However, it turns out that David is actually the son of Charles Xavier.
Charles himself finally appeared on the show during its third and final season, and he was portrayed by Harry Lloyd. It wasn't a full-time role (Lloyd appeared in three episodes) but oh man did we wish it was. The actor did such a wonderful job of personifying Charles; he played him as a young man wise beyond his years, almost older than you would think. He channelled both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy's performances in such a way that it would be easy to mistake his voice for being a snippet from any of the X-Men movies.
That, and the on-screen chemistry he shared with Dan Stevens' David, made his role on the show a thrill-ride. Imagine how amazing it would have been to see them share the screen in a more full-time capacity. The short amount of time that Lloyd was part of Legion is unfortunately the only thing preventing us from placing him higher on this list.
4. David Kaye
Appeared in: X-Men: Evolution
X-Men: Evolution may not be as well-remembered as X-Men: The Animated Series but it tried some equally interesting things and ran for almost as long. Honestly, we don't talk about it enough, and one of the reasons that it deserves more appreciation is its voice cast and their performances.
David Kaye delivered one of the finest on the show, bringing Professor X to life in a way that set himself apart from the huge shadow of Cedric Smith's defining performance in the previous animated series, while also featuring just as much charm and class. He had a calmer demeanor than his predecessors, perhaps aided by the fact that this version of Charles was more of a father figure towards the X-Men - a story decision that made sense since the team of heroes were teenagers on this show.
It also saw him step up and be more of a leader, which Kaye portrayed incredibly well, voicing him with a commanding tone that never strayed too far from the softness he spoke with throughout the majority of the series. It was a more subtle spin on a character we all know so well, and Kaye succeeded in making the role his own while also maintaining that familiarity.
3. Cedric Smith
Appeared in: X-Men: The Animated Series
If the Fox X-Men movie series isn't your definitive version of Marvel's mightiest mutants, there is a pretty high chance that the title belongs to X-Men: The Animated Series. The show produced one of the greatest adaptations of the source material yet, and it offered up what is perhaps the most beloved version of its title characters.
Charles Xavier is no exception to that, as the series naturally had him at the forefront of its central storylines, showcasing both his tragic past and his commitment to helping others as he worked towards a future in which humans and mutants could coexist in peace. Cedric Smith was tasked with bringing him to life and it's safe to say he pulled it off.
There is an elegance in Smith's voice that just embodied the nature of the esteemed professor and he portrayed the character with nuance, with his commitment to highlighting the complexities of Professor X coming across in every word. It's very powerful and it ensured that X-Men: The Animated Series always delivered in the emotional department, because Charles is very much at the center of it. Smith can also rise to the challenge when presented with even more attention-grabbing material, thriving in situations where the normally-reserved Charles unleashes his darker side, too.
You could listen to this version of Charles Xavier talk all day, and that's exactly how you know Cedric Smith understood the assignment.
2. James McAvoy
Appeared in: X-Men film series
When the Fox X-Men film franchise decided to take a trip into the past, it needed a younger actor to portray Charles Xavier in his younger days. For that, James McAvoy was brought in to play the role.
It was a great casting. An underrated one, even. McAvoy is certainly an esteemed actor but he doesn't often get the credit he deserved for his passionate performance as the young Professor X. He did an awesome job, giving us a chance to see what Charles was like in his earlier years, while also featuring little nods and nuances to Stewart's portrayal of the character.
The younger Charles is less reserved than his future self, and that's normal, which allows McAvoy opportunities to make the role his own - something he does very well. The character was quite a different person at this stage of his life but he wasn't completely unrecognizable either - and that's how you know McAvoy did well.
There was more naivety, more vocal passion, and more mistakes; but there was also the growth and knowledge that would evolve him into his older, wiser self. McAvoy delivered and then some, giving us a Charles that was the same, but different.
1. Patrick Stewart
Appeared in: X-Men film series, Logan, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
This should come as no surprise. Patrick Stewart was already a veteran of the stage and screen (and a pop-culture icon due to his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation) by the time that he made his debut as Charles Xavier in 2000's X-Men, but it was in that role that he earned himself perhaps his biggest legion of fans. Yes, Professor X was popular, but Stewart's portrayal was legendary.
There's an aura that Stewart gives off in any role; it's regal, almost, and it makes him captivating to watch. He commands your presence, and he certainly does that in the X-Men film series. The star was effortlessly able to capture Charles' warmth as the benevolent teacher at his school, his reserved attitude to just about everything, and his calm, knowledgeable demeanor. Charles is an incredibly complex character and Stewart took us on a journey with him to help us see why. He is Charles in every way, and that ensured that we never once questioned him in the role.
Seeing him return to the role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was an awe-inspiring experience, especially as he had the iconic yellow chair from X-Men: The Animated Series. It was only fitting that he play that universe's Professor X, because Stewart is - and probably always will be - the definitive Charles Xavier.