To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
The conventional wisdom is that if you are gay, you cannot play the romantic straight lead in a movie. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Most of the time when you do a job, a play or a film, you're wondering, "Will there be an audience?" — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
The first film role I deliberately chose to play after I came out was a raging heterosexual, John Profumo. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
How do I act so well? What I do is I pretend to be the person I'm portraying in the film or… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I had never come across the 'X-Men' comics till I was asked to play Magneto, so I just jumped into that job. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I don't make much distinction between being a stand-up comic and acting Shakespeare - in fact, unless you're a good comedian, you're… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
The most likely explanation is the most practical. 'Macbeth' is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Macbeth is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater, just mount a production of Macbeth.… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Try and understand what part you have to play in the world in which you live. There's more to life than you… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I have never wanted to be typecast, one of those actors who plays a variation on a one-note theme. So just as… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I've played an awful lot of people that other people would call villains, but that isn't a very helpful attitude to have… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
So it's joyful to me, in my 71st year, to be able to be in a play that is absolutely right for… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Quite low down in the list is "How much am I going to be paid?"... my main feeling about money is that… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I've always longed for the theatre and acting to be popular. No actor wants to play to an empty house. We only do it… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'.… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
I'm only an actor. I'm not a writer. I'm not going to leave any legacy. All I've ever done is learn the lines and… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
I'd never read 'Lord of the Rings' until I was asked to play Gandalf, so I didn't really know it was a frightfully famous… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
The strength of British theatre should be that these actors in their middle years know what they're doing and are good at it. Not… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share
