That's the imagination that happens in the theater. That imagination is translated in film by the film magicians and all the technology. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Why do you act? You act for an audience. In the theatre, you're in their presence. Film stars don't know what it… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
My acting stopped being about disguise and became about truth which suits the camera, so my film career took off when I… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I'm not being offered a constant stream of wonderful parts with wonderful directors that would keep me away from the theatre. When… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Very, very rare that you do a job knowing that the audience is desperate for you to do that job. Most films… — 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
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
You would be surprised how many directors don't know what they want. They might not know what they want until they see… — 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
I came rather late to film. I've done an awful lot of theater before - before I discovered the camera, you know,… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I'm cheaper than Anthony Hopkins. The other actors they asked to play Gandalf wouldn't go to New Zealand on that money for… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
If you've been in a film that's seen by millions and millions and millions of people, you're more likely to be recognized… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
There are directors, and I think this is true of all directors, it would be true if I was a director -… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
My memory of 3D movies is Fernando Lamas in a swashbuckling movie. And I suppose it had been the fifties, in which… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I don't make any distinction between a popular TV series or blockbuster film and doing Shakespeare. They're different, but as long as… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Baz [Luhrmann] paid me one of the greatest compliments ever. I don't know him, really, but when I first met him I… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Theatre is relatively easy if you're British - you're living in the theatre capital of the world, London - there are so… — 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
My reaction to 3D is subtly. Things don't come out at you, but rather you - The audience come into the film. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
It's easier to go from theatre to film than the other way round. In film you're absolutely loved and cossetted and cared… — 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
It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality. And… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Some directors don't tell you that it's not your fault, so you get increasingly depressed that you're not delivering what's required, and… — 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 Image
It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
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 Image
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 Image
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 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 frightfully famous… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
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 Image
Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
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 Image
![“Baz [Luhrmann] paid me one of the greatest compliments ever. I don't know him, really, but when I first met him I was congratulating him on ROMEO + JULIET - which I think is a wonderful adaptation - and he said, "Oh, well we couldn't have done it without your RICHARD III, which was an…” quote by Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/105/ian-mckellen-1396_adaptation_baz-luhrmann-paid-me-one-of-the-greatest_2176844.jpg)
