Actors don't, in fact, retire, do they? It took me a while to remember that. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I love musicals; I love the ballet, opera, the circus. It's all performance to me. — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Anyone in public life who comes out, comes out primarily for themselves, and their life is immediately improved. That's what happened to… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I increasingly see organized religion as actually my enemy. They treat me as their enemy. Not all Christians, of course. Not all… — 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
I owe a great deal to Harold Hobson, doyen drama critic of the 'U.K. Sunday Times,' who championed me as Shakespeare's Richard… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
One school invited me down, as two pupils had come out, and the headmaster didn't know what to do about it. I… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
What's nice for me, having identified myself for years as being rather shy, is now, wherever I am, in public, there tends… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I remember Tom Stoppard saying to me when I came out, 'I feel so sorry for you, because you'll never have children.'… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
You won't hear me talk about my politics, you won't hear me talk about my vegetarianism, you won't hear me comment on… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
Will I miss Gandalf? Well, I don't miss him, because people are constantly coming up to me mentioning him and talking about… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
I quite like it when I'm on the Tube and people offer me their seat. Sometimes I take it. The other day… — Ian Mckellen Copy Share Image
There are people who've enjoyed my work in the theater, and they let me know that it was special for them. I'm… — 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 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
When you grumble about a taxi being dirty, people your own age will absolutely agree with you, whereas younger people say, 'You… — 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
