---
title: "6 Popular Quotes By Ian Mckellen"
description: "6 Popular quotes by Ian Mckellen. Plus more from Ian Mckellen and more Popular sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_the-most-likely-explanation-is-the-most_281970.jpg"
---

> [The most likely explanation is the most practical. 'Macbeth' is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-most-likely-explanation-is-the-most-practical-macbeth-is-a-very/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/445/ian-mckellen-1396_acting_the-most-likely-explanation-is-the-most_281970.jpg)

> [I don't make any distinction between a popular TV series or blockbuster film and doing Shakespeare. They're different, but as long as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-don-t-make-any-distinction-between-a-popular-tv-series-or/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/ian-mckellen-1396_any_i-don-t-make-any-distinction-between-a-p_413800.jpg)

> [To be allowed for the first time in your later career to play leading parts in extremely popular movies is not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your-later-career-to-play-leading/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bea/ian-mckellen-1396_about_to-be-allowed-for-the-first-time-in-your_945000.jpg)

> ['The Da Vinci Code' is the most popular book of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-da-vinci-code-is-the-most-popular-book-of-our-times/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00f/ian-mckellen-1396_book_the-da-vinci-code-is-the-most-popular-bo_1145156.jpg)

> [Because I was in the business of translating the 'X-Men' from the very successful comics, and taking the most popular book of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/because-i-was-in-the-business-of-translating-the-x-men-from-the-very/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/575/ian-mckellen-1396_20th-century_because-i-was-in-the-business-of-transla_1385242.jpg)

> [So it's joyful to me, in my 71st year, to be able to be in a play that is absolutely right for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/so-it-s-joyful-to-me-in-my-71st-year-to-be-able-to-be-in-a-play-that/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37e/ian-mckellen-1396_able_so-it-s-joyful-to-me-in-my-71st-year-to_2803565.jpg)

## Other authors on Popular

## More by Ian Mckellen

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-ve-always-longed-for-the-theatre-and-acting-to-be-popular-no-actor/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/it-s-my-impression-that-i-ve-done-every-job-that-i-ve-been-asked-to-do/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [I'm fortunate to be famous for two rather imposing characters like Magneto and Gandalf.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-fortunate-to-be-famous-for-two-rather-imposing-characters-like/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Tolkien is as good as Dickens at sketching a scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/tolkien-is-as-good-as-dickens-at-sketching-a-scene/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [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'.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/godot-is-whatever-it-is-in-life-that-you-are-waiting-for-i-m-waiting/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-m-only-an-actor-i-m-not-a-writer-i-m-not-going-to-leave-any-legacy/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/i-d-never-read-lord-of-the-rings-until-i-was-asked-to-play-gandalf-so/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [You might be surprised by how interested young people are in older people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/you-might-be-surprised-by-how-interested-young-people-are-in-older/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-strength-of-british-theatre-should-be-that-these-actors-in-their/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Until I came out, my acting was all about disguise, and thereafter it became about telling the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/until-i-came-out-my-acting-was-all-about-disguise-and-thereafter-it/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/elijah-looks-angelic-but-his-beauty-of-spirit-is-what-makes-his-frodo/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> ['The Lego Movie?' I've never heard of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/the-lego-movie-i-ve-never-heard-of-it/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [When I appeared in 'Coronation Street,' I lived in Manchester and enjoyed it very much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/when-i-appeared-in-coronation-street-i-lived-in-manchester-and/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

> [Before acting, I wanted to become a journalist. I also toyed with the idea of being a chef - but that's only when people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/before-acting-i-wanted-to-become-a-journalist-i-also-toyed-with-the/)

[Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/)

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