“The performance is created by the director. The actor is the material. And I think that has to be true.” ThinkingActorsMaterialsDirectorsPerformancesBeing True Author:Ian Mckellen
“I'm not experienced enough, or certain enough of my acting on the screen to say to a director, "You are wrong, I am right. I will only do it this way." I could never feel that, I wish I could be absolutely certain. But on the stage, it's different. I know where I am on the stage.” KnowsWayFeelsDifferentEnoughCertainWishActingStageDirectorsScreens Author:Ian Mckellen
“For old actors, just remember that inside you're only 14. Acting is for kids. You poor old grown-ups, you've forgotten how to do what kids know automatically.” KnowsKidsRememberActorsPoorActingForgotten Author:Ian Mckellen
“I think it's one thing to declare your sexuality, if you care about what that is. It's another thing to start talking in public about what you do in private and who you do it with. It's not that they [my significant others] don't want to be identified as gay, but that they don't want to be identified as ... with me.” IfsThinkingWantCareTalkingOne ThingGaySexualitySignificantIf You CareSignificant Other Author:Ian Mckellen
“Acting is no longer about lying. It's now about revealing the truth. People are at ease with me now. Honesty is the best policy.” PeopleLyingActingHonestyPolicyEaseRevealingHonesty Is The Best Policy Author:Ian Mckellen
“I have been reluctant to lobby on other issues I most care about - nuclear weapons (against), religion (atheist), capital punishment (anti), AIDS (fund-raiser) because I don't want to be forever spouting, diluting the impact of addressing my most urgent concern - legal and social equality for gay people worldwide.” PeopleWantHas BeensCareSocialForeverIssuesGayWeaponsConcernImpactAtheistAidsNuclearPunishmentFundNuclear WeaponsUrgentReluctantGay PeopleCapital PunishmentAgainst ReligionSocial Equality Author:Ian Mckellen
“Try and understand what part you have to play in the world in which you live. There's more to life than you know and it's all happening out there. Discover what part you can play and then go for it.” KnowsWorldTryingPlayHappeningsMore To Life Author:Ian Mckellen
“If you've got Mystique as your girlfriend the fun you could have in bed - I've just imagined X-Men 3 might open with me in bed with Patrick Stewart.” IfsMenMightFunBedGirlfriendX MenMystiqueYour Girlfriend Author:Ian Mckellen
“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 never going to be able to play Hamlet properly.” PlayFactsAbleActingComicComedianDistinction Author:Ian Mckellen
“That was the big effect Lord of the Rings had on me. It was discovering New Zealand. And even more precious were the people- not at all like the Australians.” PeopleBigsLordEffectsRingsDiscoveringNew ZealandAustralia And New Zealand Author:Ian Mckellen
“Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience - so we're all different.” DifferentCharacterProcessActingPersonalityDiscovering 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 asked me what I wanted to be. In fact, I always used to say I wanted to be an actor, but I didn't ever believe that I was good enough to be come one.” PeopleBelieveIdeasEnoughFactsWantedUsedActorsActingJournalistGood EnoughChef Author:Ian Mckellen
“I think the point to be understood is that we're all different. I've never been a fan of theories of acting. I didn't go to drama school, so I was never put through a training that was limited by someone saying, 'This is the way you should act.'” ThinkingWayShouldDifferentSchoolActingFansTheoryDramaTrainingUnderstood Author:Ian Mckellen
“When you were on stage, you could be absolutely open about your emotions and indulge them and express yourself in a way that - in real life - I wasn't doing.” WayRealActingEmotionStageReal LifeIndulgeExpress Yourself Author:Ian Mckellen
“I have never wanted to be typecast, one of those actors who plays a variation on a one-note theme. So just as I enjoy playing a wide variety of characters, from good to bad to ugly to cute - so I have enjoyed of late working in film and television, as well as in theatres of various sizes and shapes.” WellsPlayCharacterWantedFilmActorsEnjoyActingTelevisionShapesLateNotesSizeVariousUglyWideTheatreVarietyEnjoyedCuteThemeVariationFilm And Television Author:Ian Mckellen
“Quite low down in the list is "How much am I going to be paid?"... my main feeling about money is that I don`t want to feel as though I`m being taken advantage of... The other actors they asked to play Gandalf wouldn`t go to New Zealand on that money for that length of time. I thought it would be a bit of an adventure... I`m an eccentric actor, and there`s a lot of us around.” WantFeelsPlayFeelingsWould BeActorsBitsActingTakenAdventureLowsAdvantagePaidListsLengthEccentricNew ZealandTaken Advantage Author:Ian Mckellen
“The thing you notice here after America is how refreshingly ordinary people look, because they haven't had their chin wrapped around the back of their ears.” PeopleLooksAmericaHavensOrdinaryEarsOrdinary PeopleChins Author:Ian Mckellen
“I often thought my gravestone would say, 'Here lies Gandalf. He came out,'” LyingGravestone Author:Ian Mckellen
“I've had enough of being a gay icon! I've had enough of all this hard work, because, since I came out, I keep getting all these parts, and my career's taken off. I want a quiet life. I'm going back into the closet. But I can't get back into the closet, because it's absolutely jam-packed full of other actors.” WantI CanHardEnoughActorsCareersTakenHard WorkGayQuietGet BackClosetsIconsJamHad EnoughQuiet Life Author:Ian Mckellen
“Macbeth is a very popular play with audiences. If you want to sell out a theater, just mount a production of Macbeth. It's a short play, it's an exciting play, it's easy to understand, and it attracts great acting.” IfsWantPlayEasyActingAudienceExcitingTheaterSellsProductionsVery Popular Author:Ian Mckellen
“Personally, coming out was one of the most important things I've ever done, lifting from my shoulders the millstone of lies that I hadn't even realized I was carrying.” ImportantDoneLyingImportant ThingsShouldersComing OutLifting Author:Ian Mckellen
“There are not many things in my life I can be absolutely proud of or certain I got right, but one of them is that I've got better as an actor. I've learnt how to do it. And I still have enough energy to do it.” StillsI CanEnoughCertainActorsEnergyProud Author:Ian Mckellen
“When we'd suggested doing it, the Theatre Royal management had said, 'Nobody wants to see Waiting for Godot.' As it happened, every single ticket was booked for every single performance, and this confirmation that our judgment was right was sweet. Audiences came to us from all over the world. It was amazing.” WorldWantSaidWaitingAudienceHappenedSweetJudgmentPerformancesManagementTheatreTicketsRoyalConfirmationGodotWaiting For Godot Author:Ian Mckellen
“It was wrongly assumed that I wished to become some sort of leader among gay activists, whereas in reality I was happier to be a foot soldier.” RealityLeadershipLeaderFeetGaySoldierActivist Author:Ian Mckellen
“In the theatre, the actor is in total control. The director wasn't in the house last night, the designer wasn't there, the author's dead. It's just us and the audience.” LastsNightActorsHouseAudienceDirectorsTheatreDesignerLast Night Author:Ian Mckellen
“It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality. And even more difficult for a woman if she's lesbian. It`s very distressing to me that that should be the case. The film industry is very old fashioned in California.” IfsWantShouldFilmActorsDifficultCareersCasesIndustrySexualityCaliforniaOld FashionedFilm IndustryDistressing Author:Ian Mckellen
“If I was on a march at the moment I would be saying to everyone: Be honest with each other. Admit there are limitless possibilities in relationships, and love as many people as you can in whatever way you want, and get rid of your inhibitions, and we'll all be happy.” PeopleIfsWayWantMomentsWould BeHonestPossibilityAnd LoveBeing HonestMarchLimitlessInhibitionsLimitless Possibilities Author:Ian Mckellen
“I tend to discourage people from calling me 'Sir Ian,' because I don't like being separated out from the rest of the population. Of course, it can be useful if you're writing an official letter, like trying to get a visa or something passed through Parliament. They're impressed by these things.” PeopleIfsWritingTryingCoursesCallingLettersPopulationOfficialsImpressedParliamentDiscouragingVisa 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'. For me, as a child, it was Christmas. At least that eventually came.” ChildrenFallWinningWaitingFalling In LoveLotteryGodotWaiting For Godot Author:Ian Mckellen
“I headed out to have a breather at the stage door, dressed in my tramp costume. I had my bowler hat between my feet and there were passers-by, and one of them turned back and said, 'Do you need help, brother?' And $1 fell into my hat!” NeedsSaidHelpingDoorsFeetStageBrotherHatsCostumesNeed HelpTrampsBowlersBowler Hats Author:Ian Mckellen
“I was brought up in industrial south Lancashire, down the cobbled road from where LS Lowry (1887-1976) lived and painted.” SouthLancashire Author:Ian Mckellen
“You always think that 70 is the end of the road: 'Somebody died when they were 73; good life'. You're closer to death, and you better make sure you don't waste too much of your time doing things you don't want to do. No point in saying things you don't believe in.” ThinkingWantBelieveEndsToo MuchWasteDiedDon't BelieveGood LifeNo PointEnd Of The Road Author:Ian Mckellen
“I’ve often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying this is fiction.” ShouldFictionFrontsShould HaveDisclaimers Author:Ian Mckellen
“Why live outside the US? Do you want health care or safe food products or democracy or something? They're all overrated. Stay for the excellent cable TV.” WantCareDemocracyTvsProductsSafeHealth CareExcellentCablesOverratedCable TvSafe Food Author:Ian Mckellen
