“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 inspiration!" I've never quite checked up on the dates to see whether or if, in fact, we did our film before he did his.” IfsThinkingKnowsFirstsWellsSaidDoneFactsInspirationFilmWonderfulMetsPaidComplimentAdaptationNever QuitJulietOh WellRomeo Juliet Author:Ian Mckellen
“Splendid architecture, the love of your life, an old friend... they can all go drifting by unseen if youre not careful.” IfsCarefulArchitectureUnseenSplendidOld FriendsDriftingLove Your Life Author:Ian Mckellen
“If you're sounding right, you're probably walking right, and vice versa. If you get the footwork right - if you get even one line right in a rehearsal, the director will say, do you know when you said that, it was exactly the character. You were - really landed on it.” IfsKnowsSaidCharacterLinesWalkingDirectorsVicesDo You KnowRehearsalVice VersaOne LineFootwork Author:Ian Mckellen
“I've played an awful lot of people that other people would call villains, but that isn't a very helpful attitude to have if you're about to play them. They are just people, and they may do dreadful things and say dreadful things, but your job as an actor is to know why they do them or say them.” PeopleIfsKnowsMayPlayJobsActorsAttitudeAwfulHelpfulVillain Author:Ian Mckellen
“In fact, my face has shrunk in the meantime, but it won't be particularly noticeable because it's covered up with hair. So I hope I'm not alarmed if I ever do sit through the five movies.” IfsFactsFacesFiveHairCoveredCovered Up Author:Ian Mckellen
“I think if I were asked to do as many as fifty takes, I would assume the director had no idea what he wanted, and was just hoping, eventually, to see it.” IfsThinkingIdeasWantedDirectorsAssumingNo IdeaFifty Author:Ian Mckellen
“There are directors, and I think this is true of all directors, it would be true if I was a director - If the actor didn't want to do what I was suggesting, I would let him do it his way, and then I would say to him, "Just give me one where you do what the director wants", and that, of course, is the take that's used.” IfsThinkingWayWantGivingWould BeUsedCoursesActorsDirectorsGive MeBeing TrueSuggesting 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
“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
“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
“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
