“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 for an audience. The more the merrier. I don't make any distinction between a popular TV series or blockbuster film and doing Shakespeare. They're different, but as long as the material is good and the intention is honourable, it's all the same to me.” WantLongDifferentPlayFilmActorsHouseActingAudienceMaterialsTvsEmptySeriesIntentionTheatreDistinctionTv SeriesBlockbusterEmpty HousesMore The Merrier 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
“Most of the time when you do a job, a play or a film, you're wondering, "Will there be an audience?"” PlayJobsFilmWonderAudience 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
“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
“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
“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
