Ian McKellen: A Life of Adventure
For Ian McKellen, life has always been an adventure. “It’s true,” the actor says with a smile. “I do get excited — I can’t believe my luck really.” At 86, with a prolific career spanning decades, McKellen continues to embrace new challenges, even beyond the traditional retirement age. He reflects on his brother-in-law, a former teacher who retired early due to dissatisfaction with the education system, contrasting it with his own enduring passion for his craft.
“Oh dear,” he says, shaking his head. “And I don’t like the way our business is going at times, but that is all the more reason to still do it.” Without children, McKellen finds fulfillment in connecting with younger generations who express gratitude for his work, particularly his advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights. “So it’s lovely to feel my life has had purpose, without me really trying. That’s better than any prize.”
From Burnley to Global Icon
Born in Burnley in 1939, McKellen’s journey to fame wasn’t immediate. He acknowledges that he “wasn’t famous until my sixties,” when Hollywood beckoned with iconic roles like Magneto in X-Men and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. “People only really know me for two films,” he jokes, downplaying a career that began on the stage in 1961 and flourished with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and National Theatre in the 1970s.
Embracing New Frontiers in Theatre: An Ark
Currently, McKellen is exploring innovative theatrical formats with An Ark, an experimental piece utilizing virtual reality. This performance unfolds directly in front of each audience member, creating a remarkably personal experience despite the actors’ physical absence. He sees potential in this technology for cash-strapped theatres, offering a cost-effective way to reach audiences.
“People keep asking if this is the future,” McKellen says, “and I don’t know about that, but it’s not the past. There’s a disclaimer at the beginning that says this is imperfect and that’s right, it’s a bit rough, but the possibilities? Someone’s going to say, ‘I know what I can do with this.’ Because in a sense it’s superior to theatre. You can never get as close to these characters in a theatre as you do here.”
A Recent Setback and a Resilient Spirit
In June 2024, McKellen experienced a fall on stage during a performance of Player Kings, resulting in a fractured wrist and chipped vertebra. He views his return to theatre through virtual reality as a safe way to ease back into performing. “I thought that was the safest way of getting back to work,” he admits. Despite the incident, his passion for the stage remains undimmed.
“But, yes, I have accepted that I’m not immortal,” he says quietly. “Yet I still function. And really the inevitability of mortality comes not just from what you are feeling about yourself, but the simple fact that your friends die — all the time.” He reflects on the loss of friends, including Judi Dench, and the comfort he finds in knowing they faced death with acceptance.
Looking Back and Moving Forward
McKellen fondly remembers his friend Ian Charleson, who bravely continued performing Hamlet while battling illness. He supports the Ian Charleson Awards, celebrating young acting talent. He also expresses enthusiasm for upcoming projects, including a new film with Derek Jacobi, Roger Allam, Sheila Hancock, and Stephen Fry, and a return to the role of Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum.
Despite his immense success, McKellen remains grounded. He acknowledges a past “least successful film,” Cats, with a wry smile. He embraces each opportunity with gratitude, recognizing the extraordinary luck that has shaped his life and career. As he approaches 87, Ian McKellen’s spirit of adventure and dedication to his craft show no signs of waning.
Further Exploration
