I'm not someone who wears shades all the time and ducks into a darkened car in case I'm recognized - that would be absolute misery. Ian Mckellen More Quotes by Ian Mckellen More Quotes From Ian Mckellen On the day after 9/11, I walking through the smoke and the smells of New York. There were knots of policemen everywhere. As I went past one officer, he called out: "Hi, Magneto." That's an indication of X-Men's extraordinary reach. Ian Mckellen new-yorkmenpast 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. Ian Mckellen theatrehousenight 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. Ian Mckellen believepeopleideas There's no sex in Middle Earth. Ian Mckellen middle-earthearthsex 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. Ian Mckellen cable-tvdemocracycare It may be my rather puritanical upbringing at odds with my inborn laziness that makes me feel guilty at the end of the day, unless I am able to point at some achievement. But this need be no more impressive than cooking a meal or going for a long walk. Ian Mckellen long-walksachievementodds 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. Ian Mckellen houseplaylong 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. Ian Mckellen covered-upfaceshair 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. Ian Mckellen girlfriendfunmen My reaction to 3D is subtly. Things don't come out at you, but rather you - The audience come into the film. Ian Mckellen reactionsaudiencefilm Journalists often ask me: "Aren't you sorry that after all the work you've done, you're best known as Magneto and Gandalf?" But that's what I've always wanted - not to be known as myself. I want to draw attention to the characters. Ian Mckellen sorrywantcharacter [There's] nothing special about an actor's imagination, except that he uses it a lot. Ian Mckellen imaginationusespecial 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. Ian Mckellen honestylyingpeople All other areas of my life, I'm hopeless. I can't even be certain how to boil an egg. Ian Mckellen hopelesscertaineggs 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. Ian Mckellen playcutecharacter The audience's expectations are ever-present. Ian Mckellen audienceexpectations Actors are merely the medium through which a story happens. Ian Mckellen mediumsactorsstories 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. Ian Mckellen takenplayadventure Every anti-gay remark from the Church gives the thug a license to be cruel. Ian Mckellen thuggaygiving I was brought up in industrial south Lancashire, down the cobbled road from where LS Lowry (1887-1976) lived and painted. Ian Mckellen lancashiresouth
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