The performance is created by the director. The actor is the material. And I think that has to be true. Ian Mckellen More Quotes by Ian Mckellen More Quotes From Ian Mckellen My acting stopped being about disguise and became about truth which suits the camera, so my film career took off when I came out. Ian Mckellen cameras careers acting 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. Ian Mckellen good-life believe thinking Success in the movies has pushed me to places I didn't know I was allowed to go. Ian Mckellen knows I'm cheaper than Anthony Hopkins. 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. Tony Hopkins didn't think it would be an adventure. Tony is part of Hollywood. I'm an eccentric English actor, and there's a lot of us around. Ian Mckellen cheaper hollywood film It's only fair that stable gay relationships of long standing should have the same rights and responsibilities as married couples. I know the image of gay marriage is to some people horrific and ludicrous. Ian Mckellen gay couple responsibility 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! Ian Mckellen brother feet doors 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. Ian Mckellen giving directors thinking 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. Ian Mckellen gay talking thinking I suspect the base that I'm working from is not particularly one of inquiry, but of memory of what I did last time. Ian Mckellen inquiry lasts memories It's a joy to be up close to Derek Jacobi's work. Alas, we haven't worked very much, over the years, since we were at university together, but I don't think I've missed many of his great shows and performances. Ian Mckellen joy years thinking What I particularly like about Broadway is the camaraderie and the friendship of other people in other shows. Everybody knows you're opening and cares about you. There's a real village atmosphere. Ian Mckellen atmosphere real people 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. Ian Mckellen done inspiration thinking It is so painful watching yourself act, particularly because you can't do anything about it, it's all done and dusted. Ian Mckellen painful done Ever since the invention of the camera, people have been trying to create 3D, because we see things in 3D, and everyone's aware that the camera doesn't. Ian Mckellen cameras trying people 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. Ian Mckellen actors acting kids Kids are coming out earlier and earlier - some, as young as twelve now - and schools need to take that into account. Ian Mckellen twelve kids school 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. Ian Mckellen vices character directors You would be surprised how many directors don't know what they want. They might not know what they want until they see it, they might know what they want but no idea how to get it out of the actor, then you've both got a problem. Ian Mckellen would-be directors ideas Elijah looks angelic but his beauty of spirit is what makes his Frodo leap out of the screen. Unalloyed goodness is one of the most difficult attributes to act. Ian Mckellen frodo spirit looks I'm a latecomer to popular TV. This is rather new to me, being in a sitcom. It's been an ambition of mine. Ian Mckellen latecomers tvs ambition
