Ian McKellen on How He Became Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings | BAFTA Insights

class act from him
most people will tell they`re stun with his performance, but he wouldnt take credit of it

even Sir Christopher Lee aknowledge this man as Gandalf, the role that he eagerly wants

Today I learned that even Gandalf disses tom cruise!

How Ian McKellen became Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings? He imagined what it would be like to be a wizard and then he pretended and acted in that way on the day. And how did he know what to say? The words were written down for him in the script. How did he know where to stand? People told him.

"Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian ....You shall not pass! ....Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian".

Didn’t realise Nick Griffin had started working with the BAFTA’s.

Peter Jackson came to me and said, “Sir Ian I need you to play a wizard..” To which I replied, “You are aware I am not really a wizard?”

People told him where to stand

all of you play great part the best casting possible i watch lotr at lest 1 time a year since seen in cinema first time

Can't imagine anyone else playing Gandolf.

He didn't just play a part ... he played a huge part.

His famous “FLY, You fools.!” Line was so great because you can hear how Gandalf is frustrated that they are trying to save him when the Ring is what’s important

I saw him on stage as Lear a few years ago. Although he was clearly phoning it in, he was head and shoulders better than anyone else in the cast. No, “phoning it in is unfair”. Let me self edit. Playing Lear did not seem to be much of a challenge to Sir Ian. The rest of the cast was ernest. Sir Ian was laid back and having fun.

He had to tell Peter Jackson that in real life, he was not actually a wizard, but Peter cleverly had the idea that Sir Ian should use his imagination to pretend what he would do if he actually were a wizard in real life. Then Sir Ian wondered what kind of lines he should say, but Peter very smartly wrote it down for him so he could read it.

Cucking sock I would imagine.

Homophobic logic: gay men cannot play the hero, but Magneto is quite OK.

Ian McKellen? Oh no! that is Sir! Ian McKellen to you!

Lucky Gandalf

2003?

The first movie came out in 2001.

Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian [ACTION!] - WIZARD, YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!! - [CUT] Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian...

I DONT THINK I CAN STOP THEM ALL AT ONCE, CHAAAALES

❤ thanks for the story

Looooooooove him❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

no one else, with the possible exception of Christopher Lee, could have played Gandalf.

This man added a professionalism and class to X-men and The Lord of the Rings. This man is a true actor who considers his characters apart from his own ego.

That is the most tasteless tie i have ever seen

Thx to Disney and WB I have grown to hate the word…franchise!

Ian is only and true Gandalf!

Why do I act so well? Case in point: Lord of the Rings. Peter Jackson comes to me in New Zealand and said to me: Sir Ian, I want you to be Gandalf the Wizard. And I said to him: You are aware that I am not really a wizard

If we were to draw a graph of my process, of my method, it would be something like this: Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian, action, wizard "You shall not pass!", cut. Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian.

How did I know what to say? They had my lines written down on a script. How did I know where to stand? People showed me.

i really wish this man was in more films but i guess thats what makes his minor film projects such a treat. Much more of a stage guy.

Somewhere out there, there is a universe where Ian didn't play Gandalf...thank God it's not our universe.

Sir Mckellen is a national treasure.

Happy Birthday, dear Serena! Love and health to you and your family! From the faithful fans of the most beautiful and talented actress ever!

You have no idea what was in my 11 year-old brain when I first found out that Gandalf was Magneto.

I'm so happy you did it. The movies would never have been the same without you. No one could have played Gandalf better.

“They came round to my house…like a couple of hobbits actually!” 🤣🤣🤣

He is better to be gandalf than ian

He pretended to be a wizard and then spoke lines as if he was one.

Let me explain his pro-cess.

He’s going along and he’s “Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian” Action! Wizard: YOOOO SHALLLL NAAAHT PAAAHHHSSS!” Cut! “Sir Ian, Sir Ian, Sir Ian.”

He’s being humble about it but his contribution to the film was so critical to the story. Two wizards who are also McKellan and Christopher Lee. It’s hard to think of other actors who could come close. They would have been different movies with anyone else. Like the 2 Dumbledores.

It is pretty interesting to check out fanart of Gandalf when he was still hanging out in the Blessed Realm, and was known as Olórin - those fanart drawings often depict him in a way that makes him look very much like an elf, without any beard or anything, and this was indeed probably one of the shapes that he had back then.

God bless Ian. He has give so much to so many

God isn’t real children!! They are lying to you! Watch the comments on my comments. It’s all fake. Live a life free of god. It’s the best! They don’t know what’s what. Love your own life!

It was easily the best casting decision in movie history!

He had to explain to Peter Jackson that he is not in fact a wizard, but Jackson said he understands McKellen then admitted that he'd have to simply pretend to be a wizard because he isn't one, but Jackson was fine with that

Having read LotR in the seventies, I couldn't imagine anyone playing Gandalf... until I saw the first film. That goes for much of the cast as well. Frodo, Sam, Aragorn, Gimli, Arwen, etc.

His Gandalf is warmer and more playful than book Gandalf who is more of a typical wizard character. But I think, though cautiously, that this is an improvement. It draws a sharper contrast to Saruman's cold intellect, for example. Characterization was not one of Tolkien's great literary strengths. Similarly the choice to keep Frodo young in the film rather than have him be middle-aged as in the books is I think an improvement. And Aragorn being reluctant, doubtful, a bit uncertain about becoming king is similarly not true to the books but yet is an improvement in characterization.
The choice to have Arwen rescue Frodo instead of Glorfindel is also an improvement. Not only does it streamline the story by removing a character who never turns up again, it also adds excitement to that scene by turning it into a chase. Vulnerable little Arwen fleeing from terrifying wraiths is a much more suspenseful and interesting scene than mighty Glorfindel scaring the wraiths away. It builds up the wraiths as villains much better.
And removing Bombadil is also the right choice. Not only does it streamline the plot by removing a character who never shows up again, it also keeps the Ring seeming terrifying. I think seeing Bombadil put on the Ring and treat it as nothing would take away from the suspense and drama of the object.

He really is Gandalf!

He killed it as Magneto too