There is simply no limit to the tyrannical snobbery that otherwise decent people can descend into when it comes to music.
Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience - so we're all different. - Ian McKellen
Anyone in public life who comes out, comes out primarily for themselves, and their life is immediately improved. That's what happened to me. - Ian McKellen
Because I was in the business of translating the 'X-Men' from the very successful comics, and taking the most popular book of the 20th century in 'The Lord of the Rings,' and making it into three movies, I hope people realize I wouldn't get involved in anything I didn't think was really going to be worth their while. - Ian McKellen
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
Before I ever acted as an amateur - which I did a great deal at school and at university - I used to go to the theater with my parents in the north of England, where I was born and brought up... Theater of all sorts. - Ian McKellen
Bill Gallagher's new version of 'The Prisoner' is an enthralling commentary on modern culture. It is witty, intelligent and disturbing. I am very excited to be involved. - Ian McKellen
Establishing the rights for gay people to be married would cost the Australian government nothing financially and would gain for you worldwide respect from people like us and, of course, would change lives enormously - the lives of gay people and of their friends and of their families and therefore of Australia as a whole. - Ian McKellen
Even now, there are young actors who want careers as romantic leading men, and the best thing is not to reveal you're gay. - Ian McKellen
Every time you work is a challenge. There's a constant worry about it, and it's a side of acting I don't like. - Ian McKellen
Gandalf is in Middle-earth to keep an eye on everybody, and that can be a rather serious matter. - Ian McKellen
Gandalf the Grey was always the guy I prefer. Gandalf the White was driven to do a particular job, whereas Gandalf the Grey is a bit more humane. - Ian McKellen
Godot is whatever it is in life that you are waiting for: 'I'm waiting to win the lottery. I'm waiting to fall in love'. For me, as a child, it was Christmas. At least that eventually came. - Ian McKellen
How do I act so well? What I do is I pretend to be the person I'm portraying in the film or play. - Ian McKellen
I always walk up the escalator on the Tube, and I live in a house with a lot of stairs, and that's good exercise, but you need more than that. - Ian McKellen
I am lucky, I don't have aches and pains. I do Pilates regularly, which is a series of stretching exercises, and I recommend it to anyone of my age because the temptation is not to exercise when you get older. Well, you should. - Ian McKellen
I can't make up my mind whether I want to dance like Josef Brown or dance with Josef Brown. - Ian McKellen