4 ms·

Sir Ian McKellen's Lord of the Rings Production Blogs

150 points by mhb 7y ago

Ididntdothis 7y ago
If you haven’t seen it yet, his episode in the show “Extras” is fantastic.
- user982 7y ago
  "Peter Jackson comes from New Zealand, says 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.'" - https://youtu.be/7DtlTeheCjk https://youtu.be/7DtlTeheCjk "Never have I laughed out of place, ever." - https://youtu.be/lWM4xiEbmgo?t=366 https://youtu.be/lWM4xiEbmgo?t=366
dadarepublic 7y ago
This intro line and supporting one are fantastic: >There is a general assumption that the main professional concern of actors is the parts they play. That is not true of this actor... >It's rather that I invariably look at the job as a whole - who will direct, who will be cast, how long will it take,do I want to work in Leeds (or Toronto or now Wellington) I would venture to say that I bet quite a number of actors have been burned by wanting to play a role so bad they didn't look at the endeavor as a whole. Ian is a true legend. Thanks for posting!
- mzs 7y ago
  probably so https://twitter.com/data_bayes/status/1209350964232237056 https://twitter.com/data_bayes/status/1209350964232237056 >I would venture to say that I bet quite a number of actors have been burned by wanting to play a role so bad they didn't look at the endeavor as a whole.
myth_buster 7y ago
It's a great read. Web archive link as the blog faced hug of death this weekend. https://web.archive.org/web/20190609094448/http://mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/journal.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20190609094448/http://mckellen.c... Ian post on 20th anniversary. https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/1215709543272812544 https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/1215709543272812544
- Aaronstotle 7y ago
  I recall him mentioning these posts on some of the bonus content that came with the movies, cool to see it pop up again. Thanks for the archive link, site is under heavy load it seems.
LunaSea 7y ago
Reading the title a bit fast I almost had a heart attack thinking that he had passed away.
biggestlou 7y ago
Blog, not blogs
- netsharc 7y ago
  Some people (many Brits) think each blogpost is called "a blog". The design is quite adorable, I'm surprised it's being maintained by a professional http://www.keithstern.net/ http://www.keithstern.net/
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
_bxg1 7y ago
> never having imagined that I would ever play any sort of wizard Strange to hear from the most wizardly living actor I can possibly think of
- ceejayoz 7y ago
  He was in X-Men playing (basically) a wizard the year before, even.
- toyg 7y ago
  “Wizardry” wasn’t a popular thing in theatre and movie circles for most of his career, particularly in Britain.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

150 points by mhb 7y ago

Ididntdothis 7y ago

If you haven’t seen it yet, his episode in the show “Extras” is fantastic.

user982 7y ago
"Peter Jackson comes from New Zealand, says 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.'" - https://youtu.be/7DtlTeheCjk https://youtu.be/7DtlTeheCjk "Never have I laughed out of place, ever." - https://youtu.be/lWM4xiEbmgo?t=366 https://youtu.be/lWM4xiEbmgo?t=366

dadarepublic 7y ago

This intro line and supporting one are fantastic: >There is a general assumption that the main professional concern of actors is the parts they play. That is not true of this actor... >It's rather that I invariably look at the job as a whole - who will direct, who will be cast, how long will it take,do I want to work in Leeds (or Toronto or now Wellington) I would venture to say that I bet quite a number of actors have been burned by wanting to play a role so bad they didn't look at the endeavor as a whole. Ian is a true legend. Thanks for posting!

mzs 7y ago
probably so https://twitter.com/data_bayes/status/1209350964232237056 https://twitter.com/data_bayes/status/1209350964232237056 >I would venture to say that I bet quite a number of actors have been burned by wanting to play a role so bad they didn't look at the endeavor as a whole.

myth_buster 7y ago

It's a great read. Web archive link as the blog faced hug of death this weekend. https://web.archive.org/web/20190609094448/http://mckellen.com/cinema/lotr/journal.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20190609094448/http://mckellen.c... Ian post on 20th anniversary. https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/1215709543272812544 https://twitter.com/IanMcKellen/status/1215709543272812544

Aaronstotle 7y ago
I recall him mentioning these posts on some of the bonus content that came with the movies, cool to see it pop up again. Thanks for the archive link, site is under heavy load it seems.

LunaSea 7y ago

Reading the title a bit fast I almost had a heart attack thinking that he had passed away.

biggestlou 7y ago

Blog, not blogs

netsharc 7y ago
Some people (many Brits) think each blogpost is called "a blog". The design is quite adorable, I'm surprised it's being maintained by a professional http://www.keithstern.net/ http://www.keithstern.net/
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

_bxg1 7y ago

> never having imagined that I would ever play any sort of wizard Strange to hear from the most wizardly living actor I can possibly think of

ceejayoz 7y ago
He was in X-Men playing (basically) a wizard the year before, even.
toyg 7y ago
“Wizardry” wasn’t a popular thing in theatre and movie circles for most of his career, particularly in Britain.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]