Ian McKellen Says Goodbye To 'X-Men,' 'Hobbit' Franchises, Reflects On Iconic Career and Talks LGBT

America now a man who needs no introduction the legendary actor and activist Ian McKellen can do another Gandalf I think we've run out of material there and no I think I've had it with Gandalf though I loved I love going to New Zealand where they film it all yes they were great time what was your most challenging role ever well probably King Lear that does cover time with your life if you're serious that's when you have to think am I really going to play that part biggest regret that I didn't once they were alive talk to my parents about being gay my mother died when I was 12 so probably about time said she couldn't family you know my father didn't die till I was 24 I was a I was a man plus often people come up and wax lyrical and a very friendly and I'm not being away and taking the compass in there and then they finally came out witnessing every Harry Potter movie that's another visit all next on Larry King now welcome to Larry King now and our special guest is he and Miquelon the trailblazing English actor and activist known for roles in films like gods and monsters The Da Vinci Code the x-men movies and the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogy 'he's ian also has an extensive resume on stage recently acting in all a demand Waiting for Godot he's won six Laurence Olivier Awards a Golden Globe a Tony and two Critics Choice Awards among many others he's been nominated for two Academy Awards and five Emmys in 1991 he was knighted by the British monarchy for his services to the performing arts he's the co-founder of the Stonewall that's a UK charity that lobbies for legal and social equality for gay people his newest film mr. Han's was released this summer and it's available now on DVD and blu-ray you don't like being called sir right not really why well you don't like being called mr. mister well it's the same thing oh no no it's not mr. but Sir you have to be knighted yeah well I don't like to be a particularly at work I don't like to be course work because you know you've separated out from your sword on you she does put us all aw she's at his face it's not a heavy sword it's an epic you know sort of saw that Hamlet uses so she pushes it down and she pushes it down hard so you can feel it through your shoulder pads I think they're very considerate of her yeah that's your two questions and she said leave your metal what are they oh yes you should put some men around in it and she said to me you've been doing this for an awfully long time and I came back with well not as long as you have ma'am I got a smile after her no you ever see the groom you know we're not friends tell me about mr. Holmes are probably a little tired about talking about it came out this summer our DVD you play Sherlock as a younger as an older what is this a different home it is yes and the conceit is that Sherlock Holmes person and that all the stories written by dr. Watson were rather exaggerated fabrications as to what the real man was like so if this is the real mr. Holmes Amelie age 93 in retirement looking after bees and the South of England his housekeeper and son but niggling where the back of his mind is what was that case thirty years ago that made me stop work made him give up all detective and late in his life with his memory going and feeling rather decrepit he feels I've got to solve this one case before I die and the case is really about himself and he discovers that he's got a heart so it said optimistic so he never ever too late as Moriarty the villain Moriarty no is not no no not his is dr. Watson it's dr. Watson's dead oh but it's rather affected to me because this is all happening after the Second World War when he's 93 I was alive at that time so it makes me feel a little bit of a connection that although you know I'm 76 told you 82 oh stop it I swear to God well done well done damn how does he do it Bill Condon director this oh god bless him well what may he did gods in monster he day yeah he mistake good friends and whenever I was going out to middle-earth you know to do the Lord of the Rings from London I was all I was stopped in LA and stay with him and his partner so we had we'd stayed friends and hope to find another film aren't you doing Julie in the Beast well they I asked could I be in that because he's making the doing the remake with live-action of Beauty and the Beast and I get to play a play Cobb's was the clock not an extensive role but it's a fun musical it is beautiful this is our they started throwing already yeah they finished and and on the first day when they had a read-through you know for everyone to meet up and there was Audra McDonald and Emma Thompson them of Watson and stanley tucci resist rule to me to him and we're all sitting around these tables and unbeknownst to me I hadn't really notice behind us there was a choir and in the orchestra and whenever he came to a musical number they'd rehearse it we turned on and there they were doing the dancing it was the most thrilling show I've ever been to wonderful and the film's gonna be sensational you you're a fan favorite of course for two sci-fi franchise yeah well there was six hidden middle-earth three Lord of the Rings three orbits and then for x-men amazing I couldn't do another excellently I think I'm too old there and the Michael Fassbender great actor God he's now take those jobs I know wonderful actor and Macbeth he's just made as well both he plays the younger magneto so I guess if their movie so you all work with Patrick Stewart again well I will this summer I'm next summer I'm going to be on stage with him in London doing a Harold Pinter play which we didn't on Broadway last year so or play no-man's land one that John Gielgud did it originally with so you you'll keep on keeping on right head oh yeah you were Gandalf in Lord of the Rings yes do another Gandalf I think we've run out of material there and though I think I've had it with Gandalf though I loved I loved going to New Zealand where they film it all and yes they were great times but I had about 15 you never get tired of working right I thought a few years ago I'd give up or just work for part of the year and I found that I was a little bit bored I was enjoying seeing friends and going and doing things but I really liked the stimulus of work and you know while I'm still capable while I can still remember the lines where I can still hear what the other guy says where I can still walk and I think once will do because one day I may not be able to do any of that you always good at the wines well it's the same with all of us we count when we were kids we can't remember having to learn lines at all but now after month salary when we return Ian looks back on other iconic roles and weighs in on the changing state of the industry the movie mr. Holmes is available on DVD was out this summer anyway may well get macadam Award nomination we'll be right back mr. Holmes is available on DVD Ian McKellen as our guest Sir Ian I gotta say sure I'd love to say it before we go any further what's your reaction to the tragedy in Paris Oh golly well it's some terrible event but there are many terrible events around it and you know at the moment in the northern coast of France trying to get into England there are six thousand refugees who've walked across half the world to get there they're in a camp that's there and in Paris this devastation I suppose a terrorist just want to disrupt our lives and make it hell and I think our answer because what come on dudes leave you is to carry on there very chicken terrorist I never said only those German and so extreme in their views and you know that I'm sure that the legitimate legitimate complaint that your country and my country have meddled in their affairs is a fair one but it doesn't justify this giving a Paris for any time I go a lot it's only three hours away from London on the train that goes under the channel and I'll go back of course what do you make those there's now a great movement in the West do not let refugees in because there might be a few among them that are terrorists well that's a risk you take and we have we have mi5 to to check that there's that those people who looked after but most of the people don't want to come to the west they want to live in their own country but they can't because there's a terrible civil war going on if you're talking about Syria but there are other countries too these are brave brave people and I think there should be looked after and and and cared for until such time as they can go back home which is what most of the wants to do anything we have a strange bit of celebrity in the United States we have the Kardashians we have people being celebrated for being celebrated we don't know what they really do you have that in the UK I dare say reality show yes they do and I don't know I hold together understand I think it's a cheap way of television putting on drama and the older as a drama was something that was written correct and learnt and rehearsed and presented and performed now they can get these people to have their own mock dramas and that's probably cheaper than working up a whole production so I suspect that's the reason that they happen like that you came out of the closet so to speak at age 49 and they said you should have done it earlier why did you not well when I was growing up it was against the law to be gay I mean you couldn't have sex so you didn't start talking about entering there wasn't you didn't print you didn't come say I'm a gay man because you would be I might have the police knocking on your door and that was the basis of my reticence to talk about it I think I thought perhaps if if people knew I was gay I wouldn't be able to play certain sorts of parts in movies them on the stage it turned out to be not the case at all I my career took off once I camera are you shocked at how quit the public has changed on this subject well civil rights lives are all connected and and I but the gay civil rights movement and this in my country has got rid of all the but laws that existed and brought in some positive ones like ability to get married get married for example and I think I think the world had sort of changed and was ready for it but the politicians haven't realized and we worked hard who took about 20 years now I get my visit schools and talks a little about the old days are being yeah him and encouraged them to be nice to each other or not bully each other and I find that there are kids of thirteen and fourteen exploring their sexuality I want to talk about it to their parents nests and put a label on themselves but it's out in the open there are trans kids going through a second discussion and you care and I am so hopeful for the future you think the public was ahead of the politicians yes I think when you explain to people the obvious thing that we must all be treated equally by there's a lot of choice it's just a right and and you know once once to gay people can get married the ripples that that cast on society know their friends and Friends of their friends and the sky isn't falling him there was a poll recently in America that over I think 60 percent of Americans would like to get president well and that's going to keep changing into a little more 90 percent of me so it's a wonderful change and wouldn't when you put that against the terrible things that are happening in the world it just makes you glad that democracy allows these things to happen I want to get your take on the fight for gender equality in Hollywood hmm going on now that act email actresses do not make as much as my electors what are your thoughts on that well is that true in the UK - yes it probably is I don't hear much complain about but I guess it's the case well there have always been strong women in Hollywood who learns they can Mary Pickford among the people who started United Artists for their own studio cetera so it's not a new idea that women should should be up there with the guys but they're not and and if they're women a feeling that they're been treated as second-class citizens that absolutely won't do more come on soon Kate Winslet said though she doesn't like to talk about money in public well me too I mean I don't understand mommy do you I don't it's there to me no as long as there's enough to the food yeah but I never went into this business for money no no no of course not you wouldn't still be doing it no of course what was he in McKellen's funniest fan encounter we'll also find out in a game of if you only knew don't click away go back with the great Sir Ian McKellen you can see him now on DVD and mr. Holmes a version of Sherlock Holmes in his later years much lady is he's 93 years old of the film um very actually I didn't see it in the summer I'm gonna see it on DVD as soon as I get my hands on it by the way you very picky on what you choose to play Oh ass when I get a script or an idea for script I asked a simple question do I want to see this would I enjoy this movie but I enjoy this plan and if the answer to that is yes then I would go back into it and think is this a part I want to play but if it's if it's a script it doesn't appeal to me for whatever reason so if you see in McKellen something you can trust it trust me it's gonna be worth well know Woody Allen does an interesting thing first anyone would work with him that's what they say yeah so he gives you only your part yes of course an actor in a movie or doesn't know what's going on in the scenes he's not in what did he make it back well I had that I had an audition with him monster to be really rare and I was so excited because I said actors dream to do it do it we had audition yeah yeah and he sat behind the screen who's rather nervous but I've met the casting director and what was astonishing about the script was that though every um and herb was written into the script so that it sounded it through making it up as you go along and but mm all the hesitations were actually written in the script and you didn't get the part I didn't get the part but I said so you write all this out exactly as you wanted to be spoken yes yes yes he said I'm a scriptwriter not a driver I'm screw brother he won Psalm 50 major awards in your career what wouldn't ask her mean well well that wouldn't be nice wouldn't it I'm an Isis what do you make of it doesn't I tell her I went I went to the the governors awards there the other night where they give the honorary Oscars and I thought maybe that's the way to do it there was Jenna Rowland's yeah in our races she haven't won an Oscar and there were her peers presenting of that spice Li was lightly was that and both of them had a chance to speak at length the music didn't come up and stop them playing and I think that must be very very great great idea the slate of all superhero comic book franchises what do you make of that why do we love them so I think for I think film producers probably make films of comics because the comics have got a track record this is popular stuff maybe if you put it in the cinema it'll be as popular as when it was just on the on the page initially it is but I don't add it it's and you know they get these bright young actors of full of beans and throw it out there I like x-men because it's about something important it's not just a fantasy and there's an argument going on that a civil rights argumentation what do you do if you're a mutant do you do you fight which is my latest y or Patrick stood Professor X no accommodate fit in and that arguments always going on the civil rights movement and there it is and in the story sir that's why I like X well it's about something all right we play a little game of if you only knew no I just throw something said what's your proudest accomplishment having produced a film Richard the third I'd done it on stage and and what was in it well and that Bening Robert Downey jr. Maggie Smith Ian McKellen the butler from Downton Abbey Jim Carter fantastic cast anyway III put all that together and I raised the money for it and I will never do it again always Richard me you claim it yes yes after all you'll enjoy that movie all shot on location in London that's there's a good version of it I guess I can get it and you can't something no one knows about you well with regard to my work I think that there's always a point when I'm rehearsing or getting really when I think I'd been absolutely miss cast and often go to the director said look if you want to change your mind please do Wow but that actually but that's a good spur for me there's that there's a challenge that the gravit some of these burial it's got okay you have a funny immune a fan encounter has anyone ever come up to you well I often people come up and wax lyrical and a very friendly and I'm not being away and taking the comp lives in there and then they finally come out in this scene every Harry Potter movie that's another wizard movie role you regret turning down I was asked to be in a film with Gary Oldman called pick up your ears and that was a Bela and an English playwright Joe Orton who was murdered by his boyfriend and I was to be cast as the boyfriend and I needed a holiday I've been working so hard so I just kept saying no no no but I saw the film I really regret and didn't and it valina Fred's Molina oh he's good Molina oh the film was fine with him in it but a co-star you'd like to work with Meryl Streep biggest regret that I didn't once they were alive talk to my parents about being gay my mother died when I was 12 sucked that probably that compensation couldn't found but no my father didn't die to last 24 I was a I was a man and I I was living with another man and I could have told him and asked his approval and he would have given me a hug and I'll never get that you can have once for the world leader dead or alive who would it be well I met Nelson Mandela and what I wouldn't mind seeing him again for a protracted meal that would be very nice secret talent you have talent you don't know I I have a talent yes I'm pretty good at making desserts you know Kabul in trembles pies or I love toddlers yeah of course something you believe to be true but wasn't oh father Christmas and where my where my mother told me her father Christian said well Santa Claus is integral yes I mean it's a wonderful idea isn't it that there's such a man who goes round but when my mother turned me there wasn't a Santa Claus I was devastated because I heard from other kids that wasn't a Santa Claus but I didn't believe their me to Broadway of the West End Oh Broadway if you're a hit without a doubt because if you can make it there you make it anyway when we come back Ian tells us his most challenging role ever when he takes your questions from social media stay with us we're back with Sir Ian McKellen he stars in mr. Holmes which was the center I was out this past summer is now available on DVD and there's lots of buzz about a Academy Award nomination we wish you the best with that thank you flooded with social media questions here's some taught Austin on Facebook have you ever thought about doing a travel show with Patrick Stewart no I I don't mind doing interviews it's always lovely to to to try and get people to come see you work but doing other being a celebrity and doing something that's not acting I keep away from Mario Saviour on Facebook you've been such an inspiration for young actors what piece of advice do you have for those who feel like they lack an opportunity to break into the business act wherever you can yeah I don't have to break into the business to acts of school or a college or the Community Theatre and go and see other people acting and judge what they're like and how are they doing it and why is that person good and or not so good didn't someone inspire you Oh every actor I ever saw I think you know Travis mckellar on Facebook what do you prefer stage or theater or film well that's a little bit like saying do I prefer a breakfast lunch or dinner I like them all actually they're all a little bit different and I'm much more much I feel it's more safe than I used to about filming it but but in the theatre I feel absolutely safe always a bit nervous to be in front of a camera really a bit when in camera they can't stop and do it over theatre they can the curtain opens and maybe wasn't as exciting and if something goes wrong it doesn't matter because you can just change it now Travis mikela also asked what was the most difficult time in your acting career oh oh I don't know I I think early movies when I really didn't know what I was doing but I don't know life has really been about getting better as an actor yeah that there were there were times and it was difficult but I never I never had a block of being out of work for example or fund me what I could do you always work I've always at tea craft 32 on Twitter who's your all-time favorite actor or actress do you have a favorite well we're living in an age of great actresses of the moment you know Judi Dench no Cate Blanchett Laura Linney any of those men cannot be mentioned Dustin Hoffman deny that the guy in the past dead now Laurence Olivier they got the great great acts of mine I use and who I got to work for a law at the National Theater in the Randall Brando foreign country to me I mean really amazing but well I I don't I don't can I don't connect mind I come from a different school right yes actually you know if you look at him now look at his earlier movies it looks a little bit dated it's harder that's some fact there are fashions in acting and he for the time in then he was it curvy trees is at curvy tree is there any update on your role in the upcoming no coward biopic no except that so we're still hoping to make it it'll be about the young no card and I'll be playing an old actor who he meets was used but more than that I can't tell you Joe me come on Facebook what was your most challenging role ever Wow probably King Lear that does come a time in your life if you're serious that's when you have to think am I really going to play that part and in doing it I discovered you find out so much about yourself and so much that you don't like about yourself actually yeah and what it's like to get old and what it's like to try and put their mistakes to rights it's a that's a wonderful black but very difficult shakes me it does that to Eunice he gets inside you he knew more about us than we know ourselves it is amazing and still stays true that Leslie berry on the Larry King now blog are you a fan of Adele I'll have to pass on that I don't I did you I never heard her so she's very popular I know so its football I don't know anything about football are you currently with someone do you have a partner no I lived by myself in London and that suits me fine but I'm not gonna say always open to offers but you can't change that now it could happen tomorrow exactly and my advice to others like me a single and wishing them well they weren't is to don't walk in the street with your bloody iphone because the love of your life has just walked back why don't they it's a disease it is and I don't use it thank you a big thanks to my guests are ian mckellen be sure to get a copy of mr. holmes out now on DVD and blue-ray disorders you can find me on twitter at Kings things I'll see you next time

Channel: Larry King

Views: 32,974

Rating: 4.9600663 out of 5

Keywords: x-men, Aladdin, Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Emmy, Sir Ian McKellen, Ian McKellen, the da Vinci code, Gods and Monsters, stage acting, Waiting for Godot, Laurence Olivier Award, Golden Globe, Tony, Critic's choice, Academy Awards, mckellen, ian, goodbye, career, franchises, iconic, lgbt, hobbit, talks, reflects, larrykingcid

Id: dxBpbuFAfoA

Length: 27min 40sec (1660 seconds)

Published: Thu Dec 28 2017