Arts Council cuts criticised by report Aug 1, 2008
At the Young Vic Theatre, Peter Hewitt, ACE s then chief executive, was subjected to cries of derision, with Kevin Spacey, the Oscar-winning star, giving warning of a revolution and Sir Ian McKellen, one of Britain s finest actors, calling the cuts, to one in five companies, destructive. Although the report, which followed the protest, claims to be independent, it was commissioned by ACE and is the work of a Labour peer who is closely associated with the arts world, having headed the Royal Opera... (Times Online)
Memorabilia from 'Spider-Man,' 'Star Wars' up for auction Aug 1, 2008
He's not only got one worn by Maguire in Spider-Man, but also another worn by Ben Affleck in Daredevil and still others worn by Ian McKellen (as Magneto) and Anna Paquin (as Rogue) in X-Men. And to think that Maddalena began his company, Profiles in History, as a historical documents dealership, selling things such as letters from Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
Arts Council has 'lost respect' over funding fiasco Jul 31, 2008
High profile artists, including actors such as Kevin Spacey and Sir Ian McKellen, criticised Arts Council England (ACE) in January after it announced plans to cut funding to nearly 200 bodies. Now Baroness McIntosh, the former head of the Royal Opera House, has identified serious shortcomings in the way ACE worked that led to the fiasco. (Telegraph.co.uk)
Whose star will shine on the big stage? Jul 31, 2008
Prospects: "The younger Lachey might not be Sir Ian McKellen," Musto says, but "Spamalot has already established itself as not being above teen-idol stunt casting. So having 'the brother of the guy who was married to Ashlee Simpson's sister' won't be that much of a blemish on its rep.". Kristin Scott Thomas. (USA Today -- Life)
McKellen Talks Hobbit Jul 24, 2008
UK, July 23, 2008 - IGN had some chat with Ian Mckellen at the UK IMAX premiere of The Dark Knight earlier this week, and the venerable actor couldn't help blabbing about the upcoming Hobbit movies. He revealed that Del Toro has been given licence to take the fantasy in a new direction to Peter Jackson saying: "I'm very intrigued to see the direction he takes the film... I know he's going to bring in a lot of his own stuff and his own ideas.". (IGN FilmForce)
AFI Names Top Ten Fantasy Films of ... Jul 24, 2008
Judy Garland is teenaged Dorothy, who longingly sings "Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Stars: Judy Garland, Margaret Hamilton, Billie Burke, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley and Bert Lahr. 1939.Lord of the Rings: The Fellow ship of the Ring 2001. In this Tolkien classic, a young Hobbit named Frodo, has been entrusted with an powerful ancient ring and embarks on a quest. Frodo is joined by Gandolf, Legolas the elf, Gimli the Dwarf, Aragom, Bobomir and his three Hobbit friendly. The characters travel through... (Suite101.com)
Fall TV forecast mostly good Jul 17, 2008
That will be represented in the Sir Ian McKellen version of "King Lear" (whether he's actually naked, as he is in the stage version, is another matter), plus Kevin Kline doing his acclaimed "Cyrano de Bergerac" and two events featuring San Francisco arts institutions: "Carnegie Hall Opening Night 2008," with Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony (Oct. 29), and the San Francisco Ballet's version of "Nutcracker" (Dec. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Sir Ian McKellen received death threats after coming out as gay Jul 16, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen (Pic:Getty Images) ... Actor Sir Ian McKellen has revealed he received many death threats after coming out as gay. (Mirror.co.uk)
Ian McKellen Going Full-Frontal On PBS? Jul 16, 2008
Ian McKellen To Show Privates On PBS ... Chris Jackson/ Getty ImagesIan McKellen ... Ian McKellen To Show Privates On PBS. (Click2Houston, TX)
Gay clergy split is 'most perilous crisis' in Church's history Jul 15, 2008
He is to make an appearance alongside the actor Sir Ian McKellen for the launch of a documentary about gay Christians. An American liberal Christian group, IntegrityUSA, is also planning a series of events at the Lambeth Conference in support of gay clergy. (Telegraph.co.uk)
X-Men star becomes real professor Jul 15, 2008
Stewart [left] played Professor Xavier in the X-Men opposite Sir Ian McKellen. Hollywood star Patrick Stewart, who plays Professor Xavier in the X-Men science fiction films, has had a real-life professorship given to him. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Snub a mistake, says bishop Jul 15, 2008
Bishop Robinson delivered a sermon at St Mary's Church in London on Sunday, and was to appear at the Southbank Centre last night to host with Sir Ian McKellen the British premiere of a US documentary about homosexuality and the Bible, For The Bible Tells Me So. McKellen accused the church of homophobia, saying religious leaders shared the same attitude as the armed forces and schools. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Barred gay bishop still a presence Jul 14, 2008
Tonight, Robinson will join Sir Ian McKellen at a London literary festival for the British premiere of "For the Bible Tells Me So," a documentary about gay Christians that features Robinson. Next Sunday, after the conference holds its opening worship in Canterbury Cathedral, Robinson will join Anglican gays and lesbians in a separate service nearby. (Boston Globe)
McKellen: 'I have received death threats' Jul 14, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen has claimed that he has received death threats over his sexuality. The actor made the revelation while speaking in support of a gay American preacher who has been excluded from the Anglican Church's ten-yearly conference. (Digital Spy)
Anthologies For People Jul 13, 2008
Roger Rees on Shakespeare in one-man show. Article:Roger Rees on Shakespeare in one-man show:/c/a/2008/07/11/PK1J11HTGM.DTL Article:Roger Rees on Shakespeare in one-man show:/c/a/2008/07/11/PK1J11HTGM.DTL. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
McKellen keen for X-Men spin-off Jul 13, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen has said he would love to star in a spin-off film featuring his X-Men character, Magneto ... " It's true - we had no idea what we were we doing Sir Ian McKellen on not being able to play chess for X-Men Sir Ian added: "Marvel told me that this is their favourite because it has a social purpose and the strongest demographic are young blacks, Jews and gays who respond to the idea that society does treat some adults as mutants. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
* [BOOK REVIEW] The chronicler of Americans great and small Jul 6, 2008
When he hits his stride, however, Terkel elicits some fascinating insights into some of the greatest names of stage and screen, among them Tennessee Williams, Marcel Marceau, Ian McKellen and, um, Arnold Schwarzenegger. When I was a small boy, recalls the future governor of California, my dream was not to be big physically, but big in a way that everybody listens to me when I talk, that Im a very important person, that people recognize me and see me as something special. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Luke Goss denies Bros reunion rumours Jul 3, 2008
We chat to Guillemots frontman Fyfe Dangerfield about festivals, Morrissey and Sir Ian McKellen. and. (Digital Spy)
Impossible princess Kylie Minogue honoured by Queen Jul 3, 2008
Kylie, along with TV personality Michael Parkinson and Lord of the Rings star Ian McKellen are among a glittering list of film and sports stars, business leaders and ordinary citizens named in the Queen's New Year's Honours list. Such is the nature of the awards, no doubt Kylie will be in the queue in the palace's stunning ballroom next to community workers and high school teachers also recognised for outstanding achievement in their respective fields. (NEWS.com.au)
Ian McKellen cast in The Prisoner Jul 2, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel will battle against each other. Sir Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel are set to star in the ITV remake of the 1960s TV cult show The Prisoner ... He said: "Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen bring an incredible level of talent to the project, and we're honoured they are taking on these important roles.". (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Sir Ian's In For No2 Jul 1, 2008
VETERAN Sir Ian McKellen and US actor Jim Caviezel are to star in ITV's remake of 1960s thriller The Prisoner. Caviezel, who appeared in The Passion Of The Christ, will take the role of Number Six, played by Patrick McGoohan in the original. (Glasgow Daily Record)
Rushdie Receives Knighthood Protested by Muslims Jun 26, 2008
Veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen, best known for his role as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, also was honored by the queen. McKellen, a longtime gay rights activist who was knighted in 1990, was made a Companion of Honor at the investiture for services to drama and equality. (Fox News)
"Angels & Demons" Banned From Churches Jun 17, 2008
CBS News RAW: While in France for the world premiere of "The Da Vinci Code," director Ron Howard and actors Tom Hanks and Sir Ian McKellen comment on the criticism and protests. . (CBS News)
Father Figure Jun 8, 2008
Broadbent was up against Ethan Hawke for "Training Day," Jon Voight for "Ali," and fellow Englishmen Ian McKellen for "The Lord of the Rings" and Ben Kingsley for "Sexy Beast." Kingsley and Voight already had Oscars. "It was such a shock to win," Broadbent said. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Entertainment)
Holm set to return in The Hobbit May 29, 2008
Staff and agenciesWednesday May 28, 2008. Ian Holm as Bilbo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings. (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
This Day in History May 26, 2008
Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 69. Actress Dixie Carter is 69. (Montana Standard, MT)
McKellen, New Zealand location confirmed for Hobbit films May 25, 2008
WELLINGTON (AFP) - Sir Ian McKellen will return in the role of Gandalf for two big-budget movies based on the JRR Tolkein book "The Hobbit," the films' director Guillermo del Toro confirmed Sunday ... Sir Ian McKellen, seen here in 2007, will return in the role of Gandalf for. (Yahoo News)
Jackson confirms NZ setting for Hobbit films May 25, 2008
He said Ian McKellen (Gandalf) and Andy Serkis (Gollum) would return for the Hobbit films but actors for new characters were not yet decided and casting was some time off. Editor: Wang Hongjiang. (Xinhuanet, China)
Jon Barrett Named Editor in Chief of The Advocate and Advocate.com May 24, 2008
The decade-old company produces 30 films annually and now has a library of over 3,500 titles, including such high-profile projects as Bill Condon's Academy Award-winning Gods and Monsters, starring Sir Ian McKellen and Brendan Fraser, and Franco Zeffirelli's Callas Forever, starring Jeremy Irons and Fanny Ardant. For more information, please visit Regent's website at. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
More May Return for Hobbit May 22, 2008
Actors Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings, and Andy Serkis (Gollum), have already been in contact with the production about reprising their roles. And now there's word of another Rings star coming into the mix. (IGN FilmForce)
South Pacific: Strong Tony Contender May 13, 2008
Kristin Scott Thomas, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen Honored In London's Equivalent Of The Tony Awards. Former Actress Lashes Out Against Her Theater-Owner Husband. (CBS News)
Extras fall short on golden insights May 12, 2008
My interest in owning The Golden Compass began when I read this review in Entertainment Weekly: "Half the drama is in the extras, specifically, reading between the lines of the two-disc set's commentary and 11 featurettes. In the former, writer-director Chris Weitz defends his adaptation of the first novel in Philip Pullman's fantasy trilogy. But in a making-of, Weitz looks like a man besieged by producers and his own insecurities. The film splits the difference: it's a visually awe-inspiring... (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Ian McKellen will play Gandalf in Tolkien's The Hobbit May 5, 2008
Ian McKellen will play Gandalf in Tolkien's The Hobbit ... Oscar-nominated British actor Sir Ian McKellen is to reprise his role of Gandalf from the Lord of the Rings' trilogy for the latest film adaptation of a Tolkien novel. (Melbourne Herald Sun)
Sir Ian McKellen will return as wizard Gandalf May 3, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen back as Gandalf ... Sir Ian McKellen has confirmed he will reprise his role as Gandalf in the film version of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. (BBC News)
Gandalf on The Hobbit May 2, 2008
Ian McKellen as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. Del Toro will start writing the script for The Hobbit in the next six weeks. (IGN FilmForce)
Sir Ian McKellen to return as Lord Of The Rings Gandalf in Hobbit May 2, 2008
Sir Ian McKellen (Pic:Getty Images) ... Sir Ian McKellen is to return as wizard Gandalf in a two-film adaptation of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. (Mirror.co.uk)
Pete Doherty to write rock'n'roll musical with former Libertines bandmate Apr 23, 2008
His turn as King Lear last year was hailed as the performance of a lifetime, but now the actor Ian McKellen has taken on a very different role: starring in the video for the Guillemots' next single, Falling Out of Reach, which is released next month. McKellen, who first heard the band when a young relative took him along to a gig, plays a bored office worker who insists on carrying his office chair everywhere he goes. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
'We've got to rebuild our credit' Apr 14, 2008
He was "blown away" by Ian McKellen and Judi Dench in an RSC Macbeth in Newcastle, "though no one told me it was a modern-dress performance, and I thought they'd gone on without their costumes". At university in Birmingham, he studied medieval and modern English, and went to a lot of theatre at Stratford and the Birmingham Rep. (Guardian Unlimited -- Arts)
Heston's career Apr 7, 2008
Ian McKellen probably comes the closest, but McKellen is a character actor, not a leading man, and a dry character actor at that. Mr. Heston, especially in his early days, romping through the swamps with Jennifer Jones in King Vidor's Ruby Gentry, was randy, baby. (The Palm Beach Post)
Shine a Light Apr 4, 2008
Jagger also purses those famous lips to sing - as a cross-dressing chanteuse - in Bent (1997), a serious film about a gay man in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany that also stars Clive Owen and Ian McKellen. And then there's Freejack (1992): Emilio Estevez has had some memorable co-stars over the years, but we're guessing none so scintillating as Jagger in this sci-fi action flick about the distant, apocalyptic future, set in 2009. (Globe and Mail -- Entertainment)
Your Turn: Engage! Apr 3, 2008
You may hire Ian McKellen to read the words of William Shakespeare, but if the character on screen looks like a shop window mannequin, it's going to be hard to feel a connection. As I mentioned in the opening, though, a handful of games have really touched me and generated a significant emotional reaction. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Technology)
Queen honours Sir Edmund Hillary Apr 2, 2008
Also attending the service were the Princess Royal, Princess Anne, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, nature broadcaster Sir David Attenborough, Lord of the Rings actor Sir Ian McKellen, former All Blacks rugby captain Sean Fitzpatrick and cricketer Chris Cairns. The Duke of Edinburgh did not attend as he was suffering from a heavy cold. (Sydney Morning Herald -- World)
Shining a light on Rolling Stones' film roles Mar 30, 2008
Jagger also purses those famous lips to sing - as a cross-dressing chanteuse, no less - in "Bent" (1997), a quite serious film about a gay man in a concentration camp in Nazi Germany that also stars Clive Owen and Ian McKellen. And then there's "Freejack" (1992). (Boston Globe)
Robert Fagles, translator of classics, dies Mar 30, 2008
Robert Fagles, the renowned translator of Latin and Greek whose versions of Homer and Virgil were unlikely best-sellers and became fixtures on classroom reading lists, died Wednesday at his home in Princeton, New Jersey, where he was an emeritus professor at Princeton University. " He also said he could not decide which of the epics was his favorite. Some days were Iliadic, he said - you felt you were in a war - and some were more like the Odyssey, when all you wanted to do was go home. But "The... (International Herald Tribune)
Dinner and a DVD: X-Men: The Last Stand’ (1) Mar 29, 2008
Patrick Stewart was an old friend who had worked on Frasier, plus there was Ian McKellen and Halle Berry, among others. We had the best times, he laughs, under six layers of latex. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
McKellen hopes for another go at Gandalf in 'Hobbit' Mar 29, 2008
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth ... "Encouragingly, Peter and (partner) Fran Walsh have told me they couldn't imagine The Hobbit without their original Gandalf," Ian McKellen says of his chances for reprising the role in the prequel. (USA Today -- Life)
McKellen Hopes for Role in `Hobbit' Mar 29, 2008
British actor Sir Ian McKellen answers questions at a press conference in a Singapore theater in this July 18, 2007 file photo ... WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Family attends Scofield funeral Mar 29, 2008
He was principally known as a Shakespearean actor - and his portrayal of King Lear in 1962 was voted the greatest performance in a Shakespeare play by a panel of actors including Sir Ian McKellen, Ian Richardson and Sir Antony Sher. His Oscar came in 1966 for a portrayal of Tudor statesman Sir Thomas More in the film A Man For All Seasons. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
McKellen out to reprise role Mar 29, 2008
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth. A fan asked McKellen on the actor's official Web site if he would play the role of Gandalf in "The Hobbit," which is being produced by Peter Jackson, director of the "Rings" trilogy. (The Palm Beach Post)
McKellen wants to play Gandalf in 'The Hobbit' Mar 29, 2008
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the Wizard in the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, is hoping to reprise the role in another tale from Middle Earth. Ian McKellen told fans that he would like to play the role of Gandolf in "The Hobbit.". (CNN -- Showbiz)
Ian McKellen Eager To Resurrect Gandalf In 'The Hobbit' Mar 27, 2008
Ian McKellen Eager To Resurrect Gandalf In 'The Hobbit ... Ian McKellen (Dave Hogan/ Getty Images) ... Having already gone beyond the pale only to return again, "Lord of the Rings" star Ian McKellen is eager to resurrect his character once more, confirming on his. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Hard Hobbit to break: McKellen set for return as Gandalf Mar 26, 2008
Ian McKellen as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. Sir Ian McKellen looks set to reprise his role as Gandalf in the long-awaited adaptation of JRR Tolkien's The Hobbit. (Guardian Unlimited -- Film)
London Theater: American inspirations with a British ring Mar 26, 2008
No one bats an eyelid when a stage full of Britons gives its all to that Russian master, Anton Chekhov, perhaps because, as the actor (and occasional Chekhovian) Ian McKellen casually remarked some time ago, "Chekhov has almost been domesticated as a British playwright." But when it comes to Brits playing Americans, or the other way round, thornier issues arise, having to do with authenticity or the lack thereof. Getting the accent right is one thing - and that's not always a given, as we well... (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
My near death period Mar 26, 2008
One attack took place in front of Sir Ian McKellen and the entire corps de ballet of the Bolshoi in a Salford hotel lobby. Another time, in a crowded Waterloo restaurant, I was dining with a leading German playwright. (Guardian Unlimited)
Paul Scofield, theatrical giant who hated celebrity, dies at 86 Mar 21, 2008
In 2004 a poll of 200 Royal Shakespeare Company actors, including Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Donald Sinden, Sir Antony Sher and Corin Redgrave acclaimed his King Lear of 1962 as the greatest performance in a Shakespeare play. Burton once said: Of the ten greatest moments in the theatre, eight are Scofield s.. (Times Online)
'King Lear' heading to D.C. Mar 20, 2008
Talk of potential transfers at the time was dampened due to other highly anticipated versions of the play, including a Public Theater production with Kevin Kline and the RSC's staging with Ian McKellen, which toured to the U.S. Announcement of the D.C. run has sparked renewed speculation of a possible New York engagement to follow. In Falls' version, Shakespeare's tragedy is set in an Eastern European country akin to Yugoslavia at the time of its dissolution, depicting a morally bankrupt state... (Variety)
It's the clever way to power - part 2 Mar 16, 2008
Ian McKellen (St Catharine's). Stephen Mangan (Gonville and Caius). (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
Hairspray tops at British theatre's Olivier Awards Mar 10, 2008
Rising movie star Chiwetel Ejiofor ( Dirty Pretty Things, American Gangster ) was named best actor for Othello, beating Ian McKellen for King Lear and Patrick Stewart for Macbeth. Ejiofor's performance in Shakespeare's tragedy at the 250-seat Donmar Warehouse opposite Ewan McGregor as the villainous Iago was one of the hottest tickets in town this winter. (Globe and Mail)
Outsider wins battle of anti-heroes Mar 10, 2008
Two of Britain's most respected thespians went head to head - Ian McKellen as King Lear, and Patrick Stewart as Macbeth. But neither won: they were pipped by Othello in the shape of an actor half their age, Chiwetel Ejiofor. (Guardian Unlimited)
'Other Boleyn Girl': It's a bust Mar 2, 2008
(I had Russell Crowe as Henry; Cillian Murphy as George; Ian McKellen as Uncle Howard; Christopher Eccleston as a much older William Stafford. Johansson is usually the sexy bad girl but she is also adept at the kind of blushing modesty the novel wants her to have. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
50 arts secrets revealed Mar 2, 2008
DM: No. I don't think Ian McKellen and Judi Dench have to audition for theatre. Everyone knows what they can do. (Guardian Unlimited)
New on DVD: An Oscar-nominated turn for Tommy Lee Jones Feb 29, 2008
Just about everyone this side of Sir Ian McKellen shows up to honor or heckle the premier insult master: Clint Eastwood, Robert De Niro, Martin Scorsese, Sidney Poitier, plus an array of comics and vintage clips (Rickles accidentally breaking Johnny Carson's prized cigarette box on the air). Favorite bit: someone blowing cigarette smoke in his face on a Dean Martin Celebrity Roast and Rickles muttering, "What is this, London?". (USA Today -- Life)
Renfo Oscar Tribute Omission Gets Blogs Buzzing Feb 27, 2008
Renfro starred in such films as "The Client" opposite Susan Sarandon and "Apt Pupil" opposite Ian McKellen. Also noticeably absent from the tribute was "Jaws" and "French Connection" Oscar nominee Roy Scheider. (Click2Houston, TX)
All the world's a playground Feb 25, 2008
Seated around a table groaning with food are Rogers, his wife Ruthie of River Cafe fame, two other architects, friends from Mexico, the actor Ian McKellen, and me, in what is rapidly becoming a bit of a party. The Pompidou, which Rogers created with Renzo Piano (then, as now, his closest friend), was always meant to be about fun, and Rogers is back here today to walk me and his fellow lunch guests around the lively exhibition of his work currently on show to celebrate the building's 30th... (Guardian Unlimited)
Seven awards for Hairspray show Feb 22, 2008
Other big name winners include veteran performers Sir Ian McKellen, Dame Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg, as well as comedian Lee Evans ... Sir Ian McKellen won the best actor in a play award for King Lear at the New London Theatre, beating Star Trek star Patrick Stewart in Macbeth, at the Gielgud, which won best Shakespearean production. (BBC News -- UK)
