News about Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen showed off his sense of style at the Player Kings after party at St Martin's Lane in London on Thursday, after treading the boards in the new West End play.  The actor, 84, took to the stage at the Noel Coward theatre earlier in the evening as John Falstaff in the production, directed by Robert Icke - and received rave four star reviews from critics for his 'boundless energy' and 'showmanship'.  Sir Ian changed out of his stage costume and into a Casablanca green patterned coat from their 2022 collection. 

Sir Ian McKellen has had to take drastic, fast-moving steps to ensure he made it into London in time for his weekly appearance on stage - riding on the back of a motorcycle (left). In The Player Kings, a new interpretation of Henry IV parts one and two, Sir Ian is currently playing Shakespeare's loveable rogue Falstaff at the Noel Coward Theatre in the West End. In the historic area of Limehouse in the East End, the actor lives seven miles away from the theater in a Thameside home.

Sir John Gielgud was one of the greatest stage actors of the 1950s, best known for his portrayals of Hamlet and comedies such as the lead in Oscar Wilde's The Importance Of Being Earnest. However, The Mail on Sunday reports that he was arrested over his 'notorious' personal life as a gay man before being knighted in 1953. Civil servants investigated Gield, the late star of Hollywood films such as Arthur, Gandhi, and Chariots Of Fire, among other things. The inquiries were detailed in government papers accessed by this newspaper under freedom of information rules, which are also released today for the first time.

Residents of Chalk Farm, North London, had requested that Camden Council prohibit the bar from re-opening after the bar's owners applied for a new licence. The pub, which had been frequented by celebrities, including Bill Nighy and Ian McKellen, had been closed down since the Covid pandemic and has been deemed "derelict state." However, Milegate, the founder of the historic watering hole, which dates back to 1752, now want to open its doors and the council has approved it. Locals are out of arms and fear that alcohol will make women feel unsafe at night, so spout foul words in front of children, smoke outside their homes, and keep them up at night. One woman told MailOnline: 'Children walk along the pavement to and from school, how can the pub effectively ensure that those children aren't hearing snippets of misogynistic and swearing in conversations as they're walking home from school?'

The most completely stocked store I have ever been in is just off the Chipping Campden High Street, beyond the Market Hall and behind the mysterious rows of yellow stone cottages. It's an Aladdin's Cave of all you could ever need. Doom insecticide, sanitary soap, playing cards, raffle-ticket books, Union Jack crockery, and de-icer are among the sellotape items on sale. The space is tiny, but every inch is full. Shelves' groan with stuffed dinosaurs, marshmallows, cookery books, and sewing kits. A stack of air fryers and electric heaters can be found in one corner. On top of all that, there is a huge blackboard that informs customers about everything else on offer here: knife sharpening, dry cleaning, film restoration, computer repair, and digital home visits. To break even, we have to have absolutely everything else we can think of,' says Barney Meredith. Or, the whole thing would be hopeless.' None of the bills would increase.'

The George in Rye is consistently rated as one of the country's best hotels, and has hosted household names including Matt Damon, Ian McKellen, and Kevin Costner. But now owners Alex and Katie Clarke, who date back to 1575, are fighting it out in a light brown colour and were refused retrospective permission by Rother District Council. The George, which was originally a light grey shade on a cobbled high street in Rye, East Sussex, was repainted in 2021 following a devastating fire in summer 2019. The Clarkes say they submitted proposals for the new colour to the council's conservation officer and say they received an email back which said: 'I have finally had a chance to look at all the documents relating to the façade and ballroom, and support it all! The additional study, it seems, was certainly worth it. I'm sure the new colour scheme to the façade will keep Rye busy for a while and may even be the harbinger of a new colour culture!'

With more than 3,500 establishments dotted around the city, locals and tourists alike are never more than a few steps away from crashing into a tap house. However, there are a few boozers owned by some of Hollywood's most well-known stars. At Sir Ian McKellen's legendary east London bar, where Charles Dickens was known to enjoy a tipple or sip champagne at Idris Elba's posh wine bar in King's Cross, punds can downsy. Some people will delight in a pint pulled by James Blunt at his Chelsea restaurant or snuggle in Ed Sheeran's Notting Hill boozer.

Sir Ian McKellen dropped the part of Dumbledore in the Harry Potter films after Richard Harris was reportedly mocked, allowing Sir Michael Gambon to play the role instead. After Richard Harris, who appeared in the first two Harry Potter films, died in 2002, McKellen was one of the actors auditioned for Professor Albus Dumbledore. Gambon, who died earlier today at the age of 82, went on to play Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter films, beginning with Harry Potter and The Prisoner Of Azkaban in 2004.

Sir Ian McKellen recalled the terrifying moment he fled a plastic surgeon's office after learning the gory particulars of a procedure he'd considered. The legendary actor reminisced how he decided to consult a plastic surgeon to request a facelift, but was turned off after discovering what the procedure entails. The actor, who is best known for playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings, said he was sick of the lines around his eyes and his sagging cheeks, so he booked to see a plastic surgeon.

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi has paid a gushing tribute to his wife Princess Beatrice while posting photographs from the Vogue World gala, while sister Princess Eugenie has shared a sweet behind the scenes photo of the royals on the way fashionable event. Edo, 39, who married Beatrice in 2020, posted snaps of the pair at the gala with an adorable caption on his Instagram page. My enchanting wife.' 'Bringing joy to my life,' he wrote.

During a night out yesterday, Princess Beatrice (pictured) and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi (pictured) entertained themselves by a PDA. The royal couple were joined by Beatrice's sister Princess Eugenie (pictured) who stunned in a teal frock for her first public appearance after giving birth to her son Ernest at the end of May. Beatrice, mother of one, wore a black floral flowing dress at the Vogue World Exhibition in central London with Edo, who looked dapper in a white tuxedo jacket and black trousers. Edo kissed his wife, who couldn't help but giggle sweetly during her husband's PDA as they arrived for pictures. The two couples were pictured beaming as they were taken together at the festival, and they looked adoring as they were snapped smiling.

Princess Eugenie (left), 33, put on a cheery display outside Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London, in her first event since giving birth to her second child. On the red carpet, Eugenie's sister and brother-in-law, Prince Beatrice (middle), 35, and Edo Mapelli Mozzi (right), 39, weren't far behind.

In a recent magazine interview, Sir Ian McKellen revealed that his life changed 'overnight' after he came out as gay. The 84-year-old legendary actor came out gay in 1988, and he admits it was a life-changing moment for him. "Almost every part of my life changed for the better overnight,' he told Variety: My relationships with people and my whole attitude toward acting changed.'

Sophie, a mother of two, sported a sophisticated blue gown while attending King Charles and Queen Camilla's function in Windsor Castle, Berkshire. She was effortlessly chic in her choice for a $1,035 gown from Etro, which was adorned with intricate gold embroidery.

PATRICK MARMION: How about this for under-represented minorities? In a mildly carbonated comedy about a pair of old codgers who fell in love while walking their dogs, eighty-four-year-old Ian McKellen and soon-to-bear Roger Allam. The play's two bumbling heroes, as well as Bruno and Toffee, have no chin between them. McKellen, a semi-retired sociology professor from Whitby, regrets that his friendship with former husband Denis ended because they "couldn't make it work after Princess Margaret died." Allam is a marginally more presentable ex-history professor who lost his wife Alice to a brain tumor.

The Hobbits are perhaps Middle Earth's most popular inhabitants, with their long hair, vibrant wardrobe, and diminutive stature. Since appearing in JRR Tolkien's 1937 masterpiece The Hobbit - with their distinctly English homeland. Now, recently discovered letters sent by the author to a female fan have revealed his deep personality with the characters to the extent that he felt like one of the 'guys so little'. In one, written in June 1955, a year after the publication of the first instalment of sequel The Lord of the Rings, he admitted to feeling 'alarm' at the prospect of 'hardship or deprivation of familiar foods (and tobacco)', adding: 'This sounds a fair description of a hobbit!' A Miss F.L. wrote to her in a similar letter. Perry admitted that the Lord of the Rings was 'laborious' to write and likened it to 'walking uphill in heavy boots against a strong wind, despite the sun's fading.' The letter is one of four to the same fan that have come up for auction in New York, where they are likely to sell for nearly £40,000 ($47,000). Inset: In the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: Inset Top: Ian Holm and Ian McKellen as Bilbo Baggins and Gandalf.

PETER HOSKIN: This game seems to be from the PlayStation 3 era, if not earlier. In a cheap knock-off of Peter Jackson's Rings movies, it appears that it is being performed by Not Andy Serkis and Not Ian McKellen. And it's like... gosh, the game is more dreadful than the Dark Lord Sauron himself. It takes the creepy-crawly stealth mechanics from excellent games - games that often have more than a game - and makes them clumsy. Imagine falling guiltlessly into the same pit again and again. Or, getting stuck on the scenery with no hope of escape. That's the point of this game. The only viable option is to listen to my in-head Gollum: gnash it, bite it, and crush it. Just don't play it.

The brave Brit in another world can be seen shaking off the Dutch hooligans at the top of a flight of stairs as they attempt to flood into the seats. Supporters in West Ham's Europa Conference League semi-final victory over AZ Alkmaar erupted as players erupted as Dutch supporters threw a section of visiting supporters where many of their loved ones were seated. Footage shows the heroic Hammer standing at the top of a flight of stairs holding the crowd at bay.

Sir Ian McKellan's Grade II-listed pub in London has had its hygiene rating reduced to one star. The Grapes, an idyllic pub in Limehouse, east London, had been inspected recently, where it was discovered that "necessary" is 'necessary' at the boozer. The pub was also chastised for a string of unethical behaviours related to food handling in the kitchen. This follows just months after inspectors discovered out of date food and a fridge operating at 16C.

With the support of the 'Intimacy coordinator', who made her name appearing on BBC's Normal People, a master's degree that will teach students how to become experts on directing sex scenes has been introduced. The two-year course will teach actors how to make them feel at ease and ensure that all genitals are covered properly during intimate shoots. In the aftermath of the MeToo campaign, intimacy coordinators were hired to shield and guide actors during sex scenes.

There are just too many people 'getting in the way' of actors today, according to the legendary actor. He singled out intimacy coordinators, who were introduced in the aftermath of the MeToo campaign to shield and guide actors in sex scenes, implying that directors could do the job just as well. Speaking on a podcast Sir Ian, 83, said: 'I can imagine situations where people find it difficult to be intimate - but why can't the director do that? As few people as possible being in the way is positive, and it's good to see the purity of as few people as possible.'

Waiting for Godot will be held at the University of Groningen's Usva student cultural center next month. The play, which was written in 1949, follows acquaintances Vladimir and Estragon as they wait for their mutual friend Godot to meet them. Vladimir and Estragon are joined by three other male characters in two acts - a feature that Samuel Beckett's estate specifically states cannot be performed by males. Oisn, a physics professor at the University of Groningen, described the past few weeks as 'completely ridiculous', according to the Irish Times. University of Groningen is the main attraction. Playwright Samuel Beckett is left inset. Right inset: Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen pictured starring in a 2009 production of Waiting for Godot

Sir Ian McKellen has forged a warm off-stage rapport with the actor portraying his son in panto. Oscar Conlon-Morris, a film star who is 54 years old, appeared in New Year (left with Sir Ian during New Years). In the much-anticipated Mother Goose, the younger actor will appear alongside the six-time Olivier Award-winning winner in London (right). Sir Ian, 83, is Mother Goose and Conlon-Morron-Morrison, 29, and he plays his son Jack. It is unclear if their off-stage friendship is platonic or romantic.

On Sunday night, 40 motorists who became trapped in snowy East Sussex were forced to abandon their cars and seek refuge in a nearby inn. Two-thirds of councils admit to struggling to recruit drivers to grit streets, but instead had to convince bin men to do it. Jenni Murray (pictured) says that is 'not good enough' as vulnerable people are stuck at home and parents are unable to get to work, which the economy doesn't need