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" Very, very rare that you do a job knowing that the audience is desperate for you to do that job. Most films you make don't get released, is the fact. "
Ian Mckellen
You
Fact
Job
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" In any human-rights campaign, everybody must do what they can. "
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" People who are truly horrible are often the most interesting people in the room. You look at them and just say, 'Why?' "
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" 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. "
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" When you grumble about a taxi being dirty, people your own age will absolutely agree with you, whereas younger people say, 'You should be so lucky to have a taxi - I walk to work!' So I have lots of young friends, who fortunately don't treat me as a guru, a person that knows all the answers. "
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" I've got a waistline to develop. "
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" Why do you act? You act for an audience. In the theatre, you're in their presence. Film stars don't know what it is to have an audience. "
Ian Mckellen
Why
You
Theatre
" If you've been in a film that's seen by millions and millions and millions of people, you're more likely to be recognized for that than for your theater performances, which were seen by considerably less people. Why would I get upset by that? "
Ian Mckellen
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" I think New York audiences are some of the brightest in the world, and certainly the most enthusiastic. "
Ian Mckellen
Most
New
New York
" I think I've become more modest as the years have gone on. "
Ian Mckellen
Modest
More
Think
" On the whole, actors shout when they don't know what they're doing, trying to make an impact. "
Ian Mckellen
Know
Trying
Shout
" 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
People
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Government
" My own death threats have declined considerably. "
Ian Mckellen
Death
Own
Threats
" I've always had very catholic tastes. "
Ian Mckellen
Very
Catholic
Always
" There's lots of Tolkien that must be confusing to people. "
Ian Mckellen
Lots
Tolkien
People
" I think with Shakespeare you can be required to do absolutely anything at the turn of a sixpence - suddenly you go into a battle, suddenly you utter something passionate. "
Ian Mckellen
Passionate
Think
Turn
" If I was on a march at the moment I would be saying to everyone: 'Be honest with each other. Admit there are limitless possibilities in relationships, and love as many people as you can in whatever way you want, and get rid of your inhibitions, and we'll all be happy. "
Ian Mckellen
People
Happy
Love
" There is a fantasy as old as the modern gay rights movement that if all our skins turned lavender overnight, the majority, confounded by our numbers and our diversity, and recognising a few of our faces, would at once let go of prejudice forevermore. "
Ian Mckellen
Prejudice
Old
Numbers
" I have lots of fans, they are mostly under the age of 12, boys and girls. "
Ian Mckellen
Boys And Girls
Age
Fans
" My friends are my family. "
Ian Mckellen
Friends
Family
" I just followed my parents' example and advice on living, which was to leave the world a better place than you found it. They were professional do-gooders, ministers of the church, social workers, teachers, and missionaries, that sort of thing. "
Ian Mckellen
Professional
Parents
World
" I don't make much distinction between being a stand-up comic and acting Shakespeare - in fact, unless you're a good comedian, you're never going to be able to play Hamlet properly. "
Ian Mckellen
Play
Never
Acting
" Gandalf saves the world and saves the soul of the world, really. "
Ian Mckellen
World
Soul
Really
" I certainly wouldn't define myself as a northerner. I'm not even really sure what that means. I've lived in London for 50 years. I wasn't born here, but I have spent most of my life here. So I don't make much of it, to be honest. I'm just myself. "
Ian Mckellen
Born
Honest
Life
" Acting is a very big part of what human beings do. A dog is always a dog, but we're always changing. "
Ian Mckellen
Dog
Human
Always
" I'm not being offered a constant stream of wonderful parts with wonderful directors that would keep me away from the theatre. When they turn up, I do them. "
Ian Mckellen
Turn
Up
Wonderful
" It's my impression that I've done every job that I've been asked to do. "
Ian Mckellen
Done
Job
Impression
" When I've been asked what should be on my gravestone, I've said: 'Here lies Gandalf. He came out.' Two big achievements. "
Ian Mckellen
Here
Big
Said
" I'm an eccentric English actor, and there's a lot of us around. "
Ian Mckellen
English
Us
Eccentric
" No actor wants to play to an empty house. "
Ian Mckellen
House
Play
Wants
" Actors don't, in fact, retire, do they? It took me a while to remember that. "
Ian Mckellen
Took
Me
Remember