304 Quotes by Ian Mckellen

The performance is created by the director. The actor is the material. And I think that has to be true.

The audience's expectations are ever-present.

Some directors don't tell you that it's not your fault, so you get increasingly depressed that you're not delivering what's required, and then you discover it's not you at all, it's something in the background that's out of focus.

Most of the time when you do a job, a play or a film, you're wondering, "Will there be an audience?"

I'm not experienced enough, or certain enough of my acting on the screen to say to a director, "You are wrong, I am right. I will only do it this way." I could never feel that, I wish I could be absolutely certain. But on the stage, it's different. I know where I am on the stage.

My memory of 3D movies is Fernando Lamas in a swashbuckling movie. And I suppose it had been the fifties, in which swords came out at you, bullets came out at you, things were thrown into the auditorium, apparently. All that sort of cheap, "Oh, look at us, we've got 3D" isn't in the film.

It is so painful watching yourself act, particularly because you can't do anything about it, it's all done and dusted.

I think I'm a bit gruffer than I used to be, and I'm certainly older.

In fact, my face has shrunk in the meantime, but it won't be particularly noticeable because it's covered up with hair. So I hope I'm not alarmed if I ever do sit through the five movies.