Ian McKellen Feared for Life After London Stage Fall

LONDON (Reuters) – British actor Ian McKellen revealed on Monday that he feared for his life after losing his footing and falling off a stage during a performance in London this past June.

McKellen, 85, was performing in “Player Kings,” which combines elements of William Shakespeare’s “Henry IV, Parts One and Two,” in the West End theatre district. The accident occurred during a fight scene.

Known for his iconic roles as Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” films, as well as Magneto in the “X-Men” series, McKellen was taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, the injury kept him from participating in the rest of the tour.

“I am absolutely physically recovered,” McKellen told BBC Radio. “It’s emotionally that I’ve got some residue that I’ve got to deal with. I said to myself as I slid off the stage… ‘this is the end,’ those were the words in my mind.”

“Apparently I shouted out, ‘My neck is broken, I am dying.’ I don’t remember saying that. So there was a lot going on in my head as the body responded to the fall.”

The fall resulted in a broken wrist and a chipped vertebra, but McKellen credited the padding of his costume, which he wore to portray the overweight character John Falstaff, with saving him from more severe injuries.

In a separate interview with BBC television, McKellen, whose illustrious stage career began in 1961, made it clear that he has no intention of retiring from acting. He also expressed a strong preference that no one else should play Gandalf in future installments of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, the next of which is slated for release in 2026.

McKellen’s latest film, “The Critic,” is based on the novel “Curtain Call” by Anthony Quinn. In it, he takes on the role of Jimmy Erskine, a powerful theatre critic in 1930s London. The film is scheduled to hit cinemas later this month.

Source: Reuters