Did I mention?
Jan. 17th, 2004 05:16 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tarotgalDid I mention how much I adore Sir Ian McKellen?
Not just because he is an exceptional actor, and an incredible activist for gay rights, though I suppose those have to be my top two reasons.
But his whole seeing more between Frodo & Sam and convincing Sean to hold Lij's hand during that scene- I MUST thank him whole-heartedly for pushing for that. Not just on a slash aspect (though that helps) but because that's the way it is and it means so much.
But, here we go, he also knows about slash and Aragorn/Legolas slash at that. Good man! Good man indeed!!! *claps* Whoohoo! Go written porn!
Taken(can I say gacked if it's outside an LJ source? I don't really know the right use of the term...) from the ALSlash mailing list, which was posted from- http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=24507
What do Gandalf and Magneto have in common? Both are played by Sir Ian McKellen. Both are figures of literature, one being a novel, the other being a comic book. And both have porn written about them. Slash fiction is a genre of stories written by fans about science fiction/fantasy characters in erotic situations. We know this because McKellen brought it up.
McKellen is like your dirty old grandpa, if your dirty old grandpa was British. He’ll make totally unexpected comments about pornography and sexuality.
His character, Gandalf, is the wizard who leads Frodo’s fellowship in the beginning of their journey. After he dies and the fellowship splits up, a resurrected Gandalf returns to help the humans fight orcs and big elephant monsters. The accomplished actor received an Oscar nomination for Gods and Monsters and the coveted MTV Movie Award for “Best Fight” in the first Lord of the Rings film.
The Wave: Were you as aware of X-Men phenomenon as you were Lord of the Rings?
Ian McKellen: Well, I had never read an X-Men comic nor read Lord of the Rings when I was offered both scripts. So I took them entirely on the basis of the screenplay, which is the wisest thing to do, because those are the words you’re going to have to say and those are the scenes you’re going to have to play. You can’t say to directors like Peter Jackson or Bryan Singer, “I’ve discovered a nice really big scene for Gandalf.” They’ve read the source material; they make the decisions.
TW: Who’s cooler, Gandalf or Magneto?
IM: [Scoffs] They’re not in the same world. Magneto doesn’t live in Middle Earth. He’s a post-Middle Earth character.
TW: Do you have more young fans now that you’ve done some kid-friendly movies?
IM: Oh, yes. I’m more recognized by people of all ages. I haven’t yet seen the downside of that. It’s been nothing but good. But to become famous at 64 is perhaps easier than to become famous at 18. Now I know it’s not me who’s famous. Well, I’m only famous as the man who played Gandalf. I’m famous as the man who played Magneto. But I’m not patting myself on the back. It’s luck that I got those parts, or at least good management. I didn’t go after them. They just came my way. But I would much rather be famous as Gandalf’s representative than as Ian McKellen, because people don’t come and ask me questions about my private life, which I don’t want to answer. But I’m quite happy to talk about Gandalf, as I’m doing now.
TW: Is fame different in America than in Europe?
IM: People in New York are very alert. They’re always on the lookout for something, so you get recognized in New York. In London, you don’t get recognized, because Londoners don’t look at each other. It’s odd, and it’s a pity. They should look at each other. And as for Los Angeles, you’ve got to be getting out of a limo before anybody notices you, because everybody’s so glamorous. And you don’t bump into people in the streets, obviously, because you don’t walk. So, it’s all a bit different.
TW: What’s the weirdest fan reaction you’ve had?
IM: Some of them were angry that a gay man was playing Gandalf. They called it Gandalf the Gay and were opposed to my casting. They’re ignoramuses who don’t know about acting. I sometimes look at slash material on the internet, same-gender sex stories usually written by young women. They write about Legolas and Aragorn getting it on.
TW: Do you read Gandalf slash?
IM: Well, I’m quite a fan of pornography. I think it’s a very good idea. I think it stops people from going out and hurting each other.
TW: What shocks you?
IM: Newspapers are full of it. That Russia isn’t going to ratify the Kyoto agreement is shocking.
TW: We go from porno to politics.
IM: Look, I get asked questions by people and I feel obliged to come up with an answer of some sort that allows me to seem like I know what I’m talking about. I try, on the whole, to only talk about two things on which I’m an expert. One is acting. I’ve spent the last 40 years doing it. The other is being gay. I’ve spent the last 64 years doing that. I can speak personally with authority and present a point of view that perhaps other people haven’t come across before. When it comes to having views on how to run the film industry, or how to run the world, a system of beliefs, or my vegetarianism, or my private life, I’d better keep off all that, because it’s either nobody else’s business or I don’t know what I’m talking about.
TW: You can’t talk about vegetables?
IM: No, because I love pork pies.
Gandalf porn, hmmm? Can't say I've read much of that... but hey, if it floats your boat, right? :-)
As for the Kyoto Treaty- gosh darnit, what the fuck is wrong with this world? I mean, I understand there are false reports that say there's nothing wrong with emissions... but, seriously, it's our freaking planet here. Can't governments take a little responsibilty when it comes to not destroying it quite so quickly? And, yeah, it all comes down to money and politics but, damnit, I'm more concerned with things like energy efficiency and limiting emissions and NOT killing the only world we have, thank you very much. GROWL! Okay, so this Russia thing is news to me. Last I heard(mid-December) they were still considering but hadn't officially refused to sign. I suppose that, after being prodded heavily for a year and not signing, I should have guessed. *crosses fingers that the EU will put proper pressure on Russia to sign* Okay, I'm done ranting now. *pulls copy of Ecotopia off shelf to calm self down*
Not just because he is an exceptional actor, and an incredible activist for gay rights, though I suppose those have to be my top two reasons.
But his whole seeing more between Frodo & Sam and convincing Sean to hold Lij's hand during that scene- I MUST thank him whole-heartedly for pushing for that. Not just on a slash aspect (though that helps) but because that's the way it is and it means so much.
But, here we go, he also knows about slash and Aragorn/Legolas slash at that. Good man! Good man indeed!!! *claps* Whoohoo! Go written porn!
Taken(can I say gacked if it's outside an LJ source? I don't really know the right use of the term...) from the ALSlash mailing list, which was posted from- http://www.thewavemag.com/pagegen.php?pagename=article&articleid=24507
What do Gandalf and Magneto have in common? Both are played by Sir Ian McKellen. Both are figures of literature, one being a novel, the other being a comic book. And both have porn written about them. Slash fiction is a genre of stories written by fans about science fiction/fantasy characters in erotic situations. We know this because McKellen brought it up.
McKellen is like your dirty old grandpa, if your dirty old grandpa was British. He’ll make totally unexpected comments about pornography and sexuality.
His character, Gandalf, is the wizard who leads Frodo’s fellowship in the beginning of their journey. After he dies and the fellowship splits up, a resurrected Gandalf returns to help the humans fight orcs and big elephant monsters. The accomplished actor received an Oscar nomination for Gods and Monsters and the coveted MTV Movie Award for “Best Fight” in the first Lord of the Rings film.
The Wave: Were you as aware of X-Men phenomenon as you were Lord of the Rings?
Ian McKellen: Well, I had never read an X-Men comic nor read Lord of the Rings when I was offered both scripts. So I took them entirely on the basis of the screenplay, which is the wisest thing to do, because those are the words you’re going to have to say and those are the scenes you’re going to have to play. You can’t say to directors like Peter Jackson or Bryan Singer, “I’ve discovered a nice really big scene for Gandalf.” They’ve read the source material; they make the decisions.
TW: Who’s cooler, Gandalf or Magneto?
IM: [Scoffs] They’re not in the same world. Magneto doesn’t live in Middle Earth. He’s a post-Middle Earth character.
TW: Do you have more young fans now that you’ve done some kid-friendly movies?
IM: Oh, yes. I’m more recognized by people of all ages. I haven’t yet seen the downside of that. It’s been nothing but good. But to become famous at 64 is perhaps easier than to become famous at 18. Now I know it’s not me who’s famous. Well, I’m only famous as the man who played Gandalf. I’m famous as the man who played Magneto. But I’m not patting myself on the back. It’s luck that I got those parts, or at least good management. I didn’t go after them. They just came my way. But I would much rather be famous as Gandalf’s representative than as Ian McKellen, because people don’t come and ask me questions about my private life, which I don’t want to answer. But I’m quite happy to talk about Gandalf, as I’m doing now.
TW: Is fame different in America than in Europe?
IM: People in New York are very alert. They’re always on the lookout for something, so you get recognized in New York. In London, you don’t get recognized, because Londoners don’t look at each other. It’s odd, and it’s a pity. They should look at each other. And as for Los Angeles, you’ve got to be getting out of a limo before anybody notices you, because everybody’s so glamorous. And you don’t bump into people in the streets, obviously, because you don’t walk. So, it’s all a bit different.
TW: What’s the weirdest fan reaction you’ve had?
IM: Some of them were angry that a gay man was playing Gandalf. They called it Gandalf the Gay and were opposed to my casting. They’re ignoramuses who don’t know about acting. I sometimes look at slash material on the internet, same-gender sex stories usually written by young women. They write about Legolas and Aragorn getting it on.
TW: Do you read Gandalf slash?
IM: Well, I’m quite a fan of pornography. I think it’s a very good idea. I think it stops people from going out and hurting each other.
TW: What shocks you?
IM: Newspapers are full of it. That Russia isn’t going to ratify the Kyoto agreement is shocking.
TW: We go from porno to politics.
IM: Look, I get asked questions by people and I feel obliged to come up with an answer of some sort that allows me to seem like I know what I’m talking about. I try, on the whole, to only talk about two things on which I’m an expert. One is acting. I’ve spent the last 40 years doing it. The other is being gay. I’ve spent the last 64 years doing that. I can speak personally with authority and present a point of view that perhaps other people haven’t come across before. When it comes to having views on how to run the film industry, or how to run the world, a system of beliefs, or my vegetarianism, or my private life, I’d better keep off all that, because it’s either nobody else’s business or I don’t know what I’m talking about.
TW: You can’t talk about vegetables?
IM: No, because I love pork pies.
Gandalf porn, hmmm? Can't say I've read much of that... but hey, if it floats your boat, right? :-)
As for the Kyoto Treaty- gosh darnit, what the fuck is wrong with this world? I mean, I understand there are false reports that say there's nothing wrong with emissions... but, seriously, it's our freaking planet here. Can't governments take a little responsibilty when it comes to not destroying it quite so quickly? And, yeah, it all comes down to money and politics but, damnit, I'm more concerned with things like energy efficiency and limiting emissions and NOT killing the only world we have, thank you very much. GROWL! Okay, so this Russia thing is news to me. Last I heard(mid-December) they were still considering but hadn't officially refused to sign. I suppose that, after being prodded heavily for a year and not signing, I should have guessed. *crosses fingers that the EU will put proper pressure on Russia to sign* Okay, I'm done ranting now. *pulls copy of Ecotopia off shelf to calm self down*
no subject
Date: 2004-01-18 09:53 pm (UTC)I have heard on some of my mailing lists, however, that the reason he learned about slash in the first place was not so nice. Some silly fangirl decided that she would interrupt Sir Ian and his significant other when they were dining (she was a waitress at the restaurant they went to), and just came out and told him about slash fanfic. That was both gutsy and potentially very very stupid, not to mention flat-out rude, to talk about Gandalf slash in front of his sexy date.
I say this because what if they had seen it and been offended? What if Sir Ian had told other LOTR cast members and they had been offended? What if they had stumbled across RPS and decided to raise holy hell? The LOTR fanfic world as we know it could have been destroyed just because one girl disruped Sir Ian's private dinner.
I'm really glad it turned out ok. Thank god for Sir Ian's sense of humor (and the hobbit boys, as they now know about it too), because that situation could have been BAD!