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Ian McKellen finds it ‘difficult’ to cry


Sir Ian McKellen finds it "difficult" to cry in front of the camera.

The 76-year-old actor – who’s starred in a string of hit movies during his career, including ‘The Hobbit’ and ‘X-Men’ franchises – has admitted there are limitations to his talents.

He explained: "I am trying to get better at the job.

"I know when I’m not being good, and I know what I find difficult as an actor, and I know the corners I have to cut around and I know people are better than me. But they’re not me, so I have to get on with what I do."

Sir Ian also admitted he’s spent his life trying to obscure his professional weakness.

He told the Daily Telegraph newspaper: "I tell you what’s difficult for me is an overtly emotional scene where the character cries, breaks down, has a speech about his deepest feelings. If Shakespeare hasn’t written it, you’re going to have to drag something out from your gut and … That’s difficult.

"I don’t have much experience of expressing deep, complicated emotions for the benefit of somebody else. That’s not how I’ve gone about my [private] life.

"So when a character does that … I suppose sometimes you come up against a block and say, ‘I can’t imagine what that’s like.’ And then you start using other little triggers and ways of stirring it all up."