Sir Ian McKellen has attributed much of his recent success to "luck".
The award-winning actor – who was knighted in 1991 for services to the performing arts and was awarded a Freeman of the city of London last month – says a number of his contemporaries would have fared as well in the iconic role of Gandalf in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, including John Hurt.
Speaking at TimesTalks London, Sir Ian – who was sat beside his ‘Vicious’ co-star Sir Derek Jacobi – remarked: "We have been so lucky right throughout our careers. It’s not just actors our age who perhaps don’t work anymore. We’ve had friends right throughout our careers – of our age – who didn’t have work, who should have had work.
"We’re no better than a whole lot of people. But genuinely, being quite honest about it all, it’s luck. John Hurt could’ve played Gandalf."
The 75-year-old star has also starred in the ‘X-Men’ films as Magneto and in a recent interview, he claimed the comic book story is an metaphor for young gay men.
Sir Ian – who came out as gay in 1988 – said: "The people who created ‘X-Men’ were writing a parable about the way society treated minorities – and the demographic for the comics over the years has been young blacks, young Jews and young gays. They all identify with the mutants – and they’re meant to."
Sir Ian McKellen says ‘luck’ has been key to success
