Robbie entertains in his first full concert for three years Oct 21, 2009
" Robbie Williams was joined on stage by producer Trevor Horn (left) The 15-track set included seven songs from his new album Reality Killed the Video Star, with the slinky and soulful George Michael-influenced Starstruck standing out on the night. Reality Killed the Video Star is likely to get a warmer reception than 2006's Rudebox, his lowest-selling solo album to date. And he is likely to remain a huge live attraction, if he chooses to go back on tour. He has no current plans to do so, but... (BBC News -- UK)
Don't Wait for Magneto Oct 20, 2009
Ian McKellen on geek projects. Singer, Fox have been talking about it. (IGN FilmForce)
Oh yes she is! Pamela Anderson to star in London pantomime Oct 16, 2009
"Panto is one of those situations where people who are used to it don't give it the respect that it really deserves. HOLLYWOOD DOES PANTO Henry Winkler - Captain Hook, Wimbledon, 2006 (pictured) Mickey Rooney - Baron Hardup, Sunderland, 2007 Stefanie Powers - Fairy Godmother, Southampton, 2008 Guy Pearce - Buttons, Preston, 1989 Patrick Duffy - Baron Hardup, Woking, 2006 Sir Ian McKellen - Widow Twankey, London, 2005 Britt Ekland - Fairy Godmother, Stoke-On-Trent, 1999 Danny Kaye - Buttons,... (BBC News -- Entertainment)
'The Prisoner' starts Nov. 15 Oct 12, 2009
Oscar-nominee (and Gandalf and Magneto) Ian McKellen will play Number Two. That should be good. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
Gibson's Drunk Driving Conviction Expunged Oct 8, 2009
5:28 P.M. GMT september 10, 2007 10:36 P.M. GMT october 5, 2009 Since 1991, @ The Movies editor Tim Lammers has reviewed movies and interviewed hundreds of actors and filmmakers, including Meryl Streep, Ian McKellen, Daniel Radcliffe, Francis Ford Coppola, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Dustin Hoffman and Morgan Freeman. Click in to read new and archived interviews. (Click2Houston, TX)
Starr report Sep 30, 2009
Back in 1968-69, CBS also aired Britain's "The Prisoner" (Patrick McGoohan), which is being revived in a new ver sion premiering Nov. 15 on AMC with stars Jim Caviezel and Ian McKellen. All 17 ep isodes of the original "Pris oner" are on amctv. (New York Post -- Entertainment)
AMC's Prisoner Escapes Nov. 15 Sep 30, 2009
Ian McKellen plays Two, who runs the mysterious Village. Posted by on September 29, 2009. (Multichannel News)
AMC Sets 'Prisoner' Premiere Sep 30, 2009
The Village is controlled by one man - the sinister and charismatic Two (Ian McKellen). AMC executives are hopeful that The Prisoner can resonate like its initial miniseries entry, the Emmy-winning western that keyed its push into original series production with tand for his portrayal of Walt White. (Multichannel News)
Infotainment Sep 25, 2009
British actor Ian McKellen was honoured with a lifetime achievement award at the San Sebastian film festival in Spain. The 70-year-old Lord of the Rings star received the festivals Donostia Award, which goes to a great film personality in recognition for their work and career. (Daily Times, Pakistan)
Sir Ian gains honour in Spain Sep 25, 2009
Sir Ian McKellen told journalists Gandalf was "a wonderful character". Sir Ian McKellen has been given a lifetime achievement award at the San Sebastian film festival in Spain. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Hugh Laurie on Film Sep 22, 2009
Laurie was very much a junior member of the cast in this drama, which included a veritable legion of star names: Meryl Streep, Charles Dance, John Gielgud, Ian McKellen, Sam Neill and Sting among them. Laurie then took another small part in the romantic drama Strapless in 1989, before an alliance with other up and coming British stars gave him the chance of a fuller role in Peter s Friends in 1992. (Suite101.com)
Tea party ahead of TV's Emmy awards Sep 20, 2009
The British hopefuls include Sir Ian McKellen, who is nominated for the TV movie version of King Lear. Peter Bowes reports. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Don't forget the Emmys on Sunday (nominees here) Sep 19, 2009
Kevin Bacon for playing Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl on Taking Chance (HBO) * Kenneth Branagh for playing Kurt Wallander on Wallander: One Step Behind (PBS) * Brendan Gleeson for playing Winston Churchill on Into the Storm (HBO) * Kevin Kline for playing Cyrano de Bergerac on Cyrano de Bergerac (Great Performances) (PBS) * Ian McKellen for playing King Lear on King Lear (Greatest Performances) (PBS) * Kiefer Sutherland for playing Jack Bauer on 24: Redemption... (Seacoast New Hampshire)
'Shakespeare in Love' set to be reborn as theater Sep 15, 2009
And yet Williamson said, "the four biggest Shakespearean actors are from the north of England Ben Kingsley, Judi Dench, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.". "We want to offer the north of England what London has," he said. (Florida Times-Union)
Spanish lifetime gong for Sir Ian Sep 13, 2009
British actor Sir Ian McKellen will receive a lifetime achievement award at the San Sebastian film festival in Spain this month. In a statement organisers said the Donostia Award is being given to the star because he is "one of the leading British film, theatre and TV actors". (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Tolkien Estate, New Line Settle 'Rings' Lawsuit Sep 9, 2009
New Line ImageIan McKellen as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" ... Ian McKellen as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring". (Click2Houston, TX)
Elijah Wood Says He Could Never Play Bilbo Aug 26, 2009
Of the previous "Lord of the Rings" stars, Ian McKellen has been confirmed to reprise his role of the wizard Gandalf for "The Hobbit," which reportedly will begin filming in March. Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. (Click2Houston, TX)
Daily TV guide Aug 25, 2009
Fictionalization of the last days of director James Whale (Ian McKellen). R (1998). (Boston Globe)
Will Tolkien's heirs kill off "The Hobbit"? Jul 29, 2009
Ian Holm and Ian McKellen in "Lord of the Rings.". Gandalf, the benevolent and mysterious wizard in -- so memorably played by Ian McKellen in film trilogy -- has powerful magic at his command. (Salon)
30 Rock leads the way for Emmys Jul 17, 2009
Branagh is up against fellow Briton Sir Ian McKellen, 70, who is nominated for the film version of the Royal Shakespeare Company's King Lear - first shown in the UK on More4. BBC period dramas Little Dorrit and The Tudors received 11 and five nods respectively. (BBC News -- Americas)
61st Primetime Emmy Nominations Announced Jul 17, 2009
Outstanding Lead Actor In A Miniseries Or A Movie "Cyrano de Bergerac" (Great Performances), Kevin Kline as Cyrano de Bergerac "Into The Storm," Brendan Gleeson as Winston Churchill "King Lear" (Great Performances), Sir Ian McKellen as King Lear "Taking Chance," Kevin Bacon as Lt. Col. Mike Strobl "24: Redemption," Kiefer Sutherland as Jack Bauer "Wallander: One Step Behind," Kenneth Branagh as Kurt Wallander. Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series "The New Adventures Of Old Christine,"... (CBS News)
In honor of Stephen King's Portsmouth visit ... Jul 17, 2009
There's this, which became "Stand By Me," plus "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption" (you can figure out how that was adapted) plus "Apt Pupil," the Ian McKellen film. "The Body" is my favorite of the group and it became a great film, although "The Shawshank Redempton" is notable for being another film superior to its source material. (Seacoast New Hampshire)
* Londons musicals: intimate or outsize? Jul 13, 2009
Theyre the most engaging old couple of tramps this side of Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in the West End Waiting for Godot. The Menier, the big little theatrical powerhouse of the moment, is also responsible for the West End transfer of A Little Night Music, directed by Trevor Nunn at the Garrick Theater. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
It's a cold war, kids Jul 3, 2009
The Promise is a Soviet-era masterpiece and it played widely behind the Iron Curtain before it was translated into English for a West End production in 1967 starring a young Judi Dench, Ian McKellen and Ian McShane. "It was written at a time when playwrights were able to write more freely about the Soviet experience," Stone says. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Featured Filmmaker: Michael Mann Jul 3, 2009
Mann followed Thief with the critically panned supernatural film The Keep, starring Gabriel Byrne, Scott Glenn and Ian McKellen. Mann would find greater success at that time on the small screen as the executive producer and visual influence on the groundbreaking 1980s TV series , a neo-Noir drama that crossed MTV music videos with the gaudiness and drug-dealing violence of Scarface. (IGN FilmForce)
Stonewall legacy Jun 30, 2009
Thanks to "enlightened" EU Legislation and the hard work of Michael Cashman Ian Mckellen, Elton John, Angela Mason, Peter Tatchell and Ben Summerskill and all their staff/supporters. However, having got rights, they need to be defended, especially when the various religious factions who normally don't see eye to eye agree on one thing; Gays are bad. (BBC News -- Americas)
Sir Ian calls on playwrights to create new roles for older women Jun 6, 2009
Actor Sir Ian McKellen has made a plea for fresh stage roles to be created for older actresses. The 70-year-old told The Stage that "everybody wants to see actresses like Judi Dench, it's just up to people to provide the material". (BBC News -- Entertainment)
Where race, gender and power meet Jun 5, 2009
Haines will next appear in the feature The Bang Bang Club with Ryan Phillippe, and in the remake of the TV series The Prisoner with Sir Ian McKellen. "This film has given me a huge amount of confidence as an actor," she says. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
Book Roundup: Audiobooks Jun 4, 2009
Here's a possible distraction: You and your passengers can debate how this Little Dorrit a full-cast audio drama starring Sir Ian McKellen stacks up against the recent five-part PBS adaptation of Dickens' classic about a man long imprisoned for debt. (Tell your kids it's Gandalf from Lord of the Rings, and they just might remove their iPod earbuds. (USA Today -- Life)
Today in History May 25, 2009
Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 70 ... Actor Sir Ian McKellen. (Yahoo News)
Today in History - May 25 May 25, 2009
Actor Sir Ian McKellen is 70. Actress Dixie Carter is 70. (Carlisle Sentinel, PA)
Celebrity Birthdays For The Week Of May 24-30 May 22, 2009
Actor Ian McKellen ("Lord of the Rings") is 70. Actress Dixie Carter is 70. (KIRO TV, WA)
Unholy Alliances May 18, 2009
Ian McKellen, as Sir Leigh Teabing, an expert on the Holy Grail, wriggled his thick eyebrows and let out his mighty baritone in torrents of expository fervor. Like Laurence Olivier shouting in merriment forty years ago in The Shoes of the Fisherman, McKellen was signalling to us that the material was rot. (New Yorker)
From Brookside to Tiffany's - Anna Friel to star as Holly Golightly May 16, 2009
The show will open in September at the Theatre Royal Haymarket, where Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are now appearing in Waiting for Godot. Sean Mathias, that show's director, will also direct Breakfast at Tiffany's, which has been adapted for the stage by British playwright Samuel Adamson. (BBC News -- Entertainment)
The All-Stars of Absurdism face off May 16, 2009
In New York, you got to see Nathan Lane, Bill Irwin, John Goodman and John Glover, while in London I saw Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Simon Callow and Ronald Pickup ... I was floored by how much sadness Patrick Stewart, as Didi, wrings out of "Will night never come?" And Ian McKellen's Gogo is an amazing study of an old, old man, all rounded shoulders and always a minute away from a snooze. (Globe and Mail)
Howling success:X-men is back May 11, 2009
Starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry ... Starring Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry. (Xinhuanet, China)
X-Men Trilogy May 2, 2009
Stryker's machinations eventually lead Xavier and his team enemies to become allies with former enemies Eric "Magneto" Lensherr (Ian McKellen) and Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos). This script has more of everything that was in the first movie; more effects, more shots, more plot, more story, many more characters and subplots. (IGN FilmForce)
Should the gay marriage movement become more tolerant of other viewpoints? May 2, 2009
Gandalf btw, Ian McKellen the actor who played Gandalf in The Lord of The Rings was GAY. So are you gay too. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Wolverine: There Ain't No Sanity Claws May 1, 2009
" A misfit again. Going AWOL from the team, Logan returns to his roots and becomes a Canadian lumberjack with an indigenous girlfriend (the beguiling Lynn Collins, who has played Ophelia and Juliet and knows how to telegraph troubled love). He should know he cannot escape his roiled physical and psychological destiny; there ain't no sanity claws. Soon he's drawn back into the orbit of Stryker, whose plan is to pour adamantium into Logan's system, giving our boy the power to fight and destroy his... (Time.com)
Tough as adamantium Apr 10, 2009
Other cast members like Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier), Ian McKellen (Magneto), Halle Berry (Storm) and Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) wont be on set. Our challenge would be delivering fans a powerful experience to relate to Wolverine and if they dont relate, were in big trouble, he joked. (The Star Online, Malaysia)
Old TV series keep returning in new forms Apr 5, 2009
"The Prisoner" returns this summer on AMC. James Caviezel becomes the nameless Number 6 -- played by Patrick McGoohan in the '60s classic about a former spy detained in an idyllic "village" prison by devious secrets -- seeking Number 2 (now Ian McKellen). TV series remakes are nothing new. (Erie Times-News, PA)
Kylie and Judy left out of gay icon list Mar 28, 2009
The actor Sir Ian McKellen picked the assassinated San Francisco politician Harvey Milk, and Cammermeyer, who was discharged as a US army colonel after admitting she was a lesbian. Chris Smith, Britain's first openly gay politician, chose the brilliant Enigma mathematician Turing, who in all likelihood killed himself in 1954after he was criminally prosecuted for his homosexuality. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Entertainment)
'King Lear' fitted to small screen Mar 25, 2009
Ian McKellen stars in the TV adaptation of ''King Lear ... If, like me, you didn't make it to London or New York last season for Ian McKellen's acclaimed performance in "King Lear," you might be interested in tonight's broadcast on PBS's "Great Performances." Just be forewarned: For better and worse, this isn't a film of the live performance, but an adaptation made especially for television ... TELEVISION REVEW KING LEAR Starring: Ian McKellen, Romola Garai, Frances Barber, Monica Dolan. (Boston Globe)
Critic's Corner Wednesday Mar 25, 2009
One of the greatest actors of our age takes on one of the greatest characters of the English-speaking stage, as Ian McKellen stars in the Royal Shakespeare Company's acclaimed King Lear (PBS, 8 ET/ PT, times may vary). If you've been looking for a reason to support PBS, there you have it. (USA Today -- Life)
Ian McKellen: The Player Mar 22, 2009
In a trailer on the edge of a film set beneath an underpass in downtown Cape Town, Ian McKellen, 69, is musing about fame and death, and what the papers will say when he goes. " 'GANDALF DIES,' I expect," he says. (Time.com)
In pictures: Natasha Richardson Mar 19, 2009
The star, who appeared with Sir Ian McKellen in 2005 psychodrama Asylum, won a Tony award for her Broadway role as Sally Bowles in Cabaret in 1998. Richardson worked with Ethan Hawke and his then-wife Uma Thurman on the movie, Chelsea Walls. (BBC News -- UK)
A nasty episode of local telly belly Mar 16, 2009
Ian Smith, the actor who gave Harold more than two decades of fictional life, was no Sir Ian McKellen, but his retirement does signal a generational loss. Before taking up residence on Ramsay Street, Smith appeared in a range of Australian TV dramas. (The Age, Australia -- Opinion)
Will The 'X-Men Origins: Wolverine' Trailer Answer Our Burning Questions? Mar 5, 2009
Still, in the new film we'll also likely be without heavyweights Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, who brought gravitas and serious acting chops to even the campiest of storylines. Will new stars Liev Schreiber (Sabretooth) and Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool) be up to the replacement challenge. (VHI.com -- Music News)
Goold's "Lear" shines with rare clarity and emotion Feb 24, 2009
Several seasons ago, Ian McKellen and the director Trevor Nunn won praise for a bombastic account of this same play that opened in Stratford-upon-Avon prior to an international tour. This production is scrappier, flintier, and Postlethwaite will never possess McKellen's vocal command. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
What's Happening? Feb 12, 2009
iFilms: "Swept from the Sea" - 7 p.m.; based on Joseph Conrad's short story "Amy Foster," with performances by Ian McKellen, Rachel Weisz and Kathy Bates, this film shares the tragic, passionate love affair of Yanko, a Ukrainian sailor, who washes ashore in 19th century England, shocking villagers with his accent and manners. Only Amy cares for his wounds and a passionate love develops between them; 115 min.. (Athens Banner-Herald)
What the Dickens is PBS doing? Four adaptations Feb 12, 2009
All but Copperfield, which features Daniel Radcliffe, Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith and Ian McKellen, are new productions. Although Dickens' novels were written in the 19th century, they remain relevant, especially during today's economic troubles, says Timothy Spall, who plays Twist's Fagin, the leader of a band of young ragamuffin thieves, including the orphaned Oliver (William Miller). (USA Today -- Life)
Lee Interview Feb 11, 2009
Lee: I've heard Ian McKellen has agreed to play Gandalf again in The Hobbit. But my character doesn't appear [in the book] at all. (IGN FilmForce)
‘X-Men: The Last Stand' ~ The better bubblegum movie (2) Feb 8, 2009
They are led by Ian McKellen, whose leprechaun face is squashed into a cheek-bone-smashing helmet ... In the end, everyone blows up everything they can, there is a multi-colored orgasm of special effects and the loss of Ian McKellen's helmet becomes almost tragic. (Desert Entertainer, CA)
The Lack of Stimulus Gabfest Feb 8, 2009
It's Robert Fagle's translation of Homer's Odyssey, read by Ian McKellen. Emily Bazelon, John Dickerson, and David Plotz talk politics. (Slate)
SLAM-DUNK MILLIONAIRE... Feb 8, 2009
Victorious: Danny Boyle (centre) celebrates winning Best Director for Slumdog Millionaire with Patrick Stewart (left) and Sir Ian McKellen (right). Tonight also saw veteran actor Mickey Rourke, 56, take Best Actor Bafta for his role in The Wrestler where he plays a has-been ring fighter who makes a comeback. (The Drudge Report)
X-Men 3: Saving the Best for Last? Feb 8, 2009
Facing off for one last time are mutant leaders Magneto (Ian McKellen) and Xavier (Patrick Stewart), enemies united only in their horror at a new antidote that has been developed to eliminate genetic mutation. Xavier, who advocates peace among species, is also concerned about another threat: the recently resurrected telepath Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), whose powers have become too great for her to control. (Xinhuanet, China -- Entertainment)
"X-Men" boasts largest Memorial Day box office Feb 8, 2009
Ian McKellen plays the evil Magneto ... The new film, whose returning cast of mutants includes Hugh Jackman as the heroic Wolverine and Ian McKellen as the evil Magneto, was directed by Brett Ratner, best known for the "Rush Hour" films. (Xinhuanet, China -- Entertainment)
