ian_mckellen: Welcome to everybody! I'm in LA
honey_crash asks: You were brilliant in Gods and Monsters - how was your role in the X-Men different from some of your other roles?
ian_mckellen: Oh good gracious.. well every part is different from other parts. This was a movie, not theater.. this wasn't a leading part but it doesn't matter in film. b/c when it comes to do your scene you are the leading part. As for the character, he seemed very familiar to me.. I've played a lot of Shakespeare, some of whom made it to the screen and I think Magneto is very similar to those characters and I think if we haven't had Shakespeare we wouldn't have X Men
xstuds asks: Do you feel that Magneto is a villain or a tragic hero...and why?
ian_mckellen: Well I try not to judge the parts that I play I think that's up to the person who's written the script or more importantly the people who watch.
Obviously he does things that people might think are villainous, but his motives are admirable. so you could call him villainous or heroic as well. What's interesting about the X-Men movie and the comic itself is there's a commentary about Magneto's version of being a mutant... and no I didn't think "oh goody goody" he's a bad guy.. nor did I think that when I played Richard the 3rd
pap_guedhe asks: You say on your site that you prepared for the role by reading X-Men, did you read any other comics at this time or do you read comics in general?
ian_mckellen: I think when I was about 10 years old in the north of England a new comic came out called the "eagle" and I read that each week, but it wasn't a strictly a comic on the American model.. So no. As for research, I was not familiar with X-Men comics until I read the script and I did more than glance at old comics shown to me.. but basically I didn't do
any delving into past history which goes back 35 years.. If I had I'd still be reading those now long after the film is finished
wolvieclaw asks: Did it feel odd playing a Nazi War Criminal in Apt Pupil and now playing Magneto: a Holocaust survivor ?
ian_mckellen: Well, there is that connection between the two parts, but I didn't see any other connection
kevkev76 asks: Are Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, Magneto's children, mentioned at all?
ian_mckellen: No, I am aware of them, but they were not mentioned in the film, nor do they appear but if everyone goes and sees X-Men, there may be a sequel and they may get their moment in the sun
honey_crash asks: What was it like working with Bryan Singer again?
ian_mckellen: Well, basically very enjoyable. People often ask me what attracted me to play Magneto and the first attraction was working with Bryan. he's been a good friend since we did Apt Pupil So very enjoyable will be the answer
Jaredan1 asks: Less seriously-- did the helmet itch?
profxbarber asks: was your helmet comfortable?????
ian_mckellen: It didn't itch, no.. but it hurt on occasion. It had to fit tightly b/c no body wanted to see Magneto's helmet moving independently of
Magneto's head! and it would have been impossible for the helmet to be put on in one piece. so you're in on the secret that it's in two parts and occasionally I was given a momentary headache, but nothing that Magneto couldn't cope with
xstuds asks: Was anyone intimidated on-set by your formal training, Oscar-nominations, and knighthood?
ian_mckellen: Well if so they didn't show it. No I was treated very much as part of the team Americans find knighthood difficult to deal with.. not that they have a problem but they can't figure out how to address me
so we settled for Ian
KingSpammer asks: I saw the trailer and the movie looks great, so how did it feel to be in one of the most anticipated movies of the summer?
ian_mckellen: Well, there can't be any pressure on me, b/c I've finished.. that isn't quite true Tomorrow morning and the day after I have to do ADR... dubbing my voice for the film.. but yesterday there was a roughcut showing among executives at FOX and I'm sure Bryan Singer felt under pressure b /c he hasn't finished the film.. there's music and other things.. but for the actor's it's onto the next job for us
Ryan_Jamison_Evans asks: Do you feel pressure on you as an actor when you are cast to play a role like Gandalf in Lord of the Rings, both from yourself and from fans of the original work?
ian_mckellen: I'm rather used to this sort of pressure, b/c I've played a lot of classic parts Parts that other actors have played before me.. so when you play Richard 3rd hundreds of actors all over the world have played the part.. and in some instances you'll be judged to those performances
in the case of Magneto, I'm not being compared to another performance but to the cartoon so it's not the same.. I'm aware via my website that there are people anticipating, but I tried to ignore them while I was actually filming. I was told today that 1.7 million people have downloaded the glimpse that was seen of Lord of the Rings on its site and that's a lot of people isn't it?
cubfanlongtime asks: Assuming Magneto wasn't killed, would you consider coming back for a sequel?
ian_mckellen: Yes.
Ishamael70 asks: Was it difficult for you to switch roles so quickly, from Magneto to Gandalf(in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings)?
ian_mckellen: Yes. I think as I remember.. I did have a holiday off for the millennium eve but I had intended all the time I was doing X-Men in Toronto to be catching up and thinking of Gandalf and I arrived in NZ in January, I had to do some adjusting. So it was good to have that brief break.. and I don't recommend that actors jump directly from one role to another.. although some actors do 2 films at once so maybe it's not as difficult as all that
cubfanlongtime asks: B. Singer has said "it's not an action movie." Agree or disagree?
ian_mckellen: The X-Men movie is still inside Bryan Singer's head so he knows best There's certainly action in it.. I think he's said it's not just action and there's content in the film and plenty of possibility for acting as opposed to action
durstman asks: what was it like working with Patrick Stewart
ian_mckellen: Well I've done that twice. The first was in a play by Tom Stoppard called Every Good Boy Deserves Favor but that was like 20 years ago now.. you'd have to check on my website www.mckellen.com
But we're not old friends, but old acquaintances and became much closer on this film and often found in adjacent chairs talking about all sorts of private things like our past in classical theater in the UK
He's just opened very successfully on Broadway last night.. and I'm sorry that I won't be able to see the play
gwhitta asks: You're well known as a classical actor - does a role like Magneto really give you a chance to flex your acting muscles, or is it a much simpler kind of role?
ian_mckellen: well what is simpler is the text, the dialogue, the words you have to speak, but I find all parts difficult in a sense in that each have their own demands but I have very catholic tastes and don't make a distinction between comedy, tragedy, film theater
big part, small part, each have their own special demands so I didn't find magneto an easier part or a lesser part than the great classical roles Plus you don't get to fly when you play Richard the 3rd do you?
dsanaka asks: your performance so far (what I've seen in the preview) is stunning, chilling, and moving... do you like playing a bad guy?
ian_mckellen: Is this a critic? :D If so I should send you a box of chocolates :) Well, it's said that the devil has the best tunes to that extent the villains are often the best parts For ex. in Othello by Shakespeare the title isn't the best part, but Iago, which I played So the thing in playing people who behave badly is that you'll possibly behave less badly in real life b/c you've gotten rid of some of that part of your nature
chatty_90403 asks: Did you have other actors to play off of when you recorded your part, or were you playing off of computers and previous recordings?
ian_mckellen: In X-Men, always with the other actors. In Lord of the Rings, which I'm still in the middle of making there's a great deal of computer generated material and characters who are computer generated
but I don't have to appear with them .. so no, real people, real actors
cubfanlongtime asks: What Shakespearean part would you say is closest to Magneto? Shylock? (do we not bleed)?
ian_mckellen: Ah... Well, that is possible.. that is a viable connection in that Magneto in his youth was a victim of the Nazis who ill-treated Jews, but many other minorities as well including gay people
Magneto has more power than Shylock ever aspires to
I can't think of a specific connection between a Shakespeare character and Magneto
chatty_90403 asks: Do you prefer theater or film?
ian_mckellen: That's rather like saying do you prefer eating the main course to the dessert.. It's all food as it were They're very different, but very similar.. sometimes when I'm making a film I think I long to return to the theater and the live audience, and sometimes when I'm in the middle of a long run I want to return in front of the camera. So the grass is always greener
mlke23 asks: Mr. Singer has often said that he only would do this film if it stayed "realistic." In your opinion, was it a realistic film, considering the suspension of disbelief for mutants?
ian_mckellen: Well it would have been possible to do a film version of X-Men as pure fantasy, but I think that would have been contrary to the intention of the comics.. it's full of people in fancy dress, but what they're worrying about is a very real world in which minority people are treated... so I think it was right in Bryan Singer setting it in the real world of the present day so I think that was a good approach for the film version
thedarkphoenix20 asks: How does it feel to have an action figure?
ian_mckellen: :) As long as we're just talking amongst ourselves, it's rather thrilling really
I have this vision of children around the world shaking their corn flakes out and Ian McKellen so they've got to be careful not to eat me
kevkev76 asks: Any love interest for Magneto in the film?
ian_mckellen: Yes, but you have to be very quick to notice
lemon73081 asks: How do they play up the social aspect of the movie? This is, that Xavier and Magneto are flip sides to the same coin, and if they ever worked together, they might accomplish something?
ian_mckellen: I think that is for an audience to note for themselves, but I don't think it's a point that's made in the script and it's clear that they're old friends I think Xavier regrets that Magneto his old friend doesn't agree with his views, his actions
kevkev76 asks: What was it like working with newcomers Hugh Jackman and James Marsden?
Pogo_Go asks: Speaking of the other actors, how was it hanging around with your cronies Sabertooth and Mystique (Tyler Mane and Rebecca Romijn respectively)?
ian_mckellen: I like them all immensely as people.. and Hugh in particular has become a good friend They were all delightful to work with and yesterday Jimmy Marsden and I spent the day going about Universal studios with friends.. he was wearing sunglasses that rather looked like a visor but no body recognized him They were blue, not red :) Thank you very much. I think it would be the weather. We were filming in Nov. and a number of days we were filming in nighttime when it was way below freezing, and we would rush offstage to get warm by these heaters.
mlke23 asks: Magneto has been called the first "misunderstood" villain in comics. Do you believe he is evil, or just a misunderstood minority?
ian_mckellen: Well it goes back to an earlier question doesn't it? ...I had just finished doing a very hard season of work at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in the UK and decided that I wouldn't work for the rest of the year unless it was a wonderful part So Bryan showed me the script, I had looked at the comics and I said yes rather quickly
pap_guedhe asks: Mr McKellen, after having partaken in the X-Men movie with what comes with that would you participate in other comics movies?
ian_mckellen: Well I wouldn't want to get trapped into type casting. It would all depend on the script if the script was good, if the director was someone I admired I would be more interested but throughout my career, I've been acting for 40 years, so I don't like to repeat myself
CoolDan989 asks: If you could change one thing about Magneto, what would it be?
ian_mckellen: Oooh dear.. if I could change one thing about Magneto what would it be... well he is what he is
and if you started changing him he wouldn't be Magneto.. so I think I'd leave him exactly as he is
If he were a real life person I do wish he would listen a little more to the words of wisdom
from his old friend the professor
martin1994_2000 asks: did you base your character representation on anybody in the real world
ian_mckellen: No, I hoped that I understood him from the script and understood his motives and based on his past which is strongly referred to in the script
so I didn't have any difficulty imagining him
I did in the way that I walked, and used my costume, remember some of the images from the comics, the way that he's clearly very proud of his appearance Magneto goes to a very good hairdresser for example and has his own personal tailor He's a bit of a narcissist, but I didn't form him after anyone in particular
seagal_usa asks: What a thrill! Welcome Sir McKellen! What was your favorite role?
ian_mckellen: Well in the theater my favorite roles are those in which I've had successes
so Macbeth was a particular favorite. It was a wonderful part. It was a wonderful production it was a long time ago 1976. And we did film the version which I think is the best film version of Shakespeare ever made, with the exception of the film Richard III
and then my favorite film role to date is James Whale in Gods and Monsters
waterbairer asks: Sir Ian, I have been a big fan of yours since Richard III, and your performance in God's and Monsters was incredible. Was this project as challenging as Richard or God?
ian_mckellen: No, b/c Richard III I was not only playing the leading part. I had co-written the script and was a co-producer Again Gods and Monsters it was the leading part and that has its special responsibilities As Magneto I felt I was more part of the team
dmullich asks: What motivated you to set up your own web site and communicate so directly with your fans?
ian_mckellen: I'm often asked to write my autobiography and the website is I hope a modern alternative to that in that it catalogues my career and allows me to comment on work that I've done and am doing and the website keeps expanding as I comment on previous performances I never intended it to become such a correspondence with people who are interested
but it's turned out that way and I'm enjoying that part of it and there are many many people who have such an interest in acting and theater... and I've
communicated with them through letters, but now can do it in a very modern way through email and through this type of chat
sabretooth2k asks: Are there any scenes which depict Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier arguing about their ideals in the Astral Plane?
ian_mckellen: Well, every time that they meet in the film they're arguing.. and I think there is a scene where the astral plane can be said to occur, but...
kevkev76 asks: Do you think X-Men will raise social conscience?
ian_mckellen: I hope so. If you look at the official X-Men site, it's quite clear that it directs the audiences attention to the fact that there's a serious political argument at the heart of the film
tubekak asks: Playing Magneto, a character of such literate proportions, are you inspired from some of the great screen villains. Actors who have played villains such as Dracula, Frankenstein's monster. I think of people like Boris Karloff come to mind. Is he or anyone else you look at for inspiration?
ian_mckellen: No, not with regards to Magneto.. but I've just been working with Christopher Lee, the great English horror movie actor and that was very enjoyable. But Magneto is all my own work.
the_infamous_twinz asks: Sir Ian McKellen, are you in a lot of the action scenes in the film?
ian_mckellen: Magneto's powers are so strong that he doesn't have to dirty his hands with too much action
lemon73081 asks: How did you go about preparing for the film? Was researching difficult?
ian_mckellen: On the whole, I don't do research. On the whole if the script is good enough I won't need to
b/c the research would have been done already by the writers
fjhebronjr asks: Mr. McKellen, Do you think X-men was compromised at all due to the studio wanting to release the film this summer
timmy_c_1999 asks: How you compare Gandalf to Magneto, and what are their differences?
ian_mckellen: I don't make any connection really. Of course they both contain a lot of Ian McKellen in them, inevitably The comparison has been made with Malcolm X .. they both were prepared to use violence to achieve their aims.
