Nerdly » The Filmmakers Podcast #262: Sir Ian McKellen on his career

14th Feb2022

The Filmmakers Podcast #262: Sir Ian McKellen on his career

by Phil Wheat

Here’s the latest episode of the The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the ever-growing podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.

For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro budget indie films to bigger budget studio films and everything in-between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their film making experiences from directors, writers, producers, screenwriters, actors, cinematographers and distributors.

The Filmmakers Podcast #262: Sir Ian McKellen on Acting in Film & Theatre, Producing, Directors & his Career

Today is the day, dear listener. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Tori Butler-Hart and Matt Butler-Hart welcome the one and only Sir Ian McKellen to the show. Yes, THE Ian McKellen. You probably know him from films like The Lord of the Rings series, the X-Men series, Mr Holmes (2015), The Da Vinci Code (2006), Infinitum: Subject Unknown (2021) by Matt & Tori, and many, many more. Giles, Tori and Matt sat down with Sir Ian at his wonderful home to dive deep into his long acting career: Ian talks about when his love for theatre and movies began, the difference between acting on stage vs in front of the camera, and whether he watches his films. He also discusses what he’s looking for in a director, how he produced his film Richard III (1995), and his favourite and most challenging roles. He talks about the first film he has ever acted in that was never released, how you as filmmakers can approach him, and why it’s easier than ever to make a film. This was incredible. We hope this conversation inspires you as much as it inspired us. Sit back, relax, enjoy this week’s episode with the legend that is Sir Ian McKellen.