At a Rome film festival, Sir Ian McKellen shared how he tapped into real-world frustration while filming an upcoming Marvel superhero movie. The 87-year-old actor, who returns as the X-Men villain Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday, revealed an unconventional method for summoning intense emotion during an action sequence.
McKellen told the crowd of 2,000 at an open-air cinema that he was shooting a scene where his character destroys a New Jersey location. When directors Anthony and Joe Russo asked him to appear more furious, McKellen found an effective solution. "I stood there and I shouted: 'Mar-a-Lago!'" he explained, referring to Donald Trump's Florida resort and private club.
The anecdote demonstrates McKellen's creative approach to performance and his willingness to draw on contemporary political feelings to enhance his acting. The actor rose from his seat during the Rome appearance to physically reenact the moment for the audience.
Avengers: Doomsday marks a significant return for McKellen to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film also brings back Sir Patrick Stewart, reuniting the original X-Men cast with the MCU's main storyline. Directed by the Russo Brothers, who previously helmed Avengers: Endgame, the film is scheduled for December release. It will serve as the MCU's 39th feature and functions as a sequel to Endgame, which earned 2.8 billion dollars and remains the second highest-grossing film ever made.
Beyond his Avengers work, McKellen is experiencing a career resurgence following a stage fall in 2024. He earned critical acclaim for his performance in Steven Soderbergh's The Christophers and participated in an innovative video stage installation in New York this year. McKellen has also remained active in social causes, recently joining a march against the criminalization of LGBTQ+ people in Commonwealth countries and unveiling an English Heritage blue plaque honoring Laurence Olivier's former London home.
The actor is also preparing to return to another iconic role. He revealed plans to travel to New Zealand to reprise Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. Directed by Andy Serkis, who also returns as the character Gollum, the film will tell a story McKellen noted was not written by J.R.R. Tolkien himself. Producer Peter Jackson is overseeing the project.
McKellen's appearance at the Cinema in Piazza festival, a free series organized by the Piccolo America Foundation, allowed him to share both the Avengers footage and personal reflections on his career. The festival features open-air screenings and Q&A sessions with filmmakers and actors.