Ian McKellen

“For me, the theatre is the university of life.”

“I think the first duty of a gay person is to come out.”

“When you're a gay man, you're a member of the largest minority in the world.”

“Acting is a very personal process. It has to do with expressing your own personality, and discovering the character you're playing through your own experience.”

“I think the theater is as essential to civilization as safe, pure water.”

“The great thing about acting is that you can do it until you fall over. There are no rules.”

“There's no better disguise than honesty.”

“If you're an actor, you should be able to turn your hand to anything.”

“I have a lot of sympathy with people who are forced to live in the closet.”

“The most precious thing in life is its uncertainty.”

“Prejudice is making assumptions about people you don't know.”

“Shakespeare's villains are seductive because they are so clever.”

“I think the best thing about being an actor is that you get to be a lot of different people.”

“Before you know it, you're 70.”

“I'm a great admirer of cartoons. I'm a great admirer of comic strips.”

“It's a question of priorities, isn't it? It's a question of what you want to get done.”

“My acting is a bit like a chameleon. I can adapt to any situation.”

“I'm a worrier. I'm a worrier. I've always been a worrier.”

“It's a lovely thing to be a part of a community. I'm a member of a number of communities.”

“Actors are agents of change. A film, a piece of theater, a piece of music, or a book can make a difference.”