Anthony Hopkins, Ian McKellen team for Starz movie 'The Dresser'

ENTERTAINMENT
By Natalie Abrams on Jan 9, 2015 at 7:06PM   @NatalieAbrams



Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen will team together for the first time in Starz’s adaptation of Ronald Harwood’s classic play The Dresser, the network announced at the Television Critics Association’s winter TV previews.

Based on Harwood’s own experiences as a dresser for the distinguished British actor Sir Donald Wolfit, the movie is set against the backdrop of World War II. Hopkins (Silence of the Lambs, Thor) will portray Sir, while McKellen (Lord of the Rings, X-Men) will play his dresser, Norman.

“The Dresser is a timeless and poignant story about the relationship between artists, and to have this classic play brought to life on-screen by such acting giants as Anthony Hopkins and Ian McKellen is thrilling,” says Starz Managing Director Carmi Zlotnik. “We are glad to be working in partnership again with the BBC and Colin Callender on this very special project, and to be establishing a relationship with acclaimed theater producer Sonia Friedman.”


READ MORE HERE: http://insidetv.ew.com/2015/01/09/anthony-hopkins-ian-mckellen-starz-dresser/

The Hobbit: Willie Nelson audition reel for Gandalf

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Benedict Cumberbatch Praised By Ian McKellen For Performance In ‘Hobbit The Desolation Of Smaug’ (THE GLOBAL DISPATCH) By Stephen Nevets

With The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug coming to cinemas at the end of the year, Ian McKellen has praised his co-star Benedict Cumberbatch who will appear as the voice to the dragon in the highly anticipated sequel.

Cumberbatch will appear as the dragon using the same pioneering motion capture technology that won Andy Serkis acclaim for his performance as Gollum and speaking to Metro, McKellen said

“Doing motion capture for a part such as that is tricky, I mean, how do you play a dragon? Then again, before Lord of the Rings people were saying, ‘How on Earth do you play a Gollum?’

READ MORE: http://www.theglobaldispatch.com/benedict-cumberbatch-praised-by-ian-mckellen-for-performance-in-hobbit-the-desolation-of-smaug-48235/

James McAvoy: 'I want to play Gandalf in Tolkien prequels' Published Sunday, Jan 6 2013, 2:34am EST | By Paul Martinovic (DIGITAL SPY)

James McAvoy has said that he would love to play legendary wizard Gandalf.

The character, who features heavily in JRR Tolkien's most famous works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, has been made famous by Sir Ian McKellen in Peter Jackson's screen adaptations.

Total Film reports that the X-Men: First Class star revealed that he would like the role should there be any prequels to the recent films.

Revealing an in-depth knowledge of Tolkien's work, he specifically referenced the possibility of appearing in something adapted from Tolkien anthology The Silmarillion.

He told the magazine: "It's a collection of poems and songs that chart the ancient history of Middle-earth. My true geek is coming to the fore, but they're really, really beautiful stories.

READ MORE: http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a448815/james-mcavoy-i-want-to-play-gandalf-in-tolkien-prequels.html

James McAvoy says he wants to play Gandalf in The Silmarillion

Exclusive: “My true geek is coming to the fore”
Jan 5th 2012By Total Film

In the current issue of Total Film magazine, we delve into James McAvoy’s dark side, with the Brit actor telling us about his upcoming slate, including gritty turns in Welcome To The Punch and Filth.

You can read the feature in the current issue of Total Film magazine, available for only £1.99 on the iPad, but here’s a snippet of what McAvoy told us when we asked if there was anything else that he was itching to do after his recent spate of diverse projects.

“I’d like to play Gandalf,” he told us, laughing.

‘Gandalf: Origins’, we offer? “It’s called The Silmarillion! It’s a collection of poems and songs that chart the ancient history of Middle-earth. My true geek is coming to the fore, but they’re really, really beautiful stories.

“In part of that is the genesis of Gandalf, or Mithrandir, or Stormcrow, or any of his many, many names. Anyway, maybe that’s the one!”


READ MORE: http://www.totalfilm.com/news/james-mcavoy-says-he-wants-to-play-gandalf-in-the-silmarillion

Sir Ian McKellen wows Theatre Royal (NELSONMAIL.CO.NZ)

In the darkened theatre a noisy symphonic fanfare heralds the voice of Gandalf the Grey, disguised as the renowned thespian Sir Ian McKellen.

He's a slender, fit-looking man, moving with an ease that defies his years (he'll be 73 on Friday) and he carries a long sword – Glamdring.

Gandalf/McKellen re-enacts the escape from the mines of Moria across the narrow stone Bridge of Khazad-dum.

The fellowship members dash across the narrow stone bridge, leaving Gandalf to deal with one last foe.

Although the others escape, the wizard stays to face the Balrog, Durin's Bane, whom he sends to the abyss, only to be dragged down himself by a last twitch of the monster's whip.

A convincing performance despite the street clothes and the lack of props.

In the movie (and the book), Gandalf is thought lost forever, but of course he returns, cleansed, as Gandalf the White.

In the Theatre Royal, he just continues to play the part of Sir Ian McKellen.

McKellen took a very literal view of Shakespeare's quote "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."

There's never a time when we're not acting, he said.

From the time we choose our clothes in the morning, until we go to bed at night, we play our part, depending on the audience – family, workmates, or in his case a movie camera or a theatre full of people.

After the opening drama, he invited audience members to come and hold the sword.

And so they did, more than 20 dashed up – this was an audience that wanted to be loved.


READ MORE:  http://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/news/6958475/Wizard-McKellen-charms-audience