McKellen talks Gandalf vs. Dumbledore
McKellen talks Gandalf vs. Dumbledore Sir Ian McKellen was recently interviewed by The Guardian where amongst other things he discusses Dumbledore vs. Gandalf, the character who he played in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

McKellen says that while he and Michael Gambon are close friends, the topic of "how to play a wizard" has never come up. And as far as if he would have taken over the role of Dumbledore from the late Richard Harris, McKellen said:

"People say to me, don't you wish you'd played Dumbledore? I say no! I played Gandalf! The original. There was a question as to whether I might take over from Richard Harris [Gambon's predecessor in the Dumbledore role], but seeing as one of the last things he did publicly was say what a dreadful actor he thought I was, it would not have been appropriate for me to take over his part." He smiles icily. "It would have been unfair."

When asked who would win the battle between Dumbledore and Gandalf, McKellen never hesitated, "Gandalf. Of course."
Posted by Micah on Nov 24th | 364 Comments
Visitor Comments
Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

honeydukes? hellooooo? did you leave?


Posted by honeydukes0209 Nov 25th 2007

helloooo...sorry moony...i was up on the 2nd post! see ya back up there!


Posted by honeydukes0209 Nov 25th 2007

This is the moonlit post right? Moony are you here yet? ps. i have to go soon!


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

hello peoples! *brings out 3 bean bags and a plate of cookies*


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

*snags beanbag* let us commence! oh, and guys, don't forget to wish marisa a very happy cheesecake filled birthday.


Posted by honeydukes0209 Nov 25th 2007

Ah...alas...it might have to be 3...no wait, reserve that one for me moony! I've gotta go for now, but I'll try to get back later!! :) bye!


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

so...who all is here? just me and moony?


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

bye honey! *sets 'reserved for honey' sign on beanbag.* i think snapefever might be coming *bring out more beanbags*


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

*grabs cookie and begins snacking* so, moony, wassup?


Posted by SnapeFever911 Nov 25th 2007

hey moonshine good cookies wups


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

well, nothing really. its been a very boring weekend for me. thanksgiving was good tho. :D but all day ive just sat around and talked on mugglenet.


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

hey snape! whats shakin?


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

hi snape! *pulls up beanbag chair* have a seat!


Posted by SnapeFever911 Nov 25th 2007

nothing much thanks for the seat just staying up late cuz i ahve no school tom


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

lucky! whyever not?


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

yoohoo? anyone here?


Posted by SnapeFever911 Nov 25th 2007

lets just say my school is very kind then sometime during december i have christmas vacatoin and i think thats long too idk lucky u u dont have too be with 3 other sister and one brother for the whole week that we have off


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

idk, any kind of long vacation sounds good to me. but, then again, i only have one older sister, and she avoids the house as much as possible, so i can't really say.


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

i dont want to go to school....urgh. all those spoiled richkid preppy girls there. "LIKE OMG LOOK AT MY LIKE NEW JUICY COURTURE PURSE AND MATCHING SHOES!!!!!" urgh they are so annoying!!!!!!


Posted by SnapeFever911 Nov 25th 2007

yeah well my older sister is a musician(she plays the clarinet)and she has the schools band the outside of school and then she has districts she drives me nutty im like when r u going to listen to something real then the younger ones r annoying and when my mom up at the barn and i have to watch younger siblings its annoying


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

so...*awkward silence* who likes whataburger?


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

moony, i know what you mean. one of the girls i know had a meltdown in LA over her parents not buying her Uggs. The deal was top 5=getting uggs. She got 43rd. And, she was parading around the store in these ***$800*** dollar flats, and her mom said "when hell freezes over". then her mom asked for the salesmans card. then the girl leaned over and said "maybe i'm getting them for my birthday". you know what I got for MY birthday? a book and a wand. $35 total. not $800 dollar SHOES! okay, rant now over.


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

my sister is a crazy good singer, and she's freaking out over a scholarship to NAU right now, i swear, if I hear "I Loved" one more time, I'm going to kill someone.


Posted by SnapeFever911 Nov 25th 2007

i have this one girl in my class she feels shes special because her father owns a limo company and she can get anything she wants as long as she behaves and im just like yeah and like ummmm thats cool and im just ignoring her and paying attentoin in class its annoying ummm got to go rents r telling me to get off tell tell acid or honey that i said hi


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

ok bye snape! theres one girl at our school. in 7th grade and she has an IPHONE! can you believe that?


Posted by moonshine Nov 25th 2007

hey guys i gotta go to bed! goodnight!


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

au revoir snape! moony - ohmerlin! your kidding me! i get a cell phone when i'm in high school. it probably won't even have a camera. not that i'm complaining, i just wish kids weren't so SPOILED. the girl i just ranted about has an iPod mini, a shuffle, AND the new video. why she needs a shuffle when she has a mini and video, i have no idea. lord knows she does brag about it enough. i just had a brainblast! i could carry around a nerf bat and hit annoying people on the head...


Posted by honeydukes0209 Nov 25th 2007

Oh..bye Fever, Moony, and Allie! Just wanted to drop in real quick...Have a great day guys...Just a heads up, I might not be on tmrw...:(...if you have my email, email me! If you don't, you can get it from Danny or Loverz or someboyd...Bye and sleep well!! Love HoneyBuns/Bee/BunchesOfOa t ~ HoNeY ^^


Posted by ginerva_weasley Nov 25th 2007

buh bye you guys! i must go get some sleep. ick, school tommorow. the email is allie_is_treble@msn.com. i'll try and get on tommorow, but not a good chance of it. night!


Posted by Ladyphoenix Nov 25th 2007

Michael Gambon might be a great actor in other movies but most definatly NOT as Dumbledore! I cringe every time that man is on screen! I long for Richard Harris and Ian McKellon IS Gandalf so wishful thinking there. My vote is Gandalf all the way because the new embodiment of Dumbledore is too busy preening to put up a good fight!


Posted by rosem Nov 26th 2007

Gambon sucks ass. Sir McKellen would have been waaayy better.


Posted by Padfoot777 Nov 26th 2007

The ORIGNAL who is he kidding! What about Merlin! Did not think about him, did he? I do say I liked Harris better but I don't mind Gambon. But I love Gandalf, but if it is a match between the two it could only be DUMBLEDORE!


Posted by RenaMarie Nov 26th 2007

What most people fail to notice about Gandalf is that he is not a human and therefore in no way can be compared to Dumbledore. Gandalf is Istari, which is equivalent to a demi-god in Tolkien's world. He did not die, he went back to the place he had come from and was sent back because he was not finished with his mission on middle earth. Dumbledore is a great man and a great wizard but Gandalf is much more powerful. However, these two are not on even playing fields.


Posted by UhsFethMalorn Nov 26th 2007

Although I still maintain that Gandalf would win, I have to say that I in no way endorse what willyweasley800 said about 'Dumbledore the Gay.' Sexuality to me has absolutely no bearing on what powers the two might have, and although I personally feel Gandalf is much stronger and a better wizard, I feel extremely emotionally attached to Dumbledore as well, and think that willyweasley is quite aptly named, actually. I'd be a member of the D.A if I went to Hogwarts. It is quite simply to do with the fact that Gandalf is more powerful than almost anyone.


Posted by magic_apple_pie Nov 26th 2007

haha, loved his last comment. can't understand why harris would call him a bad actor, anyway. I'm pretty sure Dumbledore would own Gandalf, and Ian mcKellen would own both Gambon and Harris as Dumbledore.


Posted by LookMeUp_AtSpinnersEnd Nov 26th 2007

Richard Harris was an amazing Dumbledore, but definitely not an amazing person if he's going around and bashing other actors. Ian McKellen would have been a perfect replacement, and perhaps if Harris weren't so rude, we might've gotten somebody better as the beloved headmaster... because i'm pretty sure that Gambon is the EXACT opposite of what Dumbledore is supposed to be.


Posted by woodelf23 Nov 26th 2007

from someone who has read both LOTR and HP, i'd have to say Gandalf would totally win. as much as i LOVE HP, it cannot compare to Tolkein's genius


Posted by UhsFethMalorn Nov 26th 2007

Yeah, Gambon is a rubbish Dumbledore. He was much too violent. I cringed in the fourth film when he bursts in, grabs Harry by the collar and shouts, 'Harry Potter, did you put your name in the Goblet of Fire?' That's just not Dumbledore's way. He's calm and compassionate, not a violent, erratic fool.


Posted by member_of_SPEW Nov 26th 2007

I definitely think Gandalf would win, and I haven't even read RotK yet! (long story...) I think most of the people posting "OH HE'S SO STUPID! DUMBLEDORE PWNS!!!" haven't read LotR, so they can't compare.


Posted by willyweasley800 Nov 26th 2007

SPEW, have you seen the LoTR trilogy movies?


Posted by Grnd3lW4Ld Nov 26th 2007

LOL id like to see a mortal take on one of the maiar, come on, dumbledore let himself die like such a puss. hed get his head knocked in taking on a competent wizard.


Posted by UhsFethMalorn Nov 26th 2007

While I agree with you on some counts, Grnd3lW4Ld, your manner of delivery appalls me. Dumbledore is not a 'puss.' He just happens to be human. Gandalf isn't, he is a transcendent being, capable of more in his lifetime than Dumbledore ever could do. Dumbledore, for his time and his place, is fabulous, but he is in an entirely different setting, so really, it's not very fair. I know Gandalf would win, but as I have said and will continue to say, I still love Dumbledore. I think even Rowling would admit it, she ain't got nothing on Tolkien.


Posted by blackten64 Nov 26th 2007

xOphoeniXfeath3r i also agree with u jk rowling does describe the different objects in her books very well and i personly thought it she did a better job than tolken , but both are some of my favorite authors and i usually dont take sides


Posted by member_of_SPEW Nov 26th 2007

I've seen the first and second ones, but not the third, and I only watched them after I'd read the books. I'm as careful about spoilers for LotR as for HP!!! (although it's harder ... :-( -Why?


Posted by REMiiSAHMAZiNGx4 Nov 26th 2007

Hey yall!!


Posted by UhsFethMalorn Nov 26th 2007

I just do not think Rowling's description is good; her concepts and depictions of characters are excellent, but Tolkien's use of language can only be second to none.


Posted by rob1007 Nov 26th 2007

hey remi


Posted by harry8voldemort Nov 26th 2007

Hi REMI! are the other's coming omg Bones is on tonight to!


Posted by REMiiSAHMAZiNGx4 Nov 26th 2007

NO way bones is on tonight... *runs to remote flicks throught channels*


Posted by member_of_SPEW Nov 26th 2007

hi cheesecakes! I kind of think we should move back up; there's still a convo going on here...






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