Sir Ian Charms SFU Audience

The Simon Fraser University Film Society screened Richard III on Wednesday and guess who hosted the presentation -- Sir Ian McKellen.

McKellen, the 1995 movie's producer, writer and star, introduced the film, took questions from the audience for an hour at its conclusion and signed autographs for all comers -- further endearing himself as one of this city's most. gracious visitors.

It was likely McKellen's last act in, his lengthy Vancouver stay -- he headed back to his rented Point Grey digs that night to pack and read the latest script for his one remaining B.C. project, a 16-day shoot for Carl Bessai's independent film Emile in Victoria. (Most of his castmates from X2 headed this week to Alberta to film climactic scenes in the snow.)

The humorous McKellen was equally gracious and entertaining at his impromptu A Knight Out one-man show in support of the Vancouver Playhouse last weekend, where he auctioned off memorabilia, offered anecdotes from his life and again took questions from the audience.

McKellen's been here since June on a sometimes painfully slow shoot for the huge X-Men sequel. The English actor is too far from home to commute and thus has spent his considerable off-time and energy on the local scene.

McKellen tells All-Star Bulletin that he hasn't made any firm plans, but once back in England he expects to do theatre. Given his key roles in two of the biggest movies of the day (the sequels to Lord of the Rings and X-Men are due out Dec. 18 and next May, respectively), McKellen will have enough of a big-screen presence to cancel out the lull.

Some of the many tidbits imparted at SFU:

He's currently writing an another William Shakespeare screenplay, this time The Merchant of Venice, in which he'll play the (gay) Merchant Antonio, although won't be producing ("...ever again," he says).
Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's daughter was diagnosed with epilepsy the day filming began. The third installment of trilogy is already being edited.
McKellen's favourite film project: 1998's Gods and Monsters, starring Toronto's Brendan Fraser.
He sports a small Lord of Rings tattoo on his upper arm, which he obligingly displayed.

Meanwhile, a report on the Ain't It Cool News website says X2 more than doubled its original estimated budget of $100 million US and incurs costs to the tune of $1.5 million per day. It also says director Bryan Singer is unhappy and walked off the set on several occasions, Halle Berry is vowing to not work with him again that Berry bailed on the movie and refused to come back until they paid her more money.

Few sources seem to think true, or at least anywhere near dire as it sounds. While the production is long and difficult -- a 12-hour makeup call is not unusual--many people who have visited set are uniformly struck by humour and goodwill emoted by all in spite of the hard work and tedious hours.