Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Saturday 26 May 2018

At 79, Ian McKellen says he has no plans to give up acting

By HILARY FOX, Associated will be broadcast in the UK
Press and Scandinavia on May
LONDON (AP) — Sir Ian 27 and will be in select U.S.
McKellen says his upcom- theaters this summer, fo-
ing role as King Lear in an cuses not only on McKel-
upcoming London produc- len's famous roles, but also
tion may be his last major his activism for gay rights.
Shakespeare role but he McKellen said he was ini-
has no plans on retiring, as tially reluctant to do the
long as his knees and mem- project, but decided to go
ory hold out. forward because of the in-
Playing the tormented volvement of director Joe
ruler is one of two projects Stephenson, and because
prompting reflection from the film would focus on
the 79-year-old star of the topics he cares about.
"X-Men" and "Lord of the "The trouble about talking
Rings" film series. about yourself is that, for
"I'll keep going as long as me, is that I don't feel I'm an
the knees keep going. And expert. I don't feel I've got
the mind and the memory a right to have an opinion,
are still there. Any day now McKellen said.
they can begin to fade and "I do know about two
then I'll perhaps regret that things," he said. "One is
I didn't do stuff I could have acting, because I've been
done while I was fit. So be- doing it for so long and
ing fit, here I am and if I'm the other is about being
not acting, what the hell gay, because as far as I
I going to do sit at home," FILE - In this Nov. 1, 2017 file photo, actor Ian McKellen poses on the red carpet at the 12th edition know, I've been gay all my
McKellan told The Associ- of the Rome Film Fest, in Rome. life, so I can with authority
ated Press during a recent talk about those two sub-
interview. decade ago. ing because nearly 80 my- and I find that all too easy groups." Stephenson said
McKellen is playing King He says playing King Lear self, that's King Lear's age, to relate to. So I take the he wanted to show young-
Lear in a production at Lon- allows him to reflect on the I can concentrate in part part very personally." er audiences, who might
don's Duke of York Theatre journey of an old man, one on the fact that it's an old McKellen is also getting a just be familiar with McKel-
starting in July. He is repris- that feels very personal to man, it's an old man's jour- career and life retrospec- len from his role as Gandalf
ing a role he played for the him. ney, it's a man who's with- tive through a new docu- in six films based on J.R.R.
Royal Shakespeare Co. a "For me it's worth re-explor- drawing from life. It's a man mentary focused about Tolkien's Middle Earth books
whose mind is giving way, him called "McKellan: Play- or as Magneto in the "X-
really and much else in his ing The Part." Men" films, that there was
life is a confusion to him The documentary, which more to the actor.q

Robert Indiana's home, studio

to be transformed into museum

be transformed into a mu-
seum and for his collection
to be preserved and open
to the public.
His attorney, James Bran-
nan, filed the will in probate
court on Friday in Rockland.
Indiana, whose "LOVE" se-
ries is instantly recognizable
around the world, died on
May 19 from respiratory fail-
ure at his Vinalhaven Island
home.
Brannan declined Friday to
place a figure on the artist's
estate, but acknowledged
that most of the value is in
FILE - In this Sept. 13, 2014, file photo, fans gather outside "Star
of Hope" the residence of artist Robert Indiana on Vinalhaven the artist's collection.
Island, Maine. The attorney said it will take
time and money to ac-
VINALHAVEN, Maine (AP) strangers. That's going to complish the late artist's
— Reclusive pop artist Rob- change with his death. goal because the Victo-
ert Indiana didn't open Indiana's will calls for his rian home has fallen into
his island home to many Maine home and studio to disrepair.q