Sir Ian McKellen has revealed a surprising piece of advice he once received from the late Star Wars legend Alec Guinness, which he decided not to follow. The Lord of the Rings star shared that Guinness, famously known as Obi-Wan Kenobi, had urged him to distance himself from LGBTQ+ activism, believing actors should steer clear of political engagement.
During a reader Q&A session, McKellen reflected on the worst advice he had ever been given. He recounted their first encounter backstage in 1979, when McKellen was performing in Bent, a play about the persecution of gay men under Nazi Germany. Guinness had invited him to dinner at that time, an offer McKellen later admitted he had “stupidly declined.”
Years later, the two reconnected, and Guinness expressed his concerns about McKellen’s involvement with Stonewall, the UK LGBTQ+ rights organization McKellen helped found. Guinness reportedly felt it was inappropriate for an actor to engage in public or political causes and urged McKellen to step back from such activities.
“He thought it somewhat unseemly for an actor to dabble in public or political affairs and advised me, sort of pleaded with me, to withdraw,” McKellen recalled, describing it as advice from an older generation that he ultimately chose not to heed.
This memory resurfaced for McKellen after watching Two Halves of Guinness, a stage play exploring the life of the late actor. While Guinness gained worldwide fame through Star Wars, he reportedly had a complicated relationship with the franchise and grew frustrated with aspects of the role that defined his career.
In contrast, McKellen has remained a vocal advocate for LGBTQ+ rights, continuing his activism decades after co-founding Stonewall. His commitment highlights a significant divergence in how the two actors viewed the role of public figures in political and social issues.
