British actor Sir Ian McKellen was hospitalized Monday after falling from the stage during a theater performance in London.
The 85-year-old star is well-known for his portrayal of Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy.
McKellen was in a fight scene in “Player Kings” at the Noël Coward theater in London’s West End on Monday when he lost his footing and fell, the BBC reported.
His character, John Falstaff, “was circling a battle scene involving the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy, when he fell off the front of the stage,” the outlet said.
Audience member Paul Critchley said, “Sir Ian seemed to trip as he moved downstage to take a more active part in the scene. He picked up momentum as he moved downstage, which resulted in him falling off the stage directly in front of the audience,” according to the U.K.’s Daily Mail.
The house lights then came up, as the actor cried out and staff rushed to help. The remainder of the show was canceled, and the theater evacuated.
“I really hope that he is going to be alright,” audience member Sandro Trapani told the BBC. “As far as I saw, he was conscious because he was asking for assistance.”
Have you watched “The Lord of the Rings” series?
Yes: 78% (42 Votes)
No: 22% (12 Votes)
“Player Kings” is a production of Williams Shakespeare’s plays “Henry IV, Parts One and Two.”
In the 2000s, McKellen played Gandalf in the wildly successful “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
Ian McKellen is expected to make a ‘speedy and full recovery’ after falling off stage during a theater performance pic.twitter.com/5Z9ZCRrrWo
But Gandalf comes back to life in the second film of the trilogy, “The Two Towers,” and plays a decisive role in helping the fellowship complete their mission.
Deadline reported, McKellen has received many awards during his career that has spanned six decades.
Some include a Tony Award, six Olivier Awards, a Golden Globe Award, two Oscar nominations, five BAFTA Awards and five Emmy Awards.
In 1991, Queen Elizabeth II knighted McKellen for his services in the performing arts.
A Note from Our Deputy Managing Editor:
I heard a chilling comment the other day: “We don’t even know if an election will be held in 2024.”
That wasn’t said by a conspiracy theorist or a doomsday prophet. No, former U.S. national security advisor Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn said that to the founder of The Western Journal, Floyd Brown.
Gen. Flynn’s warning means that the 2024 election is the most important election for every single living American. If we lose this one to the wealthy elites who hate us, hate God, and hate what America stands for, we can only assume that 248 years of American history and the values we hold dear to our hearts may soon vanish.
The end game is here, and as Benjamin Franklin said, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
All of this means that without you, it’s over. We have the platform, the journalists, and the experience to fight back hard, but Big Tech is strangling us through advertising blacklists, shadow bans, and algorithms. Did you know that we’ve been blacklisted by 90% of advertisers? Without direct support from you, our readers, we can’t continue the fight.
Can we count on your support? It may not seem like much, but a Western Journal Membership can make all the difference in the world because when you support us directly, you cut Big Tech out of the picture. They lose control.
A monthly Western Journal Membership costs less than one coffee and breakfast sandwich each month, and it gets you access to ALL of our content — news, commentary, and premium articles. You’ll experience a radically reduced number of ads, and most importantly you will be vitally supporting the fight for America’s soul in 2024.
We are literally counting on you because without our members, The Western Journal would cease to exist. Will you join us in the fight?
Sincerely,
Josh Manning
Deputy Managing Editor
The Western Journal
Randy DeSoto has written more than 3,000 articles for The Western Journal since he joined the company in 2015. He is a graduate of West Point and Regent University School of Law. He is the author of the book “We Hold These Truths” and screenwriter of the political documentary “I Want Your Money.”
Birthplace
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Nationality
American
Honors/Awards
Graduated dean’s list from West Point
Education
United States Military Academy at West Point, Regent University School of Law
