Ian McKellen (2015)

Very good. They all look very surprised. Thank you. Lovely.

I met Patrick in Stratford-upon-Avon when we were both working in the theatre there doing Shakespeare. In about 1976.

It's not a rumor, it's true. He told me at our first meeting that he always thought he would be good casting as Gandalf. It turns out he was better casting as Saruman. Of all the parts he played, the one I hankered after was Sherlock Holmes. Im sorry he doesn't get to see Mr. Holmes, the movie, I think he would have enjoyed it.

I would never fight a Hobbit, no matter his size. So I would have to go with the first. 100 Hobbit-sized Balrogs is easy. Easy.

Patrick and I have known each other since we in the Royal Shakespeare Company in the 70s. Im the guy who advised him not to do Star Trek. We've recently become friends through X-Men and we did two plays together. and I married him to his lady Sunny. So all and all we've become very close to each other.

A dog, preferably a boxer. Preferably a bitch. Preferably one who would outlive me.

Many. Many. Many. The scenery that was built in the studio was sensational. And I think my favorite set, that I didn't act in, was the golden Liar, where the dragon was hiding. Hundreds of thousands of golden coins, specially made.

And if you don't tell anyone, I can tell you that I have some of those coins. Along with the font door key to Bag End, which i know Peter Jackson is looking for, but will never find.

No I have not talked to Michael about McBeth, and don't expect to. He's giving his own performance and I think it might be confusing.

You don't want to be bothered with what someone else did. You want to do your own performance.

Well, yes. I forget peoples birthdays. I forget peoples names. I sometimes forget what I did yesterday. And at 76 theres an awful lot of forgetfulness that I can't do anything about. But overall, forgetfulness is because you're lazy.

No, because quiz night is on Mondays. I'm usually there. My team did win once, no thanks to me.

Not really. There's no money involved. You get a medal. And a lot of respect I suppose. The one slight problem is that sometimes the tittle gets in the way. Particularly backstage or on set when I much prefer not to have it used.

I'll give you the recipe.

Slice potatoes thinly. Slice onions thinly. Grade some strong cheddar cheese. You slice some small tomatoes. And you layer those ingredients. And put them in a medium oven for one hour. And to make sure it's delicious as it always is, pour a little single cream over the potatoes, which should be the top layer.

Very comforting, quite nutritious, easy to make. Astound your friends.

The simple unique idea of Mr. Holmes is that he is not a fictional character. Was a real person. We meet him first at the end of his life, when he is looking back at the mystery that sent him into retirement.

So my Holmes is different form all the rest in the the is so old. He is a real man. And the Holmes everyone thinks they know through the Dr. Watson Version is incorrect. So it's a mystery to learn what mr. Homes was rally like. I loved playing the part.

Perhaps Antonio, in The Merchant of Venice, because he is one of the very few obviously gay characters in Shakespeare.

Social change usually happens slowly. The Supreme Court decision comes at the end of the process of argument, and confirms the change that has already happened. I'm just sorry that there are still people in the USA that are not yet ready to accept that the law should treat everybody the same. But they too will change. :)

No. Macbeth! [shout it loudly] was a lucky play for me. As I was in a wonderful production with amazing cast. But I am careful not to mention the play, or quote it, in the dressing room as other actors can get nervous.

I would like to visit South America. Particularly Easter Island. I would like to explore the Far East. And I would like to go to Yellowstone Park.

Good question. I would request that wherever possible, the actors should be in the same space and able to look at each other. The fact is, I was never allowed to look Elijah Wood in the eyes. Nor Martin Freeman. In order to create the illusion of different heights. Not easy.

I am vegetarian so, lots of cheese and lots of tomato, and lots of basil. And only thin crust.

I think the first award I ever got which was presented by our Equity, the UK Actors Union, because it was given by my peers. That was in 1964.

There's usually for me a moment of despair for every part I play, worrying that I will ever convince myself that I inhabit the character. The worst case of that was "Wild Honey", based on Anton Chekov's first play. I tried to leave the production at the dress rehearsal. It's one of the biggest successes I ever had at the National Theatre in London. So, what do I know?

Happy Birthday! I did read one of the Sherlock Holmes books and I've forgotten the title. But it was alarming that for half the novel the action took place, not in Victorian London, but in the United States of America. And that Sherlock Holmes was not to be seen or heard. Things aren't always as we remember them.

We planned to meet each year once filming was complete. But so far we never have - unless of course, the other 8 are meeting without letting me know... :)

The one I see most of, is Orlando Bloom. When we were both acting on Broadway we had adjacent apartments in New York City.

My advice to you is to keep your jeans dry. And for the rest, be out and be honest and change the world.

I used to live at the end of a terrace of old houses in London. And Peter lived at the other end, and indeed still does - though we are not in touch. Gay actors of his generation were subject to shameful treatment.

A characteristic I like most about Freddy and his partner Stuart is their longevity. They are survivors who deserve all the happiness they can get in their later years. Perhaps they liked being vicious to each other because the world has been vicious to them.

Well I wish I could act in front of the camera as say, Meryl Streep or Dustin Hoffman. Each part will have its challenges and I like that because if you're trying to solve a problem you're fully engaged.

I think in Mr. Holmes I do every so often a sort of acting I admire in others. But I've never met an actor who thought he was any good, really. But we are perhaps the last people to judge our own performances.