In 2024, McKellen said Trump needs to work on his public speaking skills.
The Lord of the Rings legend told The Times: “I haven’t seen him live but he’s one of the worst public speakers there has ever been. Whether he’s reading a script or not, it’s so patent what he is.”
Sir Ian McKellen, known for being outspoken yet shy, has criticised US President Donald Trump’s public speaking skills. Photo / Getty Images
But McKellen has not always been comfortable with public appearances.
Joe Stephenson, who directed the 2017 documentary McKellen: Playing the Part, exclusively told Band Showbiz: “He’s a very gentle and quite a shy person, really.
“Which is quite a strange thing – a juxtaposition, really, with how outspoken he is about things and how brave he is and how much of a strong performer he is.
“He is actually quite a shy individual.
“The thing that surprises me about him is that he’s not as certain about himself as I thought he was.
“I had an idea of just age being a thing, like when you get to a certain age, you must be certain about yourself, and you must really know everything. He doesn’t – then I just think maybe nobody really does.”
Stephenson said McKellen approaches many of his public appearances like a stage performance, meaning he doesn’t allow others to get too close to him.
He said: “I think if it was somebody he didn’t know asking the questions, that barrier would be up, and I don’t think it would be really possible to penetrate.”