![\"FILE](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_209245427-776e.jpg\")
\n\t\tSomeone\u2019s not a fan of Gandalf\u2026 (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
\t\t
\n\t\tSomeone\u2019s not a fan of Gandalf\u2026 (Picture: Reuters)<\/p>\n
Sir Ian McKellen<\/a> is widely regarded as one of the United Kingdom\u2019s greatest living actors. <\/p>\n Don\u2019t believe me? Just take a look at all the awards he\u2019s won, including a Tony Award and six Laurence Oliviers, and he\u2019s been up for two Academy Awards<\/a>.<\/p>\n All of that, and he played Gandalf and Magneto! The guy\u2019s an undeniable acting legend.<\/p>\n Or at least he is in some circles, because it seems the Lord of the Rings star isn\u2019t everyone\u2019s cup of tea.<\/p>\n Enter another acting legend, the one and only Brian Cox<\/a>, who\u2019s best known these days for playing the curmudgeonly Logan Roy in Succession<\/a> and for calling out other actors.<\/p>\n This week, during an interview with The Times<\/a>, Cox reportedly fired off a list of actors he doesn\u2019t care for, which just so happened to include Sir Ian, 86.<\/p>\n \t\t Edward Norton<\/a>? \u2018A pain in the a**e.\u2019 Kevin Spacey? \u2018A stupid, stupid man.\u2019 Sir Ian\u2019s acting? \u2018Not to my taste,\u2019 he apparently told the reporter.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not quite sure why Cox, 79, feels this way. The pair have worked together numerous times, most notably on a Royal National Theatre production of King Lear, and we found photos of them hanging out online.<\/p>\n Perhaps his attitude is best explained by a later quote from the interview, where he made clear he\u2019s too old to worry about these things.<\/p>\n \t\t \u2018My wife keeps saying, \u201cBrian, be careful. Brian, be careful\u201d,\u2019 he explained.<\/p>\n \u2018I think, \u201cF***k it, I don\u2019t want to be careful anymore! I\u2019ll be 80 this year. F**k it! I\u2019m gonna say what I want to say\u201d.\u2019<\/p>\n Also, it\u2019s not like Sir Ian was the only actor to get it in the neck. Cox also put Johnny Depp<\/a> on blast, calling him \u2018so overblown, so overrated\u2019.<\/p>\n Still, there was one actor he was keen not to call out this time\u2026 sort of.<\/p>\n When asked about Jeremy Strong<\/a>, who played his eldest son in Succession, about his previous comments on method acting, Cox refused to be drawn on it\u2026 while also sort of insulting it.<\/p>\n \u2018I don\u2019t want to go on about Jeremy,\u2019 he said. \u2018I\u2019ve got into a lot of problems, and he\u2019s begged me to stop talking about him. He\u2019s a good actor, Jeremy. He\u2019s a wonderful actor. It\u2019s just all the b******s that goes with it.\u2019<\/p>\n Previously, Cox said he chooses \u2018identity diffusion\u2019 over traditional method acting, telling The New Yorker \u2018you have to go through whatever the ordeal is that the character has to go through\u2019.<\/p>\n Got a story?<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page \u2013 we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n Arrow Arrow![\"EDINBURGH,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_291278599-59ba.jpg\")
\n\t\tBrian Cox has once again not held back (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"LONDON,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/SEI_285993774-bd02.jpg\")
\n\t\tJohnny Depp got it in the neck as well (Picture: Gareth Cattermole\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
\nMORE: Lord of the Rings fans blast \u2018disrespect\u2019 of recasting major character with rom-com heartthrob<\/a><\/p>\n
\nMORE: 12 times the Oscars got it wrong \u2014 including the \u2018worst decision in ceremony history\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n