12 Actors Who Almost Walked Off Huge Movies (And Why)
2. Ian McKellen Was Sick Of Being Alone - The Hobbit" An Unexpected Journey
Sir Ian McKellen is a living legend of both the film industry and the stage. He has enjoyed a bountiful career since the mid 1960’s and has gone on to receive numerous nominations and awards for his acting, including 6 Lawrence Olivier Awards.
But while he was able to land leading roles in many classic Shakespeare plays, McKellen also starred as some of the most beloved figures in pop culture, with his portrayal of Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy considered one of his most iconic film roles.
Unfortunately, McKellen had such a rotten time working on The Hobbit, that he was strongly considering retiring from acting altogether.
Instead of using the same techniques used in the Lord Of The Rings to make the hobbits and dwarves seem small, Peter Jackson decided to use green screens. This resulted in McKellen acting on his own for most of the time against photographs of his fellow co-stars. The experience was so infuriating that McKellen threw a tantrum on set and wanted to abandon the film.
McKellen would stay on for all 3 Hobbit films, but it's sad to know that he had such a horrible time filming them.