Lord Of The Rings: 10 Things You Didn't Know About The Wizards
3. Ian McKellen Based His Portrayal Of Gandalf On Tolkien
Gandalf came to life when Sir Ian McKellen first graced our screens, complete with pointed hat, bushy eyebrows and that magnificent beard. After six movies as Gandalf, McKellen is the only actor we can imagine playing the Grey Wanderer.
But we very nearly didn't get McKellen as Gandalf. By now it's fairly well known, at least amongst the fandom, that Sean Connery was initially offered the role. He turned it down, impart due to not wanting to spend months in New Zealand, but also because he was unfamiliar with the material.
Even then, McKellen almost didn't take it. He'd read The Hobbit but never explored Tolkien's three-part epic. He was also in talks to take a role in Mission: Impossible at the same time.
Luckily, Peter Jackson's enthusiasm for the project inspired McKellen to forget about the Tom Cruise movie, instead sinking into the part of Gandalf with a dedicated vigour. He buried himself in Tolkien's writing, and listened to every recording of Tolkien he could find; incorporating Tolkien's vocal tone and mannerism into his character.