Doctor Who: 10 Great Actors Who Were Completely Wasted
2. Ian McKellen (The Snowmen)
As is the case with Michael Sheen, a lot of people don't actually know that the great Ian McKellen has appeared in Doctor Who.
Featuring in a voice-only role in the 2012 Christmas special The Snowmen, McKellen has just a handful of lines throughout the entire 60-minute episode, and while his booming voice is hardly missable, the part itself is so forgettable that a lot of fans tend to forget that good ol' Gandalf once graced the Whoniverse.
McKellen voices villainous entity the Great Intelligence, going head-to-head with Matt Smith's Doctor in the snowy and picturesque Victorian London. While the actor's voice does admittedly lend the character a certain gravitas that few other performers could provide, the role is incredibly one-note and dull - all McKellen has to do is spout a load of exposition as menacingly as possible - and overall, it's just a shame that we didn't get to see the actor make a physical appearance in the episode.
After all, he's one of the most recognisable faces in the entertainment business - especially with sci-fi and fantasy fans - and his dominating presence is just as impressive as his famous voice. So why was he stuck in a recording booth?