Sir Ian McKellen Hospitalized After Falling Off Stage During Play

It is unclear if McKellen sustained any injuries.

By Jenna Anderson

Legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen has been hospitalized, after he reportedly fell off of the stage during a recent West End production of the play Player Kings. The news was originally reported by the BBC on Monday, with the outlet revealing that McKellen lost his footing and fell off of the front of the stage while performing a fight scene. The audience of Player Kings was subsequently evacuated following McKellen's accident, with the day's evening performance also cancelled. It is unclear at this point if McKellen has been injured in the situation. McKellen, who is known for his onscreen work in the X-Men and Lord of the Rings franchises, has been portraying John Falstaff in the production of Player Kings, itself a production of Henry IV, since it began its West End run in April. 

"I really hope that he is going to be alright," an audience member, Sandro Trapani, told the outlet. "As far as I saw, he was conscious because he was asking for assistance."

Is Ian McKellen Retiring?

In recent years, some have speculated that the 85-year-old McKellen will eventually retire, after already having a decades-long career on both the stage and screen. In a 2023 interview, McKellen flat-out debunked the possibility, arguing that he wants to "carry on" in the industry while he is still healthy and able to.

"Retire to do what?" McKellen said at the time. "I've never been out of work, but I'm aware that any minute now something could happen to me which could prevent me from ever working again. But while the knees hold up and the memory remains intact, why shouldn't I carry on? I really feel I'm quite good at this acting thing now."

Related:

Will Ian McKellen Return to Lord of the Rings?

Earlier this year, it was confirmed that a new Lord of the Rings movie is in the works, titled Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum. With Andy Serkis confirmed to direct and reprise his role as Gollum, speculation has swirled over whether or not some of the other Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit cast members would return for the movie as well. When asked about the possibility of reprising his role as Gandalf, McKellen indicated that he would if he's still "alive."

"But here is no script, there is no offer, there is no plan." McKellen added.

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