Search the Fresh Air Archive

Close Search

Actor Sir Ian McKellan on Knighthood and Coming Out

He stars in the new films "Gods and Monsters," and "Apt Pupil." Since coming out in 1988, Britain's highly acclaimed Shakespearean actor has become an international voice for the gay and lesbian community. His role in Peter Shafer's "Amadeus" earned him a Tony Award in 1981. He has also appeared in the films, "Last Action Hero" and "Six Degrees of Separation" and "Richard III." (REBROADCAST from 6/20/94).

13:27
Queue

Guest

Host

Related Topics

Other segments from the episode on October 30, 1998

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, October 30, 1998: Interview with Otis Williams; Review of the films "Life Is Beautiful" and "Apt Pupil"; Interview with Ian McKellan; Commentary on television coverage of…
Queue
20:30

Temptations Singer Otis Williams

Wiliams was the founder of The Temptations, whose smooth five-part harmonies and synchronized dance steps made them one of the hottest of Motown's super groups. Their hits included "My Girl," "Just My Imagination," and "Papa Was a Rolling Stone." He is the only surviving member. A new made for TV movies has been made about the group and will be shown on NBC this Sunday night. (REBROADCAST from 9/15/88)

Interview
Queue
05:39

Two New Films Tackle the Holocaust

Film critic John Powers reviews two new movies about the horrors of World War II: "Life is Beautiful" and "Apt Pupil." They take wildly different approaches on the subject.

Review

Transcript

Transcript currently not available.

Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

You May Also like

Queue
22:02

Actor Sir Ian McKellan.

Actor Sir Ian McKellan. Tomorrow Ian McKellen takes his one-man show, "Ian McKellen: A Knight Out" to Broadway's Lyceum Theatre. Since coming out in 1988, Britain's highly acclaimed Shakespearean actor has become an international voice for the gay and lesbian community. His role in Peter Schafer's "Amadeus" earned him a Tony Award in 1981. He has appeared in the recent popular films, "Last Action Hero" and "Six Degrees of Separation," and has plans for a film version of "Richard III."

Interview
Queue
27:47

An Actor's Evolution

Sir Alec Guiness may be best known for his roles in films like Star Wars and Bridge on the River Kwai, but he honed his craft in the theater, learning something new with every production.

Interview
Queue
42:34

Andrew Rannells: Gay And Serious In 'New Normal'

The actor stars in the comedy TV series The New Normal, about a gay couple who want a child so badly that they hire a surrogate. Rannells tells Fresh Air that he didn't want to "dumb down" the series role with "stereotypical over-the-top gay flash and sass."

Interview

Did you know you can create a shareable playlist?

Learn How
Advertisement

There are more than 22,000 Fresh Air segments.

Let us help you find exactly what you want to hear.
Just play me something
Your Queue

Would you like to make a playlist based on your queue?

Generate & Share View/Edit Your Queue