Ian McKellen has opened up about his harrowing stage fall.
The 85-year-old veteran actor fell while he was performing in Player Kings at London’s West End and suffered a broken wrist and chipped vertebra when he tumbled from the stage in June.
During a chat on BBC Breakfast, Sir McKellen credited the fat suit worn for his portrayal of Shakespeare’s Falstaff as having cushioned him from potentially more severe injuries.
Speaking to Tim Muffett, the esteemed actor, recognised for his role as John Falstaff in the adaptation by Robert Icke of Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts One and Two, assured fans that he’s recovering well but confessed that the experience was quite startling.
(Image: (Image: BBC ))
In the interview, when greeted with “Thank you for inviting us into your lovely home. How are you? ” by Tim, Ian responded with, “Yes so I think I’m fine.”
Reflecting on the incident, he said, “It was a nasty fall and it was a shock. I fractured my wrist, what every kid does when they fall off their bike and I clipped my vertebra.”, reports the Express.
(Image: (Image: BBC))
Pressed by Tim on recalling the moment of the fall, Ian recounted: “I was moving about then my foot got caught on a chair, which I tried to kick off but doing that I fell forward like I was on a skateboard down onto the stage, which is a three foot drop.”
McKellen elaborated on his good fortune, saying, “I was extremely lucky that I was wearing a padded suit because the part I was playing is fat.”
(Image: (Image: BBC ))
To dispel any rumours, he further clarified, “It wasn’t that I was feeling dizzy or anything like that, it was a pure accident.” The two-time Oscar nominee expressed his gratitude for moving past a difficult period, saying: “I caught myself lucky that it’s beginning to be a distant memory. It did mean that I couldn’t do the tour so if there is a chance for me to apologise to the audience in Bristol, Birmingham and Newcastle. I’m sorry I wasn’t there but I’ll be back.”
Despite his eagerness to return to the stage, he has revealed that he will be taking a well-deserved break from acting ‘for the rest of the year. ‘ In a candid chat with Big Issue, he shared: “I’m usually working or preparing to work, I’ve been doing a little bit of that, wondering what might be the best plan. I’m going to take the rest of the year off. Not because I need to, just because I want to.”
BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
