During an appearance on the Graham Norton Show, where Sir Ian McKellen was joined by his friends Sir Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman, the iconic actor, shared a delightful story with the audience. He recounted the tale of wearing his cherished pounamu pendant, a special gift from native New Zealand, to the Oscars in 2002. His intention was to carry a token of good luck, especially as he hoped to win the prestigious award for his role as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings movie series. However, what followed next crushed his spirits, and Maggie Smith was responsible for it.
Ian McKellen
Also Read: “I cried… and the whole studio heard”: Sir Ian McKellen Almost Ruined ‘The Hobbit’ After Breaking Down On-Set Due To His Hatred For CGI

Maggie Smith Crushed Sir Ian McKellen’s Spirits at the 2002 Oscars

Upon receiving a thoughtful token from the people of New Zealand, Sir Ian McKellen made a deliberate choice to incorporate it into his Oscar look, considering it a symbol of good luck for himself and his team who had poured relentless effort into The Lord of the Rings movie. However, despite the fortunate turn of events for the cast and crew that night, the luck didn’t quite shine on him. During his appearance on The Graham Norton Show, as reported by Hello Magazine, he stated,

“When those films were nominated for something like 20 Oscars, on that night everyone from New Zealand was wearing their greenstone.” 

Interestingly, out of all the things that happened, Maggie Smith‘s comment is what left a mark on him that night. He further stated,

“When we were on the red carpet going in I met Maggie Smith and she said, ‘Hello what are you here for?’ and I said, ‘Well, Lord of the Rings.’”

Maggie Smith and Sir Ian McKellen
Upon being enquired about his special accessory by the actress he stated,

“You know, it lasts for three-and-a-half, four hours and at the end of course everyone else wins the Oscar except for you. I’m a bit rejected and was looking forward to a drink and I bumped into Maggie Smith and she said, ‘It didn’t work, did it?!’”

While it’s indeed a humorous story, it’s worth noting that the actor continued to receive numerous accolades for his role, well, with the exception of the coveted Oscar.

Sir Ian McKellen Almost Played Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter Series

Even though the actor had the opportunity to take on the iconic role of Dumbledore, he promptly declined the offer due to some comments made by Richard Harris. He recalled the actor has previously called them “technically brilliant, but passionless.” and thus stated as reported by Collider,

“I couldn’t take over the part from an actor who I’d known didn’t approve of me.”

Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf
McKellen’s choice to decline the role appears to be a gracefully the most subtle form of refusal. Now whether it leans more towards the petty or respectful side of the spectrum is subjective. This decision, while surprising to many, reflected the actor’s respect for the previous portrayal of the character by Richard Harris and a desire to honor his legacy.