Sir Ian McKellen's harrowing four-word plea to audience as he fell off stage
The acting legend Sir Ian McKellen reportedly yelled out "help me, my arms" after the 85-year-old fell during his performance in Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre.
Despite the fall, Sir Ian is not expected to be out of action for long. The esteemed British actor, who celebrated his 80th birthday with an 80-date nationwide solo tour, has shown no signs of slowing down in his illustrious career.
With two Oscar nominations under his belt, Sir Ian has captivated audiences both on screen and on stage, earning him recognition as one of the greatest actors of all time.
Recently, he has been seen portraying John Falstaff in Player Kings at the Noel Coward Theatre in London.
Despite falling from the stage during Monday's performance, he has been assured of a "speedy and full recovery" and is slated to appear in Wednesday's matinee performance of the production.
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Sir Ian's most notable role on the big screen is arguably Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, which earned him an Oscar nomination for best-supporting actor in 2002.
This was his second Oscar nod, following a nomination three years earlier for his portrayal of James Whale in Bill Condon's period drama Gods And Monsters.
He also gained mainstream success with his performances as Magneto in the X-Men series and as the title character in the film adaptation of Shakespeare's Richard III.
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On stage, Sir Ian has received 12 Olivier Award nominations and won six for his roles in Pillars Of The Community, The Alchemist, Bent, Wild Honey, Richard III and his one-man show Ian McKellen On Stage.
Born in Burnley, Lancashire, in 1939, Sir Ian McKellen was raised by his mother Margery and father Denis alongside his sister Jean.
The acclaimed actor has often spoken of his parents' support for his early acting ambitions, famously recounting to the Irish Examiner in 2017: "Apparently she said, 'If Ian decides to be an actor, it's a good job, because it brings pleasure to people'."
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Tragically, Sir Ian lost his mother at the tender age of 12 and his father when he was just 22.
From his school days, Sir Ian was no stranger to the stage, seizing every opportunity to act, including a memorable performance as Malvolio in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night at just 13 years old. His passion for theatre led him to St Catharine's College, Cambridge on a scholarship, where he honed his craft alongside future luminaries like Sir Derek Jacobi and Dame Margaret Drabble.
By the time he graduated in 1961, Sir Ian had firmly set his sights on an acting career, securing his first role at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry.
Sir Ian McKellen's illustrious career has seen him grace stages and screens with performances that have cemented his status as a beloved figure in the arts. Beyond his professional achievements, Sir Ian has been a staunch advocate for gay rights, although during his youth, his sexual orientation was not widely known, even to his own family.