Sir Ian McKellan was on the Today Show this morning with the rest of the cast of The Da Vinci Code, plus director Ron Howard, and when the interviewer asked what the cast would have thought about it if the movie had carried a "This is just fiction" title card, McKellan immediately responded that he thought the Bible shoulc carry such a notice.
Perhaps sensing he had gone too far, he then tried to explain and then backpeddal and ultimately made a mess of things.
WATCH THE VIDEO.
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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Sir Ian McKellan was on the Today Show this morning with the rest of the cast of The Da Vinci Code, plus director Ron Howard, and when the interviewer asked what the cast would have thought about it if the movie had carried a "This is just fiction" title card, McKellan immediately responded that he thought the Bible shoulc carry such a notice.
What a dufus.
Tsk. Gandalf would’ve known better!
As Susan has pointed out elsewhere, McKellen is gay and probably has issues with Christianity.
I found it significant that the “variety” reviewer remarked that McKellen was the only actor who spoke his lines with relish. He probably enjoyed spouting blasphemy.
I think McKellen is a great actor but sometimes he puts his foot in his mouth. He made a comment about how there is no mention of God or religion in the Lord of the Rings movies of course he forget to mention Tolkien was a devout Catholic who help convert CS Lewis to Christianity (Thank, thank you Mr. Tolkien), and the Lord of the Rings series is filled with Christian allergories although Tolkien was a lot more subtle about it than Lewis was with his Narnia books.
More words of wisdom from McKellen:
From Rueters: “I’m very happy to believe that Jesus was married,” [Ian McKellen] said. “I know the Catholic Church has problems with gay people and I thought this would be absolute proof that Jesus was not gay.”
I’m so ashamed of you, Gandalf…
Further and ongoing proof that great actors, singers and artists aren’t necessarily otherwise worthy of emulation nor the sharpest tools in the drawer when it comes to areas outside their particular craft.
To paraphrase radio talk-show personality Laura Ingraham, he should “just shut up and act.”
Maybe the solution to illegal immigration is to give the Mexicans Hollywood and Beverly Hills and ask them all to go live there?
BillyHW: They already do. Whom else would they Hollywood elites hire to do their gardening?
I’m not even sure I want to see X-men now…
Double ugh.
–Ann
The more you understand Catholic theology, the more sense LOTR makes.
You know, I always guessed the movie would tank. It seems that virulently anti-Catholic films have a very limited following. I mean look at the following films:
The Chronicles of Riddick
V for Vendetta
The Order
The Magdalene Sisters
Sister Mary Explains It All
Chocolat
Stigmata (essentially the same basic ideas as DVC, minus the codes)
Dogma
Elizabeth
The Last Temptation of Christ
Priest
Agnes of God
All of these films range from lukewarm cult to deplorable.
Good Catholic theology makes for good story telling. Cause that’s the way the universe was designed.
McKellen makes a point of tearing out all the anti-sodomy parts in hotel Bibles. He’s a drama queen, but fit to play the lofty and demanding roles of wizards and comic book villains.
I really, really wish that most actors would just keep quiet once they get off the movie set. Even the ones who seem nice and aren’t pushing a political agenda usually come across as…dumb. And when they start running their mouths on political matters, it’s embarrassing to listen to them.
Ian McKellen seems to me like a very sad, very bitter man. He has wasted a lot of talent in a quest for–what, one wonders???
My parents were (and still are) in show business (they mostly did Broadway shows and touring companies). My mother used to tell people that their main ministry was not on the church grounds, but in the dressing room.
She would often preach Jesus’ message to the actors and dancers, because she could relate to them and their struggles in the business. She also used to explain to fallen-away Catholics who were “born-again” to be a Bible Christian. She actually quit “A Chorus Line” because her character was supposed to use God’s Name in vain, but she would substitute something else. When confronted with the ultimatum “say the line as it is written or quit”, she quit.
My father also used to challenge people, such as when he was directing and two actresses he had hired were bragging to each other (during a lunch break) about how many abortions they had. My father confronted them and told them how disgusted he was as a father of (at the time) 5 children. They were quite shocked that their boss did not approve of their morals.
So, not *all* actors are mindless – just most. 🙂
To paraphrase Treebeard…
“A wizard should know better!”
I think Ian McKellen is a fine actor, but I take his comments with a whole shaker of salt. He often attempts to be witty or ironic, and it doesn’t always work.
Similarly, I cracked up when the fellow who played Gollum in the Lord of the Rings movies was asked what he’d do if he had the power of the Ring. His answer: abolish all religion. Upon hearing this, one of my friends said, “In other words, he’d be like Sauron.”
Very few actors and actresses ever have true political power. (Ronald Reagan being an obvious exception.) I guess we’re all very, very lucky. 🙂
“Very few actors and actresses ever have true political power. (Ronald Reagan being an obvious exception.)”
JPII was another. 😉
All politicians are actors.
Someone once said “Washington, DC, is just Hollywood for ugly people.”
That’s a bit harsh, but the sentiment is spot-on.
PVO
Just read on Barbara Nicolosi’s blog that the Italian press has Ron Howard stating… “to deny the right to see the film is a fascist act,” and also “to tell someone not to go see the film is an act of militancy and militancy generates hatred and violence.”.
He sounds desperate, like his entire career is wrapped up in this film.
Maybe he’s right!
St. Genesius is another actor with real power. St. John Bosco performed as well.
“to tell someone not to go see the film is an act of militancy…”
Well we are the Church Militant!
“to tell someone not to go see the film is an act of militancy…”
Did he shriek these lines, or was his voice just incredibly shrill? It seems like what he is really saying is: “If you don’t see my crappy movie, I’ll start calling you names!” Now we get to watch Howard and these actors shrivel under the festering hatred in their hearts. They hate the Church sooo much yet have spent absolutely no time learning what she really preaches.
Maybe next time he starts to make a film and a little old nun tells him not to, he will reconsider …. NAAAAH!
As far as the views of the makers of LOTR is concerned — this one of the only cases where I am able to make such an absolute disconnect between the movie and the personal views of those involved in it making.
This is because the universal qualities of Catholic theology make the story universally appealing. Tolkien was not one for allegory, so his stories do not come off immediately as didactically Christian as Lewis’ work. For Tolkien, you have to look deeper into his “sub-creation”. The Christianity and Catholic theology are woven into the “reality” in which his characters live. It is less apparent that the air Strider and Frodo breathe is charged with an incarnational understanding, but that does not make it less Christian. In fact, it makes it more Christian because it shows readers what a stronger grasp on reality Catholics have being as we are intimately connect with its Author.
In my book, all “Catholic” media should be made this way: to appeal not to a niche audience but to the “universal” audience. To the mainstream.
I believe all the awards the LOTR movies won should be attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit first and foremost. I mean, what movies since have even come close?
Similarly, I think some credit for how bad Howard’s movie is should go to Our Blessed Mother. These reviews are a real answer to our fervent prayer.
And here’s a gem from Tom Hanks at a May 17th DVC press conference:
“People who think things are true might be more dangerous than people who ponder the possibilities that maybe they are and maybe they aren’t.”
Um . . . yeah. IOW, Christians are “dangerous” ‘cos we believe something to be true as opposed to it being just a possibility.
Last I knew, Tom claimed to be Greek Orthodox. Funny, I didn’t think mutable truth was part of their teaching.
{sarcasm}Yes, I’d so much rather ponder a Jesus who possibly might be God rather than worship the actual Creator of the Universe!{/sarcasm}
Tom . . . Are you pondering what I’m pondering?
Sorry. I’m having trouble with my HTML these days.
Ian McKellen is gay. Is it little wonder he is a tad bit bitter towards the religion which condemns his lifestyle?
“McKellen makes a point of tearing out all the anti-sodomy parts in hotel Bibles.”
Kevin–This may indeed be a claim that Sir Ian has made, but I’m betting he hasn’t a clue where to begin looking for them in the Bible!
These actors should be reminded that the career they have chosen is to be an ‘entertainer’. Thier job is to ensure that people like me are entertained and amused… because if I’m not entertained or amused…
Now…. where’s the remote….? CLICK!!
“People who think things are true might be more dangerous than people who ponder the possibilities that maybe they are and maybe they aren’t.”
But then again maybe people who don’t think things are true are more dangerous. 😉
If we consistently apply the thesis that thinking things are true is bad, the utility of ever opening our mouths becomes doubtful.
“People who think things are true might be more dangerous than people who ponder the possibilities that maybe they are and maybe they aren’t.”
This is such a tired old lie. NOBODY thinks and lives like this. People only make statements like this about things they don’t agree with. Attack THEIR precious dogmas and watch how fast they cry “foul!”.
Empress Theodora was also an actress with political power.
Didn’t the Blues Brothers have more respect for the Church? Seems to me they did…
–Ann
Somehow, I don’t think those DVC guys are “on a mission from God”.
I don’t think they’re talking about the “exceptions” to the rule, so much. Those people are exceptions because they were EXCEPTIONAL. They chose to participate in something else besides their acting careers which gave them an actual political position. People with gosh-darned real positions 🙂 I’m thinking of the Barbara Streisands and Dixie Chicks of the world. It’s not so much that they have political opinions, everyone has those. They are rather in your face about it, and expect you to take action or think as they do, simply because they are famous. I’m not counting figurehead type positions like being the celebrity UNICEF spokesperson, or the guy who goes and looks at just how gosh-darned awful everything is, then reports on it, like Bono. They’re just poo pooing the problems and getting on their soap boxes, same as the streisands and sheens and every other annoying last one of the self-absorbed, overly opinionated “entertainer.” I just like my entertainment overly pushy opinion-free. I usually want to be entertained by an “entertainer” so I can escape the grind of life and politics for a few minutes. I’m perfectly capable of thinking my own deep thoughts. I don’t need Madonna or Alec Baldwin to do it for me.
The surprising part is that Tom Hanks was surprised to find out that the movie denies the Ressurection of Christ. Apparently he’s a complete idiot, because the obvious consequence of claiming Jesus didn’t die in the cross is that He could not have ressurected after three days. If that’s the case, than he’s not even culpable by taking part in this movie.
there is no proof anywhere that C.S Lewis EVER coverted…lol
Mark-
I don’t get it. Lewis was a famous convert.
C. S. Lewis was a convert from atheism to Christianity (specifically to the Church of England). Despite the hopes and expectations of many he never converted to the Catholic Church.
“Despite the hopes and expectations of many he never converted to the Catholic Church.”
Right, nobody implied that he did. However, I can’t, in my wildest imagination, believe that he would be an Anglican today, if he were alive.
He was about as Catholic as one could get without actually being subject to the Pope.
I agree; it’s doubtful whether Lewis would be able to identify with the liberal hotch potch that is the Anglicanism of today.
written by Marty
“C. S. Lewis was a convert from atheism to Christianity (specifically to the Church of England). Despite the hopes and expectations of many he never converted to the Catholic Church.”
the reality of which is…… Tolkien was a vital influence upon the atheist Clive and his inital first step of conversion to Christianity. As others have already affirmed Mr. Lewis given time would have eventually made the final leap to Christian fullness in Roman Catholicism
Dan Brown’s name keep getting dropped (understandable as the author) least we forget it is Sony Entertainment that has funded this farse make Edgar Brothmen Jr. regret the management decisions to go ahead and boycott all Sony Entertainment products.
personally I’ll be skipping any future Ron Howard/Tom Hanks/Sony Entertainment features.
Kevin:
I guess that means you will have to skip Spiderman 3 next year. Don’t forget Ron Howard directed Cinderella Man which is a great movie on moral traditional values. Hanks can’t be so bad with Forrest Gump and Private Ryan under his belt. Pick and choose what to see but forget about who is acting or directing in it.
Michael:
Actor, Director and Studio had the opportunity to avoid entanglement in this slanderous production yet they decided otherwise. I now take the same opportunity and assert personal choice in avoiding them altogether in all future endeavours. Unless of course they decide to back the production “Ron Howard killed my mother” (entirely historical fiction of course ;))
McKellen is a mirror worshipper.
“People who think things are true might be more dangerous than people who ponder the possibilities that maybe they are and maybe they aren’t.”
What a bunch of hogwash. Those who are relativistic have no reason to NOT be evil. Why NOT murder your neighbor who is not a relativist since relativism doesn’t prohibit it?