When you picture the wizard standing on the bridge of Khazad-dûm, screaming at a fiery demon that it cannot pass, you see one face. It’s the face of a man who somehow looks a thousand years old and yet oddly spry. Honestly, it’s hard to imagine anyone else in those grey robes. But the story of who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings is actually a series of "what-ifs" that almost changed cinema history. Sir Ian McKellen is the name etched into the credits, but the road to his casting was as winding as the path to Mount Doom.
Sir Ian McKellen didn't just play a role; he became a cultural icon. It’s wild to think he wasn't the first choice. Not even close. Before the cameras started rolling in New Zealand, the production was chasing icons who might have turned the movie into a very different beast.
The Man Behind the Beard: Sir Ian McKellen’s Journey
Sir Ian McKellen took on the mantle of Gandalf the Grey (and later the White) across Peter Jackson’s sprawling trilogy. At the time, McKellen was primarily known as a titan of the British stage. Sure, he’d done X-Men, but he wasn't the household name he is today. He brought a specific kind of Shakespearean weight to the dialogue. You can hear it in his delivery of lines like, "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
He wasn't just acting. He was observing. McKellen famously based Gandalf’s speech patterns on J.R.R. Tolkien himself. He listened to recordings of the author and mimicked that specific, gravelly, slightly huffing British accent. It grounded a high-fantasy character in a weird kind of reality.
The physical toll was real. Imagine wearing heavy wool robes and a prosthetic nose in the New Zealand summer. McKellen often had to act against nothing. Because of the "forced perspective" tricks used to make the hobbits look small, McKellen was frequently on a separate set from Elijah Wood, looking at a green screen or a lightbulb instead of his co-stars. He actually broke down on the set of The Hobbit years later because the isolation of green-screen acting was so frustrating. It’s a testament to his skill that you never see that frustration in the final cut of the original trilogy.
Who Else Almost Wore the Hat?
The list of people who could have been Gandalf is legendary. It’s the ultimate "butterfly effect" for film nerds.
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The biggest name was Sean Connery. New Line Cinema was desperate for a massive star to anchor the risky project. They offered Connery everything. They offered him $10 million per movie plus a staggering 15% of the box office. If he’d said yes, he would have made around $450 million.
He turned it down.
Why? Because he didn't "get" it. He read the script, he read the books, and he reportedly said he didn't understand the story. He didn't understand why this old guy was hanging out with small people and talking about rings. So, he passed.
Then there was Christopher Lee.
Lee was a massive Tolkien fan. He actually met Tolkien once in a pub—the only person in the entire cast and crew to have actually met the professor. He desperately wanted to be who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings. He even sent Peter Jackson a photo of himself dressed as a wizard. But Jackson saw him as the perfect Saruman. Lee was older and perhaps lacked the physical stamina for the mountain-climbing and horse-riding required for Gandalf, but his presence as the corrupted wizard was undeniable. He eventually gave McKellen his blessing, but there was always a tiny bit of "it should have been me" in Lee’s heart.
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Patrick Stewart was in the mix, too. He turned it down because of the script. Or rather, he had some issues with the role at the time. It’s funny how the two biggest stars of the X-Men franchise, Magneto and Professor X, were both circling the same wizard hat.
The Difference Between Grey and White
McKellen’s performance is actually two distinct roles. Gandalf the Grey is a mess. He’s dirty, his hat is floppy, and he’s basically a traveling fireworks salesman who happens to be a demigod. McKellen played him with a twinkle in his eye. He was the "fun" Gandalf.
When he returns as Gandalf the White, the vibe shifts. He’s colder. More authoritative. McKellen has admitted in interviews that he actually preferred playing Gandalf the Grey. He felt the White wizard was a bit stiff. To make it work, he focused on the urgency of the mission. Gandalf the White is a general in a war; he doesn't have time for tea and Longbottom Leaf.
The Casting Legacy
Why does it matter who played Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings? Because the trilogy succeeded on its earnestness. If you had a different actor, maybe someone who winked at the camera or felt "too modern," the whole thing would have collapsed.
McKellen’s background in theater meant he treated Tolkien’s prose like scripture. He didn't feel "above" the genre. He leaned into the mythology.
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There are also the voice actors. We often forget that John Huston voiced Gandalf in the 1977 animated Hobbit film, bringing a very different, almost weary grandfatherly tone. In the 1978 Ralph Bakshi version, William Squire took the lead. But McKellen’s version is the one that redefined the archetype for the 21st century. He created the "visual dictionary" for what a wizard looks like.
Common Misconceptions About the Role
People often think McKellen was much older during filming. He was actually in his early 60s when The Fellowship of the Ring was shot. The makeup did a lot of heavy lifting.
Another myth is that he did all his own stunts. While he was quite active, he had a "big" double and a "small" double. For the scenes where Gandalf is riding Shadowfax at high speeds, that’s often a world-class rider, not Sir Ian.
Also, the hat. That iconic grey hat was a nightmare. It constantly flew off during windy shoots on New Zealand ridges. They had to pin it to his wig. McKellen actually kept one of the hats after filming wrapped, along with Gandalf’s staff and the keys to Bag End. He’s been known to keep them in his London pub, The Grapes.
Actionable Takeaways for Tolkien Fans
If you're diving back into Middle-earth, here is how to appreciate the performance on a deeper level:
- Watch the eyes. In the scene in Moria where Gandalf is trying to remember the way, McKellen uses his eyes to show the weight of centuries of memory fading. It’s a masterclass in subtle acting.
- Listen for the "Tolkien Huff." Try to catch the moments where McKellen breathes or sighs before a sentence. That’s his direct tribute to the way J.R.R. Tolkien spoke in real life.
- Compare the staff movements. Notice how Gandalf the Grey uses his staff as a walking stick, leaning on it heavily. Gandalf the White carries it like a weapon or a scepter. It tells you everything about his character shift.
- Check out the Extended Editions. There’s a scene in The Return of the King where Gandalf faces off against the Witch-king of Angmar. It’s a controversial scene among book purists because Gandalf’s staff breaks, but McKellen’s acting—showing true fear for the first time—is incredible.
Ian McKellen’s portrayal is one of those rare moments in cinema where the right person met the right role at exactly the right time. He didn't just play a character; he anchored a multi-billion dollar franchise with enough soul to make us believe in magic. If Sean Connery had taken the role, we might have had a blockbuster, but we wouldn't have had the heart of Middle-earth.
To see the evolution yourself, start with the 1977 animated version to hear the different vocal approaches, then re-watch The Fellowship of the Ring with a focus on McKellen’s physical comedy in the opening scenes at Bag End. You’ll see a man having the time of his life.