Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

LONDON — Actor Ian McKellen is expected to recover fully after falling from a London stage during a fight scene and being hospitalized, according to producers.

According to a representative for the Noel Coward Theatre production, McKellen, 85, was in “good spirits” after medics indicated a scan showed he was likely to recover completely following his fall on Monday night.

Ian Mckellen | AP news Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

According to producers, McKellen’s Tuesday performance was canceled, but he was anticipated to return to the stage on Wednesday.

The stage and screen veteran, who played Gandalf in the “Lord of the Rings” movie, yelled out in pain following the fall, according to a BBC correspondent at the theatre.

McKellen was cast as the rogue John Falstaff in “Player Kings,” a Robert Icke-directed dramatization of William Shakespeare’s two “Henry IV” history plays.

Ian Mckellen | AP news Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

McKellen lost his balance and fell off the stage in a scene with Toheeb Jimoh’s Prince Hal and Samuel Edward-Cook’s Henry Percy, which surprised the audience.

“Sir Ian seemed to trip as he moved downstage to take a more active part in the scene,” audience member Paul Critchley told the PA news agency, describing it as a surprise. “He picked up momentum as he moved downstage which resulted in him falling off the stage directly in front of the audience.”

Staff and two medics in the audience assisted the actor, according to a statement from the theatre.

The theatre was evacuated, and the play was canceled.

Ian McKellen | AP News Image

Actor Ian McKellen, 85, Is In ‘Good Spirits’ And Expected To Recover From Fall Off Stage In London

McKellen, who played Magneto in the “X-Men” films, is a well-known Shakespearean actor in Britain, having performed in Richard III, Macbeth, and King Lear.

He has received a Tony Award (for “Amadeus”), six Olivier Awards, and nominations for two Academy Awards, five Emmys, and several BAFTA awards.

SOURCE – (AP)