If you were making a league table of famous fictional wizards, Dumbledore and Gandalf would probably be pretty big contenders for the top spot.
So why, after actor Richard Harris passed away in 2002 after filming the first two Harry Potterfilms, was Ian McKellen (a.k.a. Gandalf) not considered to replace him?
Well, it turns out he was.
SEE ALSO:37 hidden clues I only spotted when I reread 'Harry Potter' in my 20sDuring a recent interview on the BBC's HARDTalkshow, McKellen explained that he was actually contacted about appearing in the franchise -- but he said no.
While talking about McKellen's critics, interviewer Stephen Sackur recited a quote from Richard Harris about McKellen and some other actors. Apparently Harris had previously described him as "technically brilliant but passionless."
"Yeah," responded McKellen. "Nonsense."
McKellen then went on to describe the phone call he received about Harry Potterafter Harris had passed away.
"When they called me up and said would I be interested in being in the Harry Potterfilms, they didn't say in what part," he said.
"I couldn't..."
"I worked out what they were thinking and I couldn't... I couldn't take over the part from an actor who I'd known didn't approve of me."
"You mean you could've been Dumbledore?" responded Sackur.
"Well sometimes, when I see the posters of Mike Gambon, the actor who gloriously plays Dumbledore, I think sometimes it isme," joked McKellen in response.
TopicsHarry Potter
(责任编辑：百科)
Felix the cat just raised £5000 for charity because she's the hero we all need
'This Is Us' Spoilers: Is Toby Dead or Alive?
PETA replaces every single ad in Tube station with vegan posters
The CW has renewed 'The Flash,' 'Supernatural' and 5 more favorites
These glasses hide a fitness tracker on your faceTwitter grants everyone access to quality filter for tweet notifications
Twitter introduced two features Thursday in an effort to give users more control on what notificatio
...[详细]For the first time ever, a bumblebee is on the U.S. endangered species list
The rusty patched bumblebee has ventured into new territory: the endangered species list. The U.S. F
...[详细]Bitcoin may be the biggest winner of 2017 so far
Story updated below to reflect recent Bitcoin price movement.Bitcoin is (Editor's note: was) having
...[详细]Basslet's wearable subwoofer lets you feel the bass in your body
LAS VEGAS -- Do your headphones pack enough bass? Even if they do, they can never give you that expe
...[详细]U.S. government issues warning on McDonald's recalled wearable devices
Last week's McDonald's debacle, which saw the fast food giant forced to recall its first wearable tr
...[详细]
Nature can often be beautiful one minute, and brutal the next. Especially for this wallaby in Kurand
...[详细]Princess Diana's letters reveal Prince Harry has always been a bad boy
LONDON -- Prince Harry has long been rumoured to be the most mischievous member of the royal family,
...[详细]Can you spot the massive error in this Washington Post cover?
The Women's March on Washington is poised to become the largest anti-inauguration protest, which is
...[详细]One thing's for sure: you're never too old to learn.
。Massachusetts woman Clare Picciuto turned 100 F
...[详细]Princess Diana's letters reveal Prince Harry has always been a bad boy
LONDON -- Prince Harry has long been rumoured to be the most mischievous member of the royal family,
...[详细]Uber's $100M settlement over drivers as contractors may not be enough
Steve Harvey can't fathom how anyone could want to date an Asian man
