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Ian McKellen And Orlando Bloom Get Personal... Feb.
5, 2002 - paraphrased some from http://www.capitalfm.com/
We managed to catch up with ‘Lord Of The Rings'
stars Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom as they
hot-footed it to the Empire Awards in London town. Find
out what they had to say here?
Sir Ian, you're up for Best Actor at the Empire Awards
for playing Gandalf so spectacularly, was it a fun part to
play? Yeah, that's one way of putting it. It was a
year's work for me in New Zealand, a country that I had not
been to before and which I fell in love with. I was working
with some really spectacularly friendly people, local New
Zealanders as well as visitors like Orlando, and others
from around the world. And I was working on the most ambitious
film ever made, three films in fact! The first of which came
out at Christmas and has been so well received that it makes
all our efforts seem worth while. It was very hard work, very
intense, but 'fun' sums it up I think.
And Orlando, you're up for Best Debut for playing
Legolas. Interestingly you're up for this category against the
three Harry Potter kids... Am I really, oh great! They
just want to keep that competition going between the two films
don't they. But I don't think you can really compare the two.
It will be interesting to see how that pans out. I'm quite
excited now that you mention it.
There are so many award ceremonies around these days, do
they all still mean something? Orlando: Well for
me, this is my first nomination for any kind of award ceremony
and I'm very flattered. Ian: Well I hope you win
Orlando, because the first prize you win is always the
sweetest. You'll see those 'Harry Potter' kids off,
they've got lots of years to have awards and you're getting on
now aren't you! Orlando: Thanks a lot. Oh, I've
forgot, I've just turned 25! Ian: Well it is a
spectacular debut, and he's got fans all over the world, quite
rightly, as one of the fellowship. I know about the Empire
Awards because I've been to them before and very jolly
occasions, and nice and relaxed, partly because I think
they're not broadcast on television like a lot of other
awards. Basically whatever the motives of the magazines, TV
companies or the organizations who arrange these awards, for
the actors it's a very good way of drawing attention to their
latest film. In the case of 'Lord Of The Rings', I'm
very happy to be encouraging people to go and see it, because
I think it's a wonderful movie and the awards are part of
that. Orlando: How are they
nominated? Ian: The Empire Awards, I think,
are unique in this country because they are actually voted for
by the public. Orlando: Oh
great. Ian: So if you get their approval then it
really is something worth caring about.
And of course you've got another two movies in the can
already. A lot of actors would love to be in your
shoes... Orlando: Yeah, it's incredible really.
I was thinking, I graduated from drama school three years ago
and I just walked in to this job and it's just been probably
one of the most life changing, exciting and memorable
experiences of my life, ever. My cousin said to me the other
day "Whatever happens in the next three years, you've got a
movie out for the next year", I could do anything and not have
to worry because I've got all the Rings. Ian: I
thought it was rather cheeky of you when 'Lord Of The
Rings' finally slipped from being No.1 in the world after
about a month. It was kicked out marginally by a new movie
called 'Black Hawk Down', and guess who was in it?
Orlando Bloom! Anyway, I've got 'X Men II'
coming up. We're going to start filming that in the Summer.
Orlando: I can't wait to see it. Ian:
It's great that we have done these three films. But I talked
to Peter Jackson, the director of 'Lord Of The
Rings' the other day, and we are going to have to go back
because there are pick-ups to do, little extra shots. We were
working in New Zealand in studios that weren't properly
soundproofed and so all the dialog had to be dubbed in the
first film. You can't tell, but it's true, and we're going to
have to do that with the other two films, so we haven't
finished. But the basic shooting is done. Orlando:
I'm quite looking forward to going back for those pick-ups.
Really hard work - surfing, snowboarding, skydiving, alongside
filming 'Lord Of The Rings'.
Going back to ‘X Men?... Ian: It's quite
funny, in New York where I've been working in a play, people
don't know whether to call me Magnito or
Gandalf. It's quite nice that they don't call me
Ian! I've just had a little touch of what it might be
like to be really famous and I hope I never become so, it must
be absolutely dreadful, being unable to go anywhere. I went to
a club the other day in New York, and was immediately given my
own security guard. I wanted to go to the loo half way through
the evening and he cleared everybody out of the way. There was
a line for the gents and I was put to the top of the queue.
Someone was almost dragged away from the urinal and when it
was my turn, my security guard stood at the door protecting
me! Orlando: Mind you, at least you wouldn't get
into any trouble. The security...
You say you're not used to the price of fame, but this
time next week you could be in line for an
Oscar... Orlando: He should be in line for an
Oscar.
Ian: We'll see about that.
Orlando: I've kept a copy of a magazine
published in Los Angeles which has a huge picture of you on
the front as Gandalf. It says 'Ian McKellen as
Gandalf'. Ian: The Oscars is a huge
industry. The campaigning starts almost the minute one
ceremony is over and there's 12 months to go until the next.
Hollywood, where I've just been, gets very, very excited about
it, with good reason because that's the whole industry vote of
people who work in films and care about them. But, like the
Empire Awards, it's all basically in the business of
drawing the attention of the public to the best movies on
offer, so you have to join in. But nobody makes a movie to win
an Oscar. You make movies because you like making
movies, because you like making a living and because you want
to work with certain people on good scripts - that's why I do
it. If, at the end, people like it so much that they want to
give you an extra prize, then that's a lovely bonus.
You're also up for a BAFTA... Ian: Yes,
that's very nice too. It happens if your film is hugely
popular, and it has been all over the world. I'm not
grumbling! I have a website, so does Orlando.
Orlando: Not my own. Ian: 12 million
people logged on to it in January! It is extraordinary.
Orlando: That's a lot of people! You should make a
record. Ian: I've never been in a movie that's been
so successful, I'm used to doing plays at the National
Theatre where 500 people come every night for nine months,
and that's it, but this is all very different, and it's all
extremely interesting.
What can you tell us about 'X Men II'
then? Ian: I can tell you that's it's going to
be filmed in Vancouver. Patrick Stewart and Hugh
Jackman are back, and Halle Berry is with us again,
I think most of the cast are going to do it. Brian
Singer is directing it again, and he's overseeing the
scripts at the moment. I haven't seen them, so I can't tell
you any more than that.
And what's coming up for you
Orlando? Orlando: Well, I've had this incredible
start to my career, and I'm being a little bit selective at
the moment. I've had some very nice offers for some stuff
that's coming up, both British and American, and I'm traveling
between the two trying to work out which one is going to work
at the right time. It's looking really good. I keep pinching
myself because I just can't believe it. Ian: And
I'm going to encourage him to do some theatre before he gets
swept up in movies and doesn't know the joys of a live
audience. Orlando: I am definitely going to do some
theater. I want to do it. Lets do a play together!
Ian McKellen and Orlando Bloom. Thank you and good luck.
Ian:Thank you very much.
Orlando:Thank you very much.
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