The 'Lords of the Rings' actor has reportedly rejected an opportunitiy to become a real-life Lord when he was offered a peerage in his native country a couple years ago.
- August 16, 2020
AceShowbiz - Ian McKellen turned down a U.K. peerage, according to biographer Garry O'Connor.
The author is releasing an updated paperback edition of his book, "Ian McKellen: The Biography", next month (Sep20), which features the revelation that "The Lord of the Rings" star has no interest in becoming a Lord.
"Some of his close friends reliably told me that Ian, in the past couple of years, was offered one," O'Connor told Britain's Daily Mail newspaper. "But he turned it down."
He pointed out that McKellen also had qualms about accepting his knighthood in 1991.
"He demanded that it was stated that it was given for 'acting and social activism'," the writer explained.
Despite his incredible success and fortune, McKellen has never distanced himself from his working-class roots, and is recognised for his charitable endeavours.
The revelation comes after Evgeny Lebedev, publisher of Britain's Evening Standard newspaper and co-owner The Grapes pub in Limehouse, east London with McKellen, was ennobled this month by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
