McKellen’s Injury After Stage Fall

Ian McKellen recently opened up about the painful aftermath of a fall during a performance of ‘Player Kings‘ in London. While playing the role of John Falstaff, he lost his footing during a battle scene and ended up tumbling offstage, which caused serious injuries, including a chipped vertebra and a fractured wrist.

In an interview with Saga Magazine, McKellen described the incident as ‘agonizing,’ saying, ‘I avoid going out because I’m nervous someone might bump into me.’ He also shared how the injury has led to him experiencing significant shoulder pain due to the impact of the fall.

Interestingly, McKellen noted that the fat suit he wore for his role played a crucial part in protecting him. ‘It saved my ribs and other joints,’ he said, expressing a bit of gratitude amidst the pain. However, he relives the fall in his mind repeatedly, finding it a very upsetting experience.

McKellen shared his thoughts on his future acting career, stating, ‘I have to keep telling myself I’m not too old to act.’ He emphasized that the fall was purely an accident, and despite it not causing him to lose consciousness, he hasn’t been able to return to the stage since the incident.

This unfortunate accident did mark the end of his time playing Falstaff in ‘Player Kings.’ Although there was hope that McKellen would return for the show’s national tour, he confirmed that he would not be rejoining to allow himself the proper time to recover.