Ian McKellen says Alec Guinness urged him to step away from gay rights activism

Ian McKellen has revealed that late Star Wars actor Alec Guinness once advised him to distance himself from queer activism, claiming public political involvement was “unseemly” for actors.

Speaking in a recent interview with The Guardian, McKellen recalled first meeting Guinness backstage after a 1979 performance of Bent, Martin Sherman’s acclaimed drama about the persecution of gay men during Nazi Germany. According to McKellen, Guinness praised the production and invited him to dinner, though the younger actor declined at the time.

Years later, the two actors met again over lunch, where the conversation eventually turned to McKellen’s work co-founding Stonewall, the influential UK queer rights advocacy group established in 1989 to campaign against Section 28, the law prohibiting the “promotion” of homosexuality in schools and by local authorities.

McKellen said Guinness urged him to withdraw from the movement, believing actors should avoid involvement in political causes. “He thought it somewhat unseemly for an actor to dabble in public or political affairs,” McKellen recalled, adding that he ultimately ignored the advice.

The actor said the memory resurfaced while watching Two Halves of Guinness, a play exploring Guinness’ life and legacy. McKellen noted that the production touches on longstanding speculation surrounding Guinness’ sexuality, something he believes the late actor would likely have disliked.

McKellen, who publicly came out in 1988, has long been one of Britain’s most prominent LGBTQ+ advocates. In earlier interviews, the The Lord of the Rings and X-Men star said coming out transformed both his personal life and his relationship with acting.