Sir Ian McKellen Receives The COVID-19 Vaccine | Screen Rant - Screen Rant

Actor Sir Ian McKellen received the COVID-19 vaccine. The esteemed actor has had a long and storied career. His career on the stage is as prolific as his career in film. McKellen has starred as Gandalf in both Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit trilogy. The actor also starred as Magneto in the X-Men movie saga.

The COVID-19 pandemic has roiled the industry for the last 10 months. Theaters have been forced to close their doors for extended periods of time and studios have been forced to push some of their biggest films further and further out. Studios have had various reactions to the pandemic that have caused controversy, including Warner Bros' recent decision to put all of their 2021 movies in theaters and on HBO Max the same day. As productions resume and studios try to put out their films the best way they know how, the rollout of the first vaccine in the UK has allowed the industry to look forward to the future with positivity for the first time in months.

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McKellen allowed his receiving of the vaccine to be shown on ITV. The actor praised the UK's National Health Service for their work in distributing the vaccine. McKellen urged everyone to get the vaccine when they could in an effort to raise confidence during a time when many are questioning the efficacy and safety of the vaccine. McKellen, who is 81, is in a high risk category when it comes to those who could contract the virus. He said:

Next time I come, well no, six days after I next come I'm going to give them all a big hug - is that allowed? I don't know. That's the real bonus of all this, to watch and see what works in this country and what doesn't work - and it seems to me the NHS is right at the top of the list for institutions that do work. Of course, I know I wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for the NHS. I'm a little bit older than the NHS but when I was a kid, having good medical treatment available when it was needed - what a wonderful notion. I would encourage everybody to do the sensible thing, not just for themselves but for everybody else because if you're virus-free that helps everybody else, doesn't it?

Sir Ian McKellen has received the Covid vaccine. “Anyone who has lived as long as I have is alive because they have had previous vaccinations... you’re having it not just for yourself but for people who you are close to – you’re doing your bit for society.” pic.twitter.com/HpLC5ujVD8
— Jack Blackburn (@HackBlackburn) December 16, 2020

Tensions are running high in the industry because of the pandemic. Not only did Warner Bros. ignite a litany of controversy that has plagued the studio for the last few weeks, but actor Tom Cruise has been thrust into the spotlight for his treatment of crew members who broke coronavirus protocols on the set of Mission: Impossible 7. While some have praised the actor for his behavior, including George Clooney, it has raised questions about the ways in which the pandemic has affected the behavior of those in the industry.

McKellen's choice to get the vaccine publicly is a brave one and one that echoes public officials in the United States who have said they, too, will receive the vaccine on camera. The move is an effort to shore up public support for the vaccine as many are questioning whether or not it is safe. McKellen receiving the vaccine on camera should help with that. The actor has long been known for his activism, from his support of the LGBTQ+ community, to his work with various other charities and his continued advocacy of a healthy public is vital in these unprecedented times. Now that a vaccine is being rolled out, the industry can start planning for the day when things can resume as normal after a tumultuous year.

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Source: ITV