Iondon – Actor Ian McKellen was hospitalized on Monday after falling from a stage in London during a fight scene in a play.
The 85-year-old known for playing Gandalf in “Lord of the Rings” films and many stage roles over a six-decade career screamed in pain after the fall, according to a BBC journalist at the theater.
McKellen played John Falstaff in “Player Kings”, a production of Henry IV, parts one and two, adapted and directed by Robert Icke, at the Noel Coward Theatre.
He lost his balance and fell off the stage in a scene with the Prince of Wales and Henry Percy. The fall scared spectators.
“Sir Ian appeared to stumble as he came down from the stage to take a more active role in the scene,” audience member Paul Critchley told the PA news agency, saying it came as a shock. “He gained momentum as he stepped off the stage, which resulted in him falling off the stage right in front of the audience.”
The theater was evacuated and the play canceled while doctors treated the actor.
McKellen’s career includes playing Magneto in the X-Men films and several Shakespearean characters, including Richard II, Macbeth and King Lear.
He won a Tony Award for “Amadeus,” several Laurence Olivier Awards and was nominated for two Oscars and several BAFTA Awards.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
