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Proust Questionnaire
Ian McKellen
With his Broadway smash, Amadeus, and his stunning rendition of Richard III, Sir Ian McKellen has become an icon of British drama. This month, as McKellen stars in Apt Pupil and Gods and Monsters, he pauses here to praise such diverse talents as Nelson Mandela and Armistead Maupin
Proust Questionnaire
Ian McKellen
With his Broadway smash, Amadeus, and his stunning rendition of Richard III, Sir Ian McKellen has become an icon of British drama. This month, as McKellen stars in Apt Pupil and Gods and Monsters, he pauses here to praise such diverse talents as Nelson Mandela and Armistead Maupin
What is your greatest fear?
Drowning.
Which living person do you most admire?
Nelson Mandela.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Procrastination.
What is your greatest extravagance?
Traveling first-class.
What is your favorite journey?
Los Angeles to San Francisco (or vice versa)
What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
Consistency.
On what occasion do you lie?
When the truth would hurt.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
"Fucking hell."
What is your greatest regret?
My mother's death when I was 12.
Which talent would you most like to have?
Astaire's fleet-footedness.
What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Professionally, making the movie Richard III.
What is your most treasured possession?
My house in London.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Lack of friends.
What is your favorite occupation?
Rehearsing.
What do you most value in your friends?
Being there.
Who are your favorite writers?
William Shakespeare and Armistead Maupin.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Michael "Mouse" Tolliver from Maupin's Tales of the City.
What is it that you most dislike?
Prejudice against minorities.
How would you like to die?
In somebody's arms.
