Sir Ian McKellen has been acting for over six decades, but that doesn’t mean he’s slowing down.

Speaking to Variety, McKellen says that he’s constantly reminded of his mortality, but that doesn’t mean he is going to retire.

“Retire to do what?” he asked. “I’ve never been out of work, but I’m aware that any minute now something could happen to me which could prevent me from ever working again.”

He continued, “But while the knees hold up and the memory remains intact, why shouldn’t I carry on? I really feel I’m quite good at this acting thing now.”

Ian McKellen is one of the greatest actors ever. He’s been nominated for two Oscars, five BAFTAs, and five Emmy Awards throughout his career.

Getting his start in theatre, McKellen had roles in a variety of U.K. productions. Even as his film and TV career took off, McKellen still return to his roots. His most recent theatre credit comes in the 2023 production of Frank and Percy.

On the film side, McKellen held down the role of Magneto in Fox’s X-Men universe. He played the character through Days of Future Past — even sharing the role with Michael Fassbender in that film.

Another key role in McKellen’s storied career is Gandalf the Grey in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. His performance in The Fellowship of the Ring (the first film) garnered him an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

McKellen’s latest role comes in The Critic. The film follows an actress who is caught in a situation between a theatre critic and his editor.Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, and Lesley Manville also star in the film. The Critic will hold its world premiere at TIFF on Monday, September 11, at the Princess of Wales Theater.