Tiscali Celebrity

Mckellen takes acting break

SIR IAN McKELLEN is taking a break from acting - because he is desperate to catch up on new releases at the cinema.

The X-Men star loves working on major movies, but his hectic schedule means he has very little time to indulge his real passion for film.

So McKellen has deliberately scheduled a break from work before his next project - Lord Of The Rings prequel The Hobbit - so he can watch more movies and support his fellow thespians.

Speaking at the London premiere of Speed Racer on Tuesday (29Apr08), he said, "I've come to support (the film's stars) Roger Allam and my dear friend Susan Sarandon.

"I'm having a rest, which means I can attend things like this. I'm taking a break until the autumn." (LR/WNTEX/LJ)