“He’s so illiterate”
The acting legend, Sir Ian McKellen who was featured in our Twitter Powerlist for actors, was asked by CNN what he thought of Donald Trump and his legacy of being a TV star. Well, McKellen didn’t hold back and showed, some incredible insight into the President’s controversial use of Twitter.
Taking aim at the 45th President of the USA, McKellen said, “He’s so illiterate. He displays his inadequacies every time he opens his mouth, I’m afraid. And every time he tweets… Dictators and leaders have taken advantage of the mass media ever since it was available to them. Whether it was the radio, advertising, and now television or film. And he’s the master of the television, you have to grant him that… It seems to me, as an outsider, that what he enjoys most in life is not power, but fame.”
In the wide-ranging interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, actor Sir Ian McKellen discussed his activism in the LGBT community, his views of President Trump and being named for a knighthood by Margaret Thatcher – one of her last acts as Prime Minister.
McKellen tells Amanpour how he recalls being in Paris watching Margaret Thatcher’s resignation, when he received a call from Downing Street asking if he would accept a knighthood. After saying he would “think about it”, McKellen tells CNN that Thatcher appeared just moments afterwards, making the offer virtually one of her last acts as leader of the country.
Having previously backed anti-gay legislation such as Section 28, McKellen tells CNN that the offer of a knighthood was a significant gesture: “The world actually was changing, and [Thatcher] could not control it.”
McKellen speaks to Amanpour about the importance of coming out, something he did live on radio at the age of 49 in response to a question on Section 28. Now McKellen tours schools and universities to discuss coming out, telling CNN about some of his experiences and the future of LGBT rights.
Ahead of potentially his final Shakespearean performances in the West End, McKellen addresses comparisons made between President Trump and Richard III, alongside Trump’s use of social media on the world stage.
