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  "path": "/latest/alec-guinness-gave-ian-mckellen-advice-he-refused-to-take-actor-reveals/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-05-12T09:01:20.000Z",
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    "Alec Guinness gave Ian McKellen advice he refused to take, actor reveals",
    "HUM News English"
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  "textContent": "Sir Ian McKellen has opened up about an unexpected piece of advice late  _Star Wars_ icon Alec Guinness once gave him, admitting it is something he ultimately chose not to follow.\n\nThe  _Lord of the Rings_ actor revealed that Guinness, best known to generations of fans as Obi-Wan Kenobi, urged him to step back from LGBTQ+ advocacy work, believing actors should avoid becoming involved in political causes.\n\nSpeaking during a reader Q&A with  _The Guardian_ , McKellen recalled the moment after being asked about the worst advice he had ever received.\n\nAccording to the veteran actor, the pair first crossed paths backstage in 1979 while McKellen was appearing in  _Bent_ , a play centred on the persecution of gay men during Nazi Germany. Guinness reportedly invited him to dinner at the time, though McKellen later admitted he had “stupidly declined” the offer.\n\nYears later, the two reconnected, with McKellen saying Guinness raised concerns about his involvement with Stonewall, the UK LGBTQ+ rights organisation McKellen helped establish.\n\n“He thought it somewhat unseemly for an actor to dabble in public or political affairs and advised me, sort of pleaded with me, to withdraw,” McKellen said, adding that it was “advice from an older generation” that he did not follow.\n\nMcKellen said the memory recently resurfaced after watching  _Two Halves of Guinness_ , a stage production exploring the late actor’s life.\n\nWhile Guinness became globally recognised through  _Star Wars_ , he was also known for his complicated relationship with the franchise and reportedly grew frustrated with parts of the role that later defined him on screen.\n\nMcKellen, meanwhile, has remained one of Britain’s most outspoken supporters of LGBTQ+ rights, continuing his advocacy decades after helping launch Stonewall.\n\nThe post Alec Guinness gave Ian McKellen advice he refused to take, actor reveals appeared first on HUM News English.",
  "title": "Alec Guinness gave Ian McKellen advice he refused to take, actor reveals"
}