Speaking with BBC Media Editor Amol Rajan about the criticism surrounding Helen Mirren taking on the role of Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the biopic Golda, McKellen said, “There are two things: Is the argument that a gentile cannot play a Jew, and is the argument therefore that a Jew cannot play a gentile?” Garfield’s comments are similar to recent comments made by Ian McKellen, known for his roles as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as well as his role as Magneto in the X-Men franchise. RELATED: Lord of the Rings Star Ian McKellen Rejects Idea Actors Must Share Exact Qualities As Their Characters: “We’re Acting. Tick, tick…BOOM! (L-R) ANDREW GARFIELD as JONATHAN LARSON in tick, tick…BOOM!.
