Veteran Actor McKellen Critiques Shakespeare Film 'Hamnet'

Veteran actor Sir Ian McKellen has expressed reservations about the film "Hamnet," which explores the creative inspirations behind William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." McKellen stated he doesn't "quite get" the film's focus on the origins of Shakespeare's imagination, particularly the idea that family life solely fueled his creativity.

The film "Hamnet," based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, dramatizes the death of Shakespeare's 11-year-old son, Hamnet, and posits this as the catalyst for the tragedy "Hamlet." This theory is rooted in a long-standing scholarly debate concerning the burial of Hamnet in 1596 and the staging of "Hamlet" four years later.

McKellen also challenged the film's depiction of Anne Hathaway, Shakespeare's wife. He found it "improbable" that she would be unfamiliar with theatre, given her husband's profession, and questioned her apparent ignorance of what a play entails. The actor, known for his own acclaimed Shakespearean roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, shared these views in a recent interview.

The film stars Jessie Buckley as Agnes (Anne Hathaway) and Paul Mescal as Shakespeare. Buckley is receiving Oscar attention for her role, with "Hamnet" nominated in several categories including Best Picture and Best Director. McKellen is set to reprise his iconic roles as Magneto in "Avengers: Doomsday" and Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum."