Ian McKellen is easily one of my favorite actors and now he’s given me another reason to think he’s great. During an interview yesterday with Matt Lauer on the Today show Ian was asked about the calls for a disclaimer prior to showings of The Da Vinci Code stating that it’s fiction. Ian’s response is likely to only add a lot of fuel to the fire:

“There have been calls from some religious groups, they wanted a disclaimer at the beginning of this movie saying it is fiction because one of the themes in the book really knocks Christianity right on its ear, if Christ survived the crucifixion, he did not die for our sins and therefore was not resurrected. What I’m saying is, people wanted this to say ‘fiction, fiction, fiction’. How would you all have felt if there was a disclaimer at the beginning of the movie? Would it have been okay with you?”

There was a pause, and then famed British actor Ian McKellen [Gandalf of Lord of the Rings], piped up:

”Well, I’ve often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying this is fiction. I mean, walking on water, it takes an act of faith. And I have faith in this movie. Not that it’s true, not that it’s factual, but that it’s a jolly good story. And I think audiences are clever enough and bright enough to separate out fact and fiction, and discuss the thing after they’ve seen it.”

You can almost feel the movie’s producers and director Ron Howard cringing over that one, eh? Needless to say I’m in full agreement on the need for a disclaimer at the start of the Bible, but somehow I doubt that’s going to happen anytime soon. Still, Ian brings a smile to my face and ensures I’ll continue to be a big fan of his.

Via Pesky’Apostrophe.