Ian McKellen: ‘Andrew Scott is a credit to Ireland’

Andrew Scott is being Oscar-tipped for his lead role in a new biopic, in which he plays a friend of Ian McKellen's.

A closeted gay man, Charleson was diagnosed with HIV in 1986. Set in 1989, Elsinore depicts the actor's health struggles as he unexpectedly gets an opportunity to play the title role in a production of Hamlet at London's National Theatre.

Charleson and McKellen were friends, with McKellen even contributing an entire chapter to the book For Ian Charleson: A Tribute.

So, when JOE recently interviewed the Lord of the Rings and X-Men star about his role in Ebenezer, the new adaptation of Charles Dickens' festive story A Christmas Carol, we had to ask him what he thought of Scott's portrayal.

Watch the trailer for Elsinore right here:

In response, McKellen told JOE: "I thought Andrew was very credible as Ian. He even managed to look a little bit like him."

Referencing the similarity between the name Scott and the word Scot, he warmly added: "Andrew is, despite his name, a credit to Ireland."

McKellen then recounted a hilarious story about filming his first movie, 1969's Alfred the Great, in Galway.

"I should just say, I made one of my very first movies in Ireland on location in Galway," he said. "They'd gone over to film there because they wanted the wonderful Irish mist…

"It was the best summer they'd ever had in Ireland," he laughed. "Every morning we woke up, looked through the curtains: 'Oh no, not another beautiful day.'"

As for Scott's Oscar chances, his major competitor in the Best Actor category appears to be John Malkovich for his turn in Martin McDonagh's Wild Horse Nine.

Ebenezer is in cinemas now, while Elsinore doesn't land in Irish theatres until 29 January 2027. Check out JOE's full interview with Ian McKellen below: