Sir Ian McKellen says he “fell in love with” Johnny Depp after working together on “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol.”
“He’s in spankingly good form,” McKellen told Variety on Wednesday evening at “The Christophers” New York premiere. “Effervescent, funny, irreverent, serious — all at the same time. It was a bit of a love fest, really. I fell in love with him. He’s very obliging to his fellow actors. [There was] a wonderful feeling on the set.”
Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in the remake, marking his first major Hollywood role in nearly eight years. He last appeared in 2018’s “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and was later removed from the franchise after losing a libel case against The Sun, which labeled him a “wife beater” following allegations by ex-wife Amber Heard. After a U.S. jury found in 2022 that both Depp and Heard defamed each other.
Since then, Depp has appeared in several independent films overseas, including “Minamata” and “Jeanne du Barry.” His next film, the Marc Webb-directed “Day Drinker” with Penélope Cruz, is expected to release later this year.
Ti West’s reimagining of “Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol” also stars Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Andrea Riseborough as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Tramell Tillman as the Ghost of Christmas Present and McKellen as Jacob Marley.
“It was only six days, but it was well worth it,” McKellen said. “I play a ghost! [chuckles]”
McKellen is currently promoting Steven Soderbergh’s dark comedy “The Christophers,” in which he stars alongside Michaela Coel and James Corden. He plays a once-renowned English painter whose estranged children hire a forger (Coel) to pose as his assistant and complete his unfinished works to sell after his death.
“I don’t really connect my life with his, except that he’s getting old — and I am old,” McKellen said. “The future is uncertain- but no, it’s certain. I’m going to die. And that hovers over his life and kids’ expectations of what might happen when he dies. Will they or will they not inherit paintings they can sell? I just had a ball.”
“The Christophers” opens in theaters April 10.
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