Ian McKellen, who built his career on Shakespearean roles like Richard II and King Lear, isn’t convinced by Chloe Zhao’s Oscar nominated Hamnet.
“I don’t quite get it,” he told The Times. “I’m not very interested in trying to work out where Shakespeare’s imagination came from, but it certainly didn’t just come from family life.”
The film, adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s 2020 novel, dramatizes the death of Shakespeare’s son Hamnet at age 11.
Moreover, it suggests the tragedy inspired Hamlet.
While the theory has roots in scholarly debate, McKellen remains skeptical of its portrayal.
McKellen questioned several aspects of Zhao’s interpretation, particularly the depiction of Shakespeare’s wife Anne Hathaway (called Agnes in the film).
“The idea Anne Hathaway has never seen a play before? It’s improbable, considering what her husband did for a living. And she doesn’t seem to know what a play is! I think there are a few doubts of probability,” he said.
Despite McKellen’s reservations, Hamnet is a major awards contender.
Jessie Buckley stars as Agnes alongside Paul Mescal as Shakespeare, with Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Noah Jupe rounding out the cast.
Buckley has already won a Golden Globe and is in the running for Best Actress at the Oscars, where the film is nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
For the unversed, the 86-year-old reprises his role as Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday this December and will return as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum in 2027.
