Sir Ian McKellen has issued an official apology for recent statements he made about the sexual abuse allegations made towards Kevin Spacey and director Bryan Singer, where he claimed “if they had been able to be open about themselves and their desires, they wouldn’t have started abusing people in the way they’ve been accused.”
McKellen took to Twitter recently to now claim, “I suggested that if closeted people were instead open about their sexuality they wouldn’t abuse others. That, of course, is wrong.”
He clarified his controversial statements, “My intention was to encourage the LGBT audience I was addressing, to be proud and open about their sexuality. In doing so, my point was clumsily expressed.”
McKellen originally made the controversial comments on the #QueerAF Podcast on February 23rd when podcast host Evan Davis brought up the #MeToo movement and namedropped Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer, asking McKellen for his reaction. The actor initially joked “Frankly, I’m waiting for someone to accuse me of something. And me wondering if they’re not telling the truth and me having forgotten” – hopefully, that’s not something that ever needs to come up.
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He then made his even more controversial remarks when he spoke about Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer (the latter of whom he worked with on a number of X-Men films). “Most of them were in the closet. Hence, all their problems as people and their relationship with other people,” he said.
The actor has now clarified his stance on the #MeToo movement, ending his apology with “The accusers must be heard and the accused given the opportunity to clear their names. If the accusations prove credible, the abuser’s access to power should be removed.”
1/4 As part of an extended podcast recently, I suggested that if closeted people were instead open about their sexuality they wouldn’t abuse others. That, of course, is wrong. pic.twitter.com/9k6KLH2hx9
— Ian McKellen (@IanMcKellen) March 2, 2019