Ian McKellen dismisses one of the top contenders for the 2026 Oscars: “I don’t get it”

Hamnet is one of the leading contenders for the next Academy Awards. Although Maggie O’Farrell wrote it using historical documentation as a foundation, the film clearly adds a healthy dose of fiction to its story. Directed by Chloé Zhao, the Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal vehicle has drawn praise from virtually every corner – except from one major authority in the field. Sir Ian McKellen, the celebrated British actor and Shakespeare expert, who is also set to return as Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday later this year, has admitted he never quite “got” Hamnet.

Ian McKellen’s sour take on Hamnet

McKellen’s Shakespeare credentials are beyond dispute. He has spent decades immersed in the playwright’s world, performing roles ranging from Hamlet to King Lear, as well as Falstaff, a recurring figure in works tied to the famed English writer, poet and dramatist. That is why his view on any cultural work connected to William Shakespeare carries real weight, even when it is far from flattering.

He made that plain when sharing his thoughts on Hamnet, arguing that the film is a misguided interpretation of Shakespeare’s life and work. “I don’t get it. I’m not terribly interested in where Shakespeare’s imagination came from, but it certainly didn’t come from his family life,” McKellen said of Zhao’s film.

“Perhaps Shakespeare is the most famous person who ever lived, so of course there is interest in what he was like, and what his relationship with his family was like. And we can’t know that, but this idea that Anne Hathaway had never seen a play before? That seems unlikely, given what her husband did for a living. And she doesn’t even know which play it is! I think there’s very little chance of that,” he concluded.

With those remarks, the actor, who will also return once again as Gandalf in the upcomingThe Lord of the Ringsmovie centered on Gollum, was referring to the ending of Zhao’s adaptation, which he clearly views with skepticism. But that does not appear to be troubling either general audiences or Academy voters. It is worth remembering thatShakespeare in Love– another film that took broad liberties with Shakespeare, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes – previously won the Oscar for best picture.

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