British actor Sir Ian McKellen is showbusiness royalty, and the X-Men and Lord of the Rings icon is still going strong at the ripe old age of 85. Audiences are currently getting their McKellen kicks in London, where he’s playing the lead role of John Falstaff in Robert Icke’s Player Kings.
But on June 17, McKellen and his fans were shocked when the esteemed thespian took a nasty bump, falling off the stage at the Noel Coward Theatre. Thankfully, he’s fine and will make a quick and full recovery. The beloved star posted as much on X (formerly Twitter) in a message showing appreciation to his fans for their support and thanking the specialists and nurses of Britain’s National Health Service for looking after him.
If one good thing came from the unfortunate incident, it was the response to McKellen’s tweet by his showbiz pal Mark Hamill. The Star Wars icon sent his well wishes in the most adorable way imaginable.
How did Mark Hamill respond?
Hamill responded to McKellen’s post about his recovery by writing, “Wonderful news!” It was followed by the words “For Ian:” and a gif saying “Get Well Soon” alongside a polar bear mother and baby embracing.
It was typical of Hamill, who’s long established himself as one of the most wholesome and lovely people in the entertainment world.
Fans responded positively to Hamill’s well wishes in their droves, with Another Fan saying, “He’s a wonderful human. You are too. Saw your post and wanted to say, Thank You. I saw New Hope in 1977 at 3. To say it shaped my life would be an understatement. Even named my son Luke. So from a lifelong fan, Thank You for being Luke.” Others were more succinct, as Paul wrote, “That gets a like from me,” Steve Chesney said, “Like,” and chrissjones replied, “Really like!”
We wish Sir Ian all the best in his recovery and hope he returns to work quickly. Showbusiness needs him!