Ian McKellen tried to land a solo song for his character Cogsworth in the live-action remake of Beauty And The Beast.
The veteran actor plays the enchanted clock in Disney‘s new movie, alongside Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, and Ewan McGregor as Lumiere.
The original 1991 animated movie was well-known for its musical numbers, including the high-octane song Be Our Guest, sung to Belle by candelabra Lumiere and teapot Mrs Potts, voiced by Emma Thompson.
However, McKellen was eager to get the plain-speaking stalwart Cogsworth his very own solo performance in the movie.
“When we were in the studio, I kept singing what I thought should be a rather good addition to the score,” he explained to Entertainment Weekly magazine. ”‘My name is Cogsworth!/And I’m a clock!/Tick-tock!’ But I’m afraid I didn’t get my own song, so I just joined in the big number, Be Our Guest.”
“I think perhaps I have a couple of lines on my own, I’m not quite sure how it will all work out. But to be surrounded by Audra MacDonald (who plays the wardrobe Garderobe) and the two Emmas all singing out was all just thrilling,” McKellen added.
It’s the Oscar-nominated actor’s third time working with director Bill Condon, following their 1988 drama Gods and Monsters, and 2015’s Mr. Holmes, in which McKellen portrayed legendary fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.
“I’ve done two films now with Bill Condon and we’re always looking for a third. So, our third job has turned out to be Beauty and the Beast!” he laughed.
“I was very, very thrilled to suddenly be in my first Disney movie. (The original is) such a famous and successful film, and to do the remake as it were, or the reimagining, was very exciting.”
Beauty and the Beast is due for release in March, 2017.
