Ian McKellen says he imagined destroying Mar-a-Lago for new Avengers movie

Live updates

1. 24d ago

   McKellen’s Mar-a-Lago joke fueled *Avengers: Doomsday* fury

   Ian McKellen admitted he imagined destroying Mar-a-Lago to heighten his performance as Magneto in *Avengers: Doomsday*, linking the motivation to personal criticism of Donald Trump. Multiple outlets confirm the anecdote, though no official Marvel statement has addressed it. The actor’s on-set behavior was reportedly inspired by political frustration.

   What's confirmed:

   • Ian McKellen used the idea of destroying Mar-a-Lago to intensify his portrayal of Magneto in *Avengers: Doomsday*, shouting the phrase on set.
   • The actor has linked his motivation to personal criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
   • McKellen was instructed to act more furious as Magneto and imagined destroying Mar-a-Lago to fuel his performance.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • No official Marvel statement has confirmed or denied the claim.
   confidence 85%
2. 25d ago

   Ian McKellen imagined destroying Mar-a-Lago for Avengers: Doomsday Magneto scene

   Ian McKellen revealed he used the idea of destroying Mar-a-Lago to fuel his performance as Magneto in *Avengers: Doomsday*, shouting the phrase on set. The actor linked his motivation to personal criticism of former U.S. President Donald Trump. Multiple outlets confirm the anecdote, though details about the scene’s context vary. No official Marvel statement has addressed the claim.

   What's confirmed:

   • Ian McKellen shouted 'Mar-a-Lago' during filming of an explosive scene as Magneto in *Avengers: Doomsday* when asked to imagine something he hated.
   • The actor has publicly criticized Donald Trump, citing anti-LGBTQ+ politics as a reason for his long-standing opposition.
   • McKellen confirmed he used the idea of destroying Mar-a-Lago to heighten his emotional performance as Magneto.
   • The revelation came during a live film festival appearance and subsequent interviews about the movie’s production.

   Still unconfirmed:

   • McKellen’s outburst was a pre-planned joke targeting Trump, though no script confirmation exists.
   • The scene’s destruction imagery was altered post-filming to remove political subtext, with no evidence to support this claim.
   • Marvel Studios directed McKellen to incorporate the reference, though no official statement or crew confirmation supports this.
   confidence 94%