United Kingdom, April 8 -- Sir Ian McKellen never imagined becoming a movie star.

The 86-year-old actor has enjoyed huge success on stage and screen, but McKellen never imagined appearing in big-budget Hollywood movies.

He told The Los Angeles Times newspaper: "When I thought of being an actor, I thought of being on a stage."

McKellen's parents actually discouraged him from visiting cinemas during his younger years.

He quipped: "My parents gave me the impression that cinemas were dangerous places. They called them flea pits because you caught diseases there."

The veteran actor has won numerous accolades during his career, including a Tony Award and six Laurence Olivier Awards. But McKellen admits to being shocked by the impact of the...