Gandalf actor Ian McKellen euphoric after receiving COVID-19 vaccine

LONDON -- British actor Ian McKellen, who played the wizard Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" movies, said he was euphoric after receiving his first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and urged everyone who was offered the jab to accept it.

The state-run National Health Service (NHS), which is running Britain’s mass COVID vaccination program, posted several pictures of McKellen, in a blue T-shirt and a rainbow striped scarf, giving a thumbs up as he received the shot.

“It’s a very special day. I feel euphoric,” McKellen, 81, was quoted as saying in one NHS post which he retweeted.

“I would have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone. I feel very lucky to have had the vaccination.”

Nearly 140,000 people have received their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine in Britain since roll out began on Dec. 8. People aged over 80 are in the highest priority group.

A star of British stage and screen since the 1960s, McKellen attained a new level of global fame in the 2000s when he appeared as Gandalf in the movies based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels and directed by Peter Jackson.

He was the latest British celebrity to go public about receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, part of a collective effort to reassure members of the public who may be harbouring doubts about the jab’s safety.

The chef and cookery writer Prue Leith, 80, who presents the high-ratings TV show “The Great British Bake Off”, also posted a picture of herself receiving the shot.

It is not known whether Queen Elizabeth, 94, and her husband Prince Philip, 99, have had the vaccine yet. The Times reported they may “let it be known” once they have.

The queen is highly respected in Britain and her backing would be a powerful message to counter anti-vaccination misinformation.

-reuters-

Jubilant NY crowds celebrate gay marriage ruling at pride march

NEW YORK, United States - Under a sea of rainbow flags, hundreds of thousands of people packed the streets of New York on Sunday for the annual Gay Pride March, celebrating the US Supreme Court's landmark ruling legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide.

Despite the persistent chilly rain, organizers said as many as two million people could attend -- including 22,000 people marching in the parade itself down Fifth Avenue.

Derek Jacobi and Ian McKellen, two of Britain's most famous openly gay actors, served as the grand marshals of the parade.

Also leading the march was Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera, founder of the LGBT rights organization Freedom & Roam Uganda. Homosexuality remains illegal in that African nation and can carry a life prison sentence.

"We march today with the New Yorkers and America in support of their rights, but I also hold the march in support of my struggle," she told AFP.

The march began at around mid-day after a minute's silence for those who could not attend, including people who had died of AIDS or been killed in hate crimes.

Any somber feelings were soon displaced and the festive atmosphere returned after the actor Tituss Burgess sang the American national anthem.

Many other well-known figures attended, including New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who wore a tie with rainbow stripes and carried a rainbow flag, the symbol of the gay rights movement. He attended with his wife and two children.

In the crowd, families mixed with scantily clad transvestites. Teens wore short rainbow tutus, and many carried signs that simply said "Love."

Ruling important for young people

In scenes that would have been tough to imagine 45 years ago, when New York cops would raid gay bars and homosexuality was illegal, many revelers reflected on what the Supreme Court ruling means for America.

One man in his 40s, who only gave his name as Dune, came to the march with his partner Jason. The two say they have plans to wed.

"I am a teacher," Dune told AFP. "This decision of the Supreme Court means a great deal for young people, especially teenagers."

He said it remains difficult for teenagers to come out, and doing so can still be dangerous. The Supreme Court ruling will help change that, he said.

"I live in New York, I am an adult. But for kids, they are the ones that are going to benefit down the road."

The court on Friday made same-sex marriage legal throughout the nation, capping a lengthy effort for marriage equality that had seen 37 states allow gay marriage but 13 hold out against it.

March organizers said on Twitter they would be performing free weddings during the day Sunday.

Discrimination persists

Richard Ahlgren, 55, came from the neighboring state of Connecticut.

He welcomed the Supreme Court ruling but said the gay community nevertheless still faces discrimination.

"There are other problems," Ahlgren said. "As far as housing, employment, there is still discrimination out there -- problems that we need to fix, until we are 100 percent free."

New York's first gay rights march was held in 1970, a year after a now notorious incident in which police raided a famed Greenwich Village gay bar called the Stonewall Inn, prompting riots in the gay community.

Not everyone was happy about the Supreme Court decision. A group of Orthodox Jews carried a large banner stating: "In God we trust. The Almighty in his Torah forbids same-sex marriage."

San Francisco was also hosting gay pride events this weekend. One spectator was injured there Saturday night in a shooting that stemmed from an argument unrelated to the event.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Dark 'The Hobbit' finale premieres in London

LONDON -- Rich with special effects, the final installment of director Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit" trilogy debuted in a much-anticipated premiere in London on Monday.

"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" was filmed in 3D in a vivid 48 frames per second and the final part of a trilogy reported to be the most expensive three-part series ever made.

The premiere was also lavish, with the landmark Leicester Square cinema designed to look like ruins for the night and filled with giant screens showing excerpts from the film.

Hundreds of fans gathered, many dressed as wizards and warriors, to ask for autographs and take photos with a star-studded cast that includes Orlando Bloom and Ian McKellan.

"Excited, very excited to share it with fans, it's a very good end to the story, I saw it last night and I'm very pleased with it," said Martin Freeman, who stars as Hobbit Bilbo Baggins.




Based J.R.R. Tolkien's 1937 book "The Hobbit," the trilogy tells the story of Baggin's journey with a group of dwarves to reclaim their Lonely Mountain homeland from Smaug the dragon, helped by the wizard Gandalf.

Director Jackson had originally planned to interpret the book as a two-part film, but changed his mind to make a trilogy like hugely-successful "Lord of the Rings" series, released between 2001 and 2003.

In the film, Jackson replaces the original light and humorous tone with a darker feeling and sense of danger.

Working with Tolkien's notes for inspiration, the film series also adds in storylines and characters such as the woodland elf Tauriel, played by "Lost" star Evangeline Lilly, who did not appear in the original book.

"For Tolkien himself, the novel as published did not tell the whole story," said the production notes for the film, referring to the extensive world of Middle-earth created by Tolkien, complete with its own languages, peoples and history.

The film offers just under 2.5 hours of non-stop action, starting with the aerial bombardment of a village by the dragon Smaug.

The dragon is portrayed by British actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who lent his voice to the character as well as his movements and facial expressions, recorded through sensors.

The film is expected to take in a similar large haul to its predecessors "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (2012) and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" (2013), thought to have made almost $2 billion between them.

Jackson, who has spent 16 years making six films based on the works of Tolkien, indicated he is ready for something new.

"The idea of doing a little drama with people in a house seems very attractive right now," Jackson said recently, describing his effort as an "endurance test."

The final installment will appear in cinemas around the world from December 10.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com