Ian McKellen drops 400-year-old Shakespeare play to address US immigration debate

Avenger's Doomsday actor Ian McKellen delivered a Shakespearean monologue on immigration during a recent appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, as debates continued in the United States over immigration policies and the actions of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

McKellen drew parallels between present-day immigration issues and scenes from Shakespeare’s play Sir Thomas More, saying the current unrest echoed events from more than 400 years ago when London saw turmoil driven by anti-immigrant sentiment.





“In London, there’s a riot; a mob is protesting against ‘strangers,’” McKellen explained, describing hostility faced by early immigrants from local populations.

His performance centred on a soliloquy attributed to Thomas More that highlighted the humanity of immigrants. He recited lines including:



“Imagine that you see the wretched strangers, Their babies at their backs and their poor luggage.”

“Would you be pleased, to find a nation of such barbarous temper, That, breaking out in hideous violence, would not afford you an abode on earth?”

The studio audience applauded McKellen’s delivery, and clips of the performance spread quickly on social media.

The recitation came as more artists spoke publicly against current US immigration policies. Bad Bunny and Lady Gaga used their platforms to criticise ICE.

During the recent Grammy Awards, Bad Bunny delivered an impassioned “ICE Out” speech after winning Best Musica Urbano Album, while Lady Gaga condemned ICE’s actions at a concert in Tokyo, declaring, “Lives are being destroyed right in front of us.”

McKellen’s performance highlighted historical injustices and focused attention on ongoing struggles around immigration, encouraging reflection and dialogue about the dignity and humanity of immigrants.