Sir Ian McKellen, the renowned actor known for his roles in Lord of the Rings and X-Men, revealed the difficulties he faced while lip-syncing the voice of the celebrated English artist LS Lowry in a recent BBC documentary. The film, titled LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes, was released to bring the artist’s personal recordings to life nearly fifty years after his passing.
McKellen’s involvement focuses on matching the physical expression and voice of Lowry, providing a vivid portrayal that bridges audio history with visual performance. The documentary centers around previously unheard conversations between Lowry and Angela Barratt, a young admirer who interviewed the artist during his last years.
The Complexity of Lip Syncing LS Lowry’s Voice
McKellen described lip syncing Lowry’s voice as a demanding task, emphasizing the effort needed to make his mouth movements align exactly with the recorded words. He shared,
“I’m surprised to discover the most challenging aspect of lip syncing is making your mouth fit the recorded words.”
It ain’t easy. I don’t find it easy.
— Ian McKellen, Actor
The actor reflected on the process of recording each sentence repeatedly to achieve a precise match, expressing uncertainty about whether his facial expressions fully captured the nuances of Lowry’s voice.
“I’d be very interested to see what it looks like and I know what it sounds like, but am I doing enough with my face, am I doing too little? I don’t know.”
It’s a skill which I don’t think you conquer just on one attempt. But I wanted to do it not just because of my interest in Lowry, but because I thought it would be fun, rather late in my career to have a new ability.
— Ian McKellen, Actor
Insights into LS Lowry’s Character from the Recordings
McKellen observed unexpected elements in Lowry’s speech during the recordings, noting that the artist sometimes misplaced inflection and did not always stress words as an actor would. This contrasted with how performers focus on clarity and intent in delivery.
He described the experience as an opportunity to convey more than just words, suggesting that Lowry’s personality came through in subtle ways such as a “twinkle in his eye” or a glance that sound recordings alone could not capture.
“There’s more going on in these tapes than just the words, I think.”
You can tell an awful lot from someone’s voice. Well, when the actor adds the body and the face, then the presentation is complete.
— Ian McKellen, Actor
Reflecting on the significance of voices preserved on tape, McKellen expressed a personal wish to hear recordings of his own parents, to gain insights beyond memories.
Not just to take me back, but because a voice reveals an awful lot about a person and would tell me things that I didn’t get a chance to understand while they were alive. I think the same’s true with hearing these tapes.
McKellen’s Connection to Lowry as Artist and Individual
The actor spoke of the reasons Lowry appealed to him, particularly the artist’s fondness for theatre and the performing arts, including ballet and pantomime. These interests, McKellen suggested, are subtly echoed in Lowry’s paintings and drawings.
And I think that’s reflected more than people perhaps realise in the paintings and drawings.
— Ian McKellen, Actor
McKellen praised Lowry’s dedication to his work, underscoring the artist’s greatness.
I think what’s revealed from these tapes is that he did very much to his work, his paintings. He was a great artist.
The Documentary’s Focus on LS Lowry’s World
The one-hour film, produced for the BBC’s Arts Arena series, also examines how the industrial world of Salford and Greater Manchester transformed over time. This environment, often depicted in Lowry’s art, provides context for understanding the artist’s vision and legacy.
Scheduled for broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer at 9pm on February 25, the documentary aims to offer an immersive look into LS Lowry’s life and creative spirit through previously unheard voices paired with a powerful on-screen performance by McKellen.
