British actor Sir Ian McKellen, known most memorably for his role as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit films, has released a short video as a call to New Zealand to legalize same-sex marriage. The openly-gay, two-time Oscar-nominee recalls New Zealand’s progressive history as having been the first country in the world to allow women the right to vote; legalizing marriage equality could be another move in their social advancement. McKellen also recently appeared on The Colbert Report, discussing his stance as a gay-rights advocate.
Debate on gay marriage in New Zealand is set to resume in March, after a period of public input. Watch the video of Sir Ian McKellen after the jump.