Despite the fact that the actor was a big fan of J. R. R. Tolkien’s novel series, he still turned down the role of Gandalf. On one talk show, Plummer confessed that he can’t recall why he made such a decision, but it seemed like the perspective of spending 3-4 years in New Zealand working on the same franchise was too radical a step for a person of his age. “I thought, there are other countries I’d also like to visit before I croak,” the actor added.