McKellen blasts Gyllenhaal

Ian McKellen has criticised Jake Gyllenhaal for being apprehensive about kissing his Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger on screen.

The gay The Lord of The Rings actor - who recently spoke out against Hollywood's old-fashioned views on sexuality - lambasted Gyllenhaal, 25, for failing to consider how his comments would be interpreted from a homosexual perspective.

He says: "I got very upset when one of the actors said it was the most terrifying job he'd ever had because it involved him kissing another man.

"Imagine how rude that is. Suppose I'd said the most appalling thing I ever to do was kiss Helen Mirren!"