‘The Hobbit’ Movie Actor Ian McKellen Reveals He’s Had Prostate Cancer for 7 Years

Legendary actor, and star of "The Hobbit," Ian McKellen, recently revealed he's been on his own unexpected journey for years now; he's had prostate cancer these "last six or seven years," he says.

Famous for his portrayal of Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy, McKellen spoke of his ongoing battle with prostate cancer to British tabloid the Daily Mirror, adding that the disease was not life threatening, as it is "contained."

"I've had prostate cancer for six or seven years," McKellen told the Daily Mirror tabloid. "When you have got it you monitor it and you have to be careful it doesn't spread. But if it is contained in the prostate it's no big deal."

"Many, many men die from it, but it's one of the cancers that is totally treatable. I have heard of people dying from prostate cancer, and they are the unlucky ones, the people who didn't know they had got it and it went on the rampage. But at my age if it is diagnosed it's not life threatening," added McKellen.

The 73-year-old admits he feared for the worst when he first discovered he had the disease.

"You do gulp when you hear the news. It's like when you go for an HIV test, you go 'arghhh is this the end of the road?'"

"They come and say you have cancer of the prostate and then they say you can have it zapped, you can have it snipped but you are not a candidate for that. You are 'waitful watching,'" he said.

Fortunately, doctors told him surgery wouldn't be necessary. Regular check-ups would make sure that the typically slow-growing disease did not spread.

"I am examined regularly and it's just contained, it's not spreading. I've not had any treatment," McKellen said.

The star, who is appearing once again as Gandalf in the upcoming three "Hobbit" films, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's novel, also admitted to having hearing aids and needing cataract surgery, but says he's otherwise in good health.

"I am lucky, I don't have aches and pains," he told The Mirror.

McKellen added some words of wisdom for anyone who feels discouraged by their age to do something.

"I do pilates regularly which is a series of stretching exercises and I recommend it to anyone of my age because the temptation is not to exercise when you get older. Well you should," he said.

"I always walk up the escalator on the tube and I live in a house with a lot of stairs and that's good exercise but you need more than that."

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" opens in theaters Friday, Dec. 14.