Sir Ian McKellen doesn't think he's ''top choice'' for directors.

The 'Lord of the Rings' actor admits there are many movies he would have loved to have starred in but was never approached by the filmmakers.

He said: ''I don't think I'm top choice. In theatre - for Shakespeare - I'm quite near the top, but not for all directors.

''In film I'm way, way down.

''Spielberg's never asked to work with me, Tarantino has never asked, Sam Mendes has never asked.

''It isn't as if there's a long list of films I've turned down but there are plenty I wish I'd had a go at. That's the truth.''

The 75-year-old actor admitted he finds it harder to learn lines now because the lure of the Internet is so distracting.

Speaking to Esquire's Big Black Book magazine, he said: ''How do I kill time? Oh don't. F***ing Internet.

''I've always loved Dictionaries and encyclopaedias. Now you get all that on your computer. It's fantastic.

''You're looking up something about Dickens and you're invited to explore more and more and more.

''I don't know if that's wasting time or not but it doesn't help me to learn lines.''