LOTR fan goes to pub dressed as Gandalf, bumps into Ian McKellen

I’m fairly sure that anyone would doubt that their eyes were working correctly if they were out having drinks and saw the real Gandalf materialise in front of them, but that’s exactly what happened to one Lord of the Rings fan in Bristol, UK, after he went out dressed as the wizard himself.

As reported by the Daily Mail, 22-year-old Ben Coyles was out celebrating his birthday with his friends on a Lord of the Rings-themed pub crawl when he, dressed as Gandalf, bumped into legendary actor Sir Ian McKellen.

Before we get into it, take a look at this incredible LEGO recreation of Mordor below.

The video of the two Gandalfs meeting has been going viral on TikTok - the shock on Coyles’ face when he realises who he’s talking to is hilarious. Take a look at the clip below.

“It was incredible. It took a second to recognise that it was him,” Coyles told the Daily Mail. “We were on a pub crawl at the time but it was an amazing coincidence like the universe giving me a birthday present, I was pretty speechless for the rest of the evening, and starstruck.

“We were walking from The Gryphon to Brewdog in the city centre. We'd previously been to WG Grace and then to The White Bear so we'd all had a few,” he continued. “We heard someone behind me say 'Does your Gandalf want to meet the real Gandalf' and then he walks up to me and greets me.

“He asked me how old I was, then he wished me a happy birthday, shook my hand and took a photo with me and then walked off into the night as quickly as he appeared - what a legend of a man.”

What an incredible way to spend your birthday. Coyles added: “I think he approved of the outfit, he didn't say anything in particular that I recall but his smile said everything, he looked very jolly. All of my mates had gone as tree ents, orcs, elves etc., that interaction just heightened the good vibes tenfold.”