Ian McKellen Is Gandalf In ‘The Hobbit’ For The Last Time, ‘The Lord of The Rings’ Actor Breaks Down During Filming, Peter Jackson Feels ‘Very Sad’ After 14 Years

Sir Ian McKellen wrapped us his final scene playing Gandalf the Grey in Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit."

"Seconds ago we finished our last shot with Gandalf," Jackson posted on his Facebook earlier today, IGN.com reports. "The end of an incredible adventure that began in 1999. I'm feeling very sad right now."

He also posted a picture of himself and McKellen in his Gandalf costume on his Facebook.

One Facebook fan commented: "End? No, the journey doesn't end here," quoting Gandalf's character from the "Lord Of the Rings" trilogy written by J.R.R. Tolkien.

McKellen is 74 years old, and has been playing Gandalf for 14 years. In commemoration of his dedication to the role, Jackson, the director of all six Tolkien adaptations that McKellan has starred in, posted the picture of the two of them on set in New Zealand, the NY Daily News reports.

The process hasn't always been easy for Ian. In an interview with Contact Music, Gandalf spoke about how acting in "The Hobbit" led to a breakdown.

"In order to shoot the dwarves and a large Gandalf, we couldn't be in the same set," he said. "All I had for company was 13 photographs of the dwarves on top of stands with little lights - whoever's talking flashes up. Pretending you're with 13 other people when you're on your own, it stretches your technical ability to the absolute limits. I cried, actually. I cried. Then I said out loud, 'This is not why I became an actor'. Unfortunately the microphone was on and the whole studio heard."

The third film won't hit theaters until December 2014.

However, McKellan is also in the second installment, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," which will be released in U.S. theaters on December 13, 2013.

McKellen is also known for his roles in the "X-Men" films, in which he plays Magneto, and his role as Sir Leigh Teabing in "The Da Vinci Code."

Other upcoming movies McKellen will star in include Harold Pinter's "No Man's Land" and Samuel Beckett's "Waiting for Godot," with co-star Patrick Stewart.