Los Angeles, Mar 4 (IANS): Veteran actor Ian McKellen says he gets pestered by "Harry Potter" fans who confuse his "Lord of the Rings" (LOTR) character Gandalf for Professor Dumbledore.

McKellen said Dumbledore actor Michael Gambon, who played Harry Potter's mentor in six films, has the same problem with LOTR fans thinking he's Gandalf all the time, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

Speaking on "David Tennant Does A Podcast With...', McKellen said: "I used to be very shy, to go to a party to me was misery because I didn't feel I could talk to anybody... When I should have been meeting people I'd be sitting in the corner waiting for it to be over."

"Now I can walk into a room of strangers almost anywhere in the world and they'll be somebody who knows who I am and be happy to meet me, well that's a wonderful way for a shy person to go into a room now.

"Although half of them think that I'm Dumbledore! Which I'm not. I said to Michael Gambon, 'Do you ever get mistaken for me? Because I'm often mistaken for you'. He said, 'Oh, yes. They give me their wretched photographs and I sign your name.'"

McKellen is proud to be loved by millions because of his portrayal of Gandalf from J.R.R Tolkien's books because it has allowed him the freedom to work on issues close to his heart.