Sir Ian McKellen has said the US film industry stops openly gay American actors being successful.

Speaking as he received a lifetime achievement award at the Berlin Film Festival, the gay British actor said the sad situation makes it hard for homosexuals to be open.

"It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a film career to be open about his sexuality," he commented. "And even more difficult for a woman if she's lesbian. It's very distressing to me that that should be the case."

The star added: "The film industry is very old fashioned in California."