You seem to be the pedantic one. Emotional can appropriately describe McKellan’s reaction and like you say can “lend itself to various interpretations” of what emotional means - anger, frustration, whatever else the viewer observes and feels.
I think you're referring to me pedantically pointing out specifics in what happened, not the use of emotive language. I must take therefore 'emotional breakdown' suggesting a myriad of outcomes in the readers mind is ok with you. It appears so. I wasn't ok with it. I didn't want 'emotional breakdown' left hanging with all of its broad connotations, without the important reference to the green screen.