Ian McKellen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 25, 1939 (age 87)
- Birthplace
- Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
Biography
Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cultural icon and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. He has received numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, six Olivier Awards, and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards and five Emmy Awards. McKellen made his stage debut in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre as a member of its repertory company, and in 1965 made his first West End appearance. In 1969, he was invited to join the Prospect Theatre Company to play the lead parts in Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe's Edward II. In the 1970s, McKellen became a stalwart of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain. He has earned five Olivier Awards for his roles in Pillars of the Community (1977), The Alchemist (1978), Bent (1979), Wild Honey (1984), and Richard III (1995). McKellen made his Broadway debut in The Promise (1965). He received the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus (1980). He was further nominated for Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare (1984). He returned to Broadway in Wild Honey(1986), Dance of Death (1990), No Man's Land (2013), and Waiting for Godot (2013), the latter two being a joint production with Patrick Stewart. McKellen achieved worldwide fame for his film roles, including the titular King in Richard III (1995), James Whale in Gods and Monsters (1998), Magneto in the X-Men films, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014) trilogies. Other notable film roles include A Touch of Love (1969), Plenty (1985), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Restoration (1995), Flushed Away (2006), Mr. Holmes (2015), and The Good Liar (2019). McKellen came out as gay in 1988, and has since championed LGBT social movements worldwide. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in October 2014. McKellen is a cofounder of Stonewall, an LGBT rights lobby group in the United Kingdom, named after the Stonewall riots. He is also patron of LGBT History Month, Pride London, Oxford Pride, GayGlos, LGBT Foundation and FFLAG. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ian McKellen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Beauty and the Beast
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
X-Men
X2
The Simpsons
X-Men: The Last Stand
Photos
Filmography
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Movie · as Self
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
Movie · as Gandalf
The Christophers
Movie · as Julian Sklar
Avengers: Doomsday
Movie · as Magneto
Ebenezer
Movie · as Jacob Marley
Frank and Percy
Movie · as Percy
LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes
Movie · as L S Lowry
Tea with Judi Dench featuring Ian McKellen
Movie · as Self
Schadenfreude
Movie · as Continuity Announcer
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness
Movie
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
Billy & Dom Eat the World
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Critic
Movie · as Jimmy Erskine
Hamlet
Movie · as Hamlet
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Movie · as Self
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
Movie
Dragfox
Movie · as Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)
ted
TV · as Narrator (voice) · 3 eps
The One Note Man
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Hamlet Within
Movie
Quintessentially British
Movie · as Self
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride
Movie · as Self
Hating Peter Tatchell
Movie · as Self
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Movie · as Dr. Charles Marland-White
Great British Theatre
TV · 5 eps
Amol Rajan Interviews
TV · as Self - Interviewed Guest · 1 ep
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
Movie
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
Movie
Reunited Apart
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Good Liar
Movie · as Roy Courtnay
Cats
Movie · as Gus, the Theatre Cat
On Broadway
Movie · as Self
Animal Crackers
Movie · as Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
McKellen: Playing the Part
Movie · as Self
National Theatre Live: King Lear
Movie · as King Lear
All Is True
Movie · as Earl of Southampton
Beauty and the Beast
Movie · as Cogsworth
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
Movie · as Self
The Paul O'Grady Story
Movie · as Self
Edmund the Magnificent
Movie · as Self - Narrator (voice)
How a Kite Flies
Movie · as Mr. Kite (voice)
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Movie · as Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Movie · as Self - Performer
The Roof
Movie · as And Even Yet Another Fan
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Movie · as Self
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
Movie · as Spooner
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
Movie
Shakespeare on Film
Movie
Play the Devil: Making Richard III
Movie
Mr. Holmes
Movie · as Sherlock Holmes
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Movie · as Self (archive footage)
The Dresser
Movie · as Norman
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Movie · as Gandalf the Grey
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Movie · as Magneto
Miss in Her Teens
Movie · as The Prologue
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Movie · as Self
Double Take: Xavier & Magneto
Movie · as Self
Trailblazer Honors
TV · as Self - Speaker · 1 ep
Late Night with Seth Meyers
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Movie · as Gandalf the Grey
Muse of Fire
Movie · as Self
The Wolverine
Movie · as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Movie · as Self
The Egg Trick
Movie · as Magician
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
Movie · as Self
Vicious
TV · as Freddie Thornhill · 12 eps
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Movie · as Gandalf the Grey
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
Movie · as Self
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Movie · as The Great Intelligence (voice)
Looking for Lowry
Movie · as Self
The Betty Driver Story
Movie · as Self
Perspectives
TV · 1 ep
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Small-Time Revolutionary
Movie · as Hamish Miller (voice)
The Talk
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Theatreland
Movie · as Self
The Prisoner
TV · as 2 / Curtis · 6 eps
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
King Lear
Movie · as King Lear
The Golden Compass
Movie · as Iorek Byrnison (voice)
Stardust
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
For the Love of God
Movie · as The Jackdaw
The Art of Breaking Character
Movie · as Self
Guerrilla Distribution
Movie · as Self
Pet Shop Boys: Cubism
Movie · as Self- voice
The Graham Norton Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
The Da Vinci Code
Movie · as Sir Leigh Teabing
Flushed Away
Movie · as The Toad (voice)
Doogal
Movie · as Zebedee (voice)
X-Men: The Last Stand
Movie · as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
Saint of 9/11
Movie · as Narrator
The Making of The Two Towers
Movie · as Self
The Making of The Return of the King
Movie · as Self
Brett Ratner's X-Diaries
Movie · as Self
X3: The Excitement Continues
Movie · as Self
The One Show
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Neverwas
Movie · as Gabriel Finch
Asylum
Movie · as Dr. Peter Cleave
The Magic Roundabout
Movie · as Zebedee (voice)
The Hobart Shakespeareans
Movie · as Self
Eighteen
Movie · as Jason Anders (voice)
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Movie · as Self
Extras
TV · as Ian McKellen · 1 ep
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
Movie
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
Movie · as Self
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Movie · as Self
My First Time
Movie · as Narrator
The Paul O'Grady Show
TV · 1 ep
Who Do You Think You Are?
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Parkinson
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Movie · as Gandalf
Emile
Movie · as Emile
X2
Movie · as Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Movie · as Self
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
Movie
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2
Movie · as Self
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
Movie · as Self
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
Movie · as Self
The Two Towers: Designing Middle-earth
Movie · as Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Churchill
TV · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 3 eps
Real Time with Bill Maher
TV · as Self · 2 eps
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Movie · as Gandalf
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script
Movie · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth
Movie · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast
Movie · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth
Movie · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Scale
Movie · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..
Movie · as Self
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Movie · as Gandalf
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Quest for the Ring
Movie · as Self
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings'
Movie · as Self
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
Movie · as Self
X-Men
Movie · as Magneto
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Movie · as Narrator (voice)
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Movie · as Self
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
Movie · as Self - 'Magneto'
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
Movie · as Self
After Stonewall
Movie · as Self
David Copperfield
TV · as Creakle · 2 eps
Family Guy
TV · as Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice) · 1 ep
Gods and Monsters
Movie · as James Whale
Swept from the Sea
Movie · as Dr. James Kennedy
Apt Pupil
Movie · as Kurt Dussander
Parkinson
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Bent
Movie · as Uncle Freddie
Surviving Friendly Fire
Movie
A Bit Of Scarlet
Movie · as Narrator
The View
TV · as Self - Guest · 2 eps
HARDtalk
TV · 1 ep
An Evening with Lily Savage
Movie · as Self
Rasputin
Movie · as Tsar Nicholas II
TFI Friday
TV · 1 ep
Film Independent Spirit Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter · 1 ep
Jack & Sarah
Movie · as William
Richard III
Movie · as Richard III
Cold Comfort Farm
Movie · as Amos Starkadder
Restoration
Movie · as Will Gates
Thin Ice
Movie · as Ian McKellen
The Shadow
Movie · as Dr. Reinhardt Lane
To Die For
Movie · as Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
Movie · as Self
I'll Do Anything
Movie · as John Earl McAlpine
David Macaulay: Roman City
Movie · as Augustus Caesar (voice)
Age of Dissent
Movie · as Self
Inside the Actors Studio
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
TV · as Self · 1 ep
And the Band Played On
Movie · as Bill Kraus
Six Degrees of Separation
Movie · as Geoffrey
Last Action Hero
Movie · as Death
The Ballad of Little Jo
Movie · as Percy Corcoran
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Movie · as Narration (voice)
Camp Christmas
Movie
A Simple Matter of Justice
Movie · as Self
Tales of the City
TV · as Archibald Anson Gidde · 2 eps
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Late Show with David Letterman
TV · as Self - Guest · 1 ep
Gladio
Movie · as Aldo Moro (voice)
Othello
Movie · as Iago
Have I Got News for You
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Scandal
Movie · as John Profumo
Countdown to War
Movie · as Adolf Hitler
The Simpsons
TV · as Ian McKellen (voice) · 1 ep
Scarfe's Follies
Movie
Windmills of the Gods
TV · as Chairman · 2 eps
Süleyman the Magnificent
Movie · as Narrator
Plenty
Movie · as Sir Andrew Charleson
Zina
Movie · as Kronfeld
Theatre Night
TV · as Iago · 1 ep
Playing Shakespeare
TV · 9 eps
The Keep
Movie · as Dr. Theodore Cuza
Walter and June
Movie · as Walter
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Movie · as Chauvelin
Walter
Movie · as Walter
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
Movie
American Playhouse
TV · as Archibald Anson Gidde · 1 ep
Priest of Love
Movie · as D.H. Lawrence
Pillar of Fire
TV · as Narrator · 20 eps
Dying Day
Movie · as Antony Skipling
Macbeth
Movie · as Macbeth
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Movie · as Alexander Ivanov
An Audience with...
TV · as Self · 1 ep
The South Bank Show
TV · 3 eps
Saturday Night Live
TV · as Self - Host · 1 ep
Graceless Go I
Movie · as Tony
Playhouse
TV · as Alexander · 1 ep
Hedda Gabler
Movie · as George Tesman
Craven Arms
Movie · as David Masterman
Country Matters
TV · as David Masterman · 1 ep
Film '72
TV · as Self · 1 ep
Hamlet
Movie · as Hamlet
Edward II
Movie · as King Edward
The Tragedy of King Richard II
Movie · as King Richard II
Solo
TV · 1 ep
Alfred the Great
Movie · as Roger
A Touch of Love
Movie · as George
The Promise
Movie
Sesame Street
TV · as Self · 1 ep
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
TV · as Lyov · 1 ep
Omnibus
TV · as Self - Reading Poetry · 1 ep
ITV Playhouse
TV · as Tony · 1 ep
David Copperfield
TV · as David Copperfield · 9 eps
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
Movie · as Wolf
BBC Play of the Month
TV · as Captain Plume, Simon Bliss, Ross / T.E. Lawrence, George Tesman · 1 ep
The Wednesday Play
TV · as Wolf · 1 ep
Coronation Street
TV · as Mel Hutchwright · 14 eps
Tony Awards
TV · as Self - Winner · 1 ep
The Oscars
TV · as Self · 3 eps
Golden Globe Awards
TV · as Self - Presenter, Self - Winner · 1 ep