Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

Biography: Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. With a career spanning more than sixty years, he is noted for his 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 went on to receive 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), 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 a 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.

Place of Birth: Not available

Birthday: May 25, 1939

Deathday: N/A

Popularity:

35.633

Known For

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001-12-18

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003-12-17

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002-12-18

The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code

2006-05-17

Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters

1998-09-12

The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass

2007-12-04

Stardust
Stardust

2007-08-10

Swept from the Sea
Swept from the Sea

1998-01-23

Jack & Sarah
Jack & Sarah

1995-06-02

And the Band Played On
And the Band Played On

1993-09-11

Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation

1993-12-08

Neverwas
Neverwas

2005-09-09

Richard III
Richard III

1995-12-29

Flushed Away
Flushed Away

2006-10-22

Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU

2020-06-11

The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel

1982-11-09

Doogal
Doogal

2006-02-24

Asylum
Asylum

2005-09-09

The Shadow
The Shadow

1994-07-01

Scandal
Scandal

1989-03-03

Cold Comfort Farm
Cold Comfort Farm

1995-01-01

Apt Pupil
Apt Pupil

1998-10-23

Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero

1993-06-18

The Keep
The Keep

1983-12-16

Macbeth
Macbeth

1979-02-02

Plenty
Plenty

1985-09-20

Hamlet Within
Hamlet Within

2022-05-21

Émile
Émile

2003-01-01

X-Men
X-Men

2000-07-13

X2
X2

2003-04-27

X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand

2006-05-24

The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne

1965-11-10

An Evening with Lily Savage
An Evening with Lily Savage

1996-11-11

King Lear
King Lear

2008-08-06

The Magic Roundabout
The Magic Roundabout

2005-02-02

Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man

2000-05-05

Rasputin
Rasputin

1996-03-23

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

2012-12-12

Priest of Love
Priest of Love

1981-10-11

Gladio
Gladio

1992-07-10

Bent
Bent

1997-11-26

The Ballad of Little Jo
The Ballad of Little Jo

1993-08-20

Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great

1969-10-08

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013-12-11

Walter
Walter

1982-11-02

Richard II
Richard II

Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!

2000-08-29

Saint of 9/11
Saint of 9/11

2006-04-27

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

2014-12-10

Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude

X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: Days of Future Past

2014-05-15

London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony

2012-08-29

A Touch of Love
A Touch of Love

1969-09-01

Theatreland
Theatreland

2009-01-01

To Die For
To Die For

1994-12-02

Surviving Friendly Fire
Surviving Friendly Fire

1997-06-21

Walter and June
Walter and June

1983-04-30

Film Collectibles: Capturing Movie Memories
Film Collectibles: Capturing Movie Memories

2003-01-01

Muse of Fire
Muse of Fire

2013-09-26

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

1979-11-14

A Bit Of Scarlet
A Bit Of Scarlet

1997-06-20

Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare

1982-04-25

The Critic
The Critic

2024-09-13

Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

2001-09-13

Zina
Zina

1985-11-01

Miss in Her Teens
Miss in Her Teens

2014-04-15

Othello
Othello

1990-06-23

For the Love of God
For the Love of God

2007-02-28

The One Note Man
The One Note Man

2023-08-08

All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

2016-04-24

Hamlet
Hamlet

2024-02-27

Mr. Holmes
Mr. Holmes

2015-06-19

Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?

2004-03-27

Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up

1993-06-23

Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest

1994-09-23

I'll Do Anything
I'll Do Anything

1994-02-04

The Wolverine
The Wolverine

2013-07-21

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

2013-11-23

Animal Crackers
Animal Crackers

2017-06-23

Hamlet
Hamlet

1970-11-07

The Hobart Shakespeareans
The Hobart Shakespeareans

2005-09-06

Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary

Quintessentially British
Quintessentially British

2022-10-27

Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Nelson Mandela Redrawn

2014-07-18

Looking for Lowry
Looking for Lowry

2011-04-24

Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC

2015-11-01

The Life and Death of Lily Savage
The Life and Death of Lily Savage

2024-03-29

The Dresser
The Dresser

2015-10-31

Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Doctor Who: The Snowmen

2012-12-25

Lady Grey London
Lady Grey London

2010-12-08

Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast

2017-03-16

Edward II
Edward II

1970-08-06

The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

2024-06-09

Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

2016-04-23

The Promise
The Promise

1969-12-01

A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'

2004-12-14

Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King

2003-12-12

Restoration
Restoration

1995-12-29

Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler

1972-10-20

Dragfox
Dragfox

2024-08-29

The Roof
The Roof

2016-03-31

Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men

2003-02-11

The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men - Making X2
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men - Making X2

2003-11-25

The Art of Breaking Character
The Art of Breaking Character

2007-03-26

Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

2016-12-30

National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land

2016-12-15

X-Men: Premieres Around the World
X-Men: Premieres Around the World

2003-02-11

Quest for the Ring
Quest for the Ring

2001-11-29

A Passage to Middle-Earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
A Passage to Middle-Earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'

2001-12-09

A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation

2010-06-25

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

2017-03-11

The Good Liar
The Good Liar

2019-11-08

The Betty Driver Story
The Betty Driver Story

2011-02-01

The Paul O'Grady Story
The Paul O'Grady Story

2017-06-23

McKellen: Playing the Part
McKellen: Playing the Part

2018-05-25

Cats
Cats

2019-12-19

National Theatre Live: King Lear
National Theatre Live: King Lear

2018-09-27

Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!

2004-07-23

All Is True
All Is True

2018-12-21

David Macaulay: Roman City
David Macaulay: Roman City

1994-02-15

The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision

2003-12-26

Edmund the Magnificent
Edmund the Magnificent

2017-03-01

How a Kite Flies
How a Kite Flies

2017-04-28

Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001-12-23

The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale

1999-06-08

The Egg Trick
The Egg Trick

2013-06-21

Hating Peter Tatchell
Hating Peter Tatchell

2021-11-01

Eighteen
Eighteen

2005-01-01

Small-Time Revolutionary
Small-Time Revolutionary

2010-07-22

Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Ringers: Lord of the Fans

2005-01-21

The Tragedy of King Richard II
The Tragedy of King Richard II

1970-07-30

Countdown to War
Countdown to War

1989-04-07

The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin

2013-12-03

Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen

2016-05-31

Shakespeare on Film
Shakespeare on Film

2016-05-31

Play the Devil: Making Richard III
Play the Devil: Making Richard III

2016-05-31

X-Men: The Mutant Watch
X-Men: The Mutant Watch

2000-07-02

Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Infinitum: Subject Unknown

2021-03-03

Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet

2020-04-05

On Broadway
On Broadway

2019-10-12

Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

2010-05-04

Scarfe's Follies
Scarfe's Follies

1988-01-28

Camp Christmas
Camp Christmas

1993-12-24

Lord of the Piercing
Lord of the Piercing

2002-06-06

The Christophers
The Christophers