Ian McKellen
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- May 25, 1939 (age 87)
- Place of birth
- Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
- Credits
- 232
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
2001Movie
Gandalf
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003Movie
Gandalf
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002Movie
Gandalf
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
2012Movie
Gandalf the Grey
X-Men: Days of Future Past
2014Movie
Magneto
Beauty and the Beast
2017Movie
Cogsworth
Filmography
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
2027Movie
Gandalf
Avengers: Doomsday
2026Movie
Magneto
Ebenezer
2026Movie
Jacob Marley
Frank and Percy
2026Movie
Percy
Tea with Judi Dench featuring Ian McKellen
2026Movie
Self
The Christophers
2026Movie
Julian Sklar
LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes
2026Movie
L S Lowry
Schadenfreude
2025Movie
Continuity Announcer
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'
2025Movie
Self (archive footage)
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness
2025Movie
Billy & Dom Eat the World
2025TV
Self
The Critic
2024Movie
Jimmy Erskine
Dragfox
2024Movie
Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
2024Movie
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
2024Movie
Self
Hamlet
2024Movie
Hamlet
ted
2024TV
Narrator (voice)
The One Note Man
2023Movie
Narrator (voice)
Quintessentially British
2022Movie
Self
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride
2022Movie
Self
Hamlet Within
2022Movie
Hating Peter Tatchell
2021Movie
Self
Amol Rajan Interviews
2021TV
Self - Interviewed Guest
Great British Theatre
2021TV
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
2021Movie
Dr. Charles Marland-White
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
2020Movie
Reunited Apart
2020TV
Self
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
2020Movie
Cats
2019Movie
Gus, the Theatre Cat
The Good Liar
2019Movie
Roy Courtnay
On Broadway
2019Movie
Self
All Is True
2018Movie
Earl of Southampton
National Theatre Live: King Lear
2018Movie
King Lear
Animal Crackers
2018Movie
Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
McKellen: Playing the Part
2018Movie
Self
The Paul O'Grady Story
2017Movie
Self
How a Kite Flies
2017Movie
Mr. Kite (voice)
Beauty and the Beast
2017Movie
Cogsworth
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
2017Movie
Self
Edmund the Magnificent
2017Movie
Self - Narrator (voice)
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
2016Movie
Self
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
2016Movie
Spooner
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
2016Movie
Shakespeare on Film
2016Movie
Play the Devil: Making Richard III
2016Movie
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
2016Movie
Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
2016Movie
Self - Performer
The Roof
2016Movie
And Even Yet Another Fan
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
2015Movie
Self (archive footage)
The Dresser
2015Movie
Norman
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
2015TV
Self - Guest, Self
Mr. Holmes
2015Movie
Sherlock Holmes
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
2014TV
Self
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
2014Movie
Gandalf the Grey
Double Take: Xavier & Magneto
2014Movie
Self
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
2014Movie
Self
Trailblazer Honors
2014TV
Self - Speaker
X-Men: Days of Future Past
2014Movie
Magneto
Miss in Her Teens
2014Movie
The Prologue
Late Night with Seth Meyers
2014TV
Self - Guest
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
2013Movie
Gandalf the Grey
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
2013Movie
Self
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
2013Movie
Self
Muse of Fire
2013Movie
Self
The Wolverine
2013Movie
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
The Egg Trick
2013Movie
Magician
Vicious
2013TV
Freddie Thornhill
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
2012Movie
The Great Intelligence (voice)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
2012Movie
Gandalf the Grey
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
2012Movie
Self
Looking for Lowry
2011Movie
Self
Perspectives
2011TV
The Betty Driver Story
2011Movie
Self
The Talk
2010TV
Self
Small-Time Revolutionary
2010Movie
Hamish Miller (voice)
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
2010Movie
Narrator (voice)
The Prisoner
2009TV
2 / Curtis
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
2009TV
Self - Guest
Theatreland
2009Movie
Self
King Lear
2008Movie
King Lear
The Golden Compass
2007Movie
Iorek Byrnison (voice)
Stardust
2007Movie
Narrator (voice)
Pet Shop Boys: Cubism
2007Movie
Self- voice
The Art of Breaking Character
2007Movie
Self
For the Love of God
2007Movie
The Jackdaw
The Graham Norton Show
2007TV
Self - Guest, Self
Guerrilla Distribution
2007Movie
Self
Flushed Away
2006Movie
The Toad (voice)
X3: The Excitement Continues
2006Movie
Self
Brett Ratner's X-Diaries
2006Movie
Self
The Making of 'The Two Towers'
2006Movie
Self
The Making of 'The Return of the King'
2006Movie
Self
The One Show
2006TV
Self - Guest
X-Men: The Last Stand
2006Movie
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
The Da Vinci Code
2006Movie
Sir Leigh Teabing
Saint of 9/11
2006Movie
Narrator
Doogal
2006Movie
Zebedee (voice)
Neverwas
2005Movie
Gabriel Finch
Asylum
2005Movie
Dr. Peter Cleave
The Hobart Shakespeareans
2005Movie
Self
Extras
2005TV
Ian McKellen
The Magic Roundabout
2005Movie
Zebedee (voice)
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
2005Movie
Self
Eighteen
2005Movie
Jason Anders (voice)
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
2004Movie
Self
My First Time
2004Movie
Narrator
Who Do You Think You Are?
2004TV
Self
The Paul O'Grady Show
2004TV
Parkinson
2004TV
Self - Guest
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
2004Movie
Self
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
2004Movie
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
2003Movie
Self
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2003Movie
Gandalf
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
2003Movie
Self
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2
2003Movie
Self
Churchill
2003TV
Self - Narrator (voice)
X2
2003Movie
Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
Real Time with Bill Maher
2003TV
Self
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
2003Movie
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
2003Movie
Self
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
2003TV
Self
Emile
2003Movie
Emile
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
2002Movie
Gandalf
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script
2002Movie
Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth + Weta Workshop + Costume Design
2002Movie
Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast
2002Movie
Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth
2002Movie
Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: Scale
2002Movie
Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..
2002Movie
Self
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
2002TV
Self
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001Movie
Self
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2001Movie
Gandalf
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings'
2001Movie
Self
Quest for the Ring
2001Movie
Self
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
2001Movie
Narrator (voice)
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
2000Movie
Self
X-Men
2000Movie
Magneto
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
2000Movie
Self - 'Magneto'
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
2000Movie
Narrator (voice)
David Copperfield
1999TV
Creakle
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
1999Movie
Self
After Stonewall
1999Movie
Self
Family Guy
1999TV
Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice)
Apt Pupil
1998Movie
Kurt Dussander
Gods and Monsters
1998Movie
James Whale
Swept from the Sea
1998Movie
Dr. James Kennedy
Parkinson
1998TV
Self
Bent
1997Movie
Uncle Freddie
The View
1997TV
Self - Guest
Surviving Friendly Fire
1997Movie
A Bit Of Scarlet
1997Movie
Narrator
HARDtalk
1997TV
An Evening with Lily Savage
1996Movie
Self
Rasputin
1996Movie
Tsar Nicholas II
TFI Friday
1996TV
Richard III
1995Movie
Richard III
Restoration
1995Movie
Will Gates
Jack & Sarah
1995Movie
William
Thin Ice
1995Movie
Ian McKellen
Cold Comfort Farm
1995Movie
Amos Starkadder
To Die For
1994Movie
Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
1994Movie
Self
Inside the Actors Studio
1994TV
Self
Age of Dissent
1994Movie
Self
The Shadow
1994Movie
Dr. Reinhardt Lane
David Macaulay: Roman City
1994Movie
Augustus Caesar (voice)
I'll Do Anything
1994Movie
John Earl McAlpine
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
1994TV
Self
Camp Christmas
1993Movie
Six Degrees of Separation
1993Movie
Geoffrey
A Simple Matter of Justice
1993Movie
Self
Tales of the City
1993TV
Archibald Anson Gidde
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
1993TV
Self - Guest
And the Band Played On
1993Movie
Bill Kraus
Late Show with David Letterman
1993TV
Self - Guest
The Ballad of Little Jo
1993Movie
Percy Corcoran
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
1993Movie
Narration (voice)
Last Action Hero
1993Movie
Death
Gladio
1992Movie
Aldo Moro (voice)
Have I Got News for You
1990TV
Self
Othello
1990Movie
Iago
The Simpsons
1989TV
Ian McKellen (voice)
Countdown to War
1989Movie
Adolf Hitler
Scandal
1989Movie
John Profumo
Windmills of the Gods
1988TV
Chairman
Scarfe's Follies
1988Movie
Süleyman the Magnificent
1987Movie
Narrator
Zina
1985Movie
Kronfeld
Plenty
1985Movie
Sir Andrew Charleson
Theatre Night
1985TV
Iago
Playing Shakespeare
1984TV
The Keep
1983Movie
Dr. Theodore Cuza
Walter and June
1983Movie
Walter
The Scarlet Pimpernel
1982Movie
Chauvelin
Walter
1982Movie
Walter
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
1982Movie
American Playhouse
1982TV
Archibald Anson Gidde
Pillar of Fire
1981TV
Narrator
Priest of Love
1981Movie
D.H. Lawrence
Dying Day
1980Movie
Antony Skipling
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
1979Movie
Alexander Ivanov
Macbeth
1979Movie
Macbeth
The South Bank Show
1978TV
An Audience with...
1978TV
Self
Saturday Night Live
1975TV
Self - Host
Graceless Go I
1974Movie
Tony
Playhouse
1974TV
Alexander
Hedda Gabler
1972Movie
George Tesman
Craven Arms
1972Movie
David Masterman
Country Matters
1972TV
David Masterman
Film '72
1971TV
Self
Hamlet
1970Movie
Hamlet
Edward II
1970Movie
King Edward
The Tragedy of King Richard II
1970Movie
King Richard II
Solo
1970TV
The Promise
1969Movie
Sesame Street
1969TV
Self
Alfred the Great
1969Movie
Roger
A Touch of Love
1969Movie
George
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
1969TV
Lyov
Omnibus
1967TV
Self - Reading Poetry
ITV Playhouse
1967TV
Tony
David Copperfield
1966TV
David Copperfield
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
1965Movie
Wolf
BBC Play of the Month
1965TV
Captain Plume, Simon Bliss, Ross / T.E. Lawrence, George Tesman
The Wednesday Play
1964TV
Wolf
Coronation Street
1960TV
Mel Hutchwright
Tony Awards
1956TV
Self - Winner
The Oscars
1953TV
Self
Golden Globe Awards
1944TV
Self - Presenter, Self - Winner
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Movie
Self
No Man's Land
Movie
Spooner