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.
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Known For
Hamlet Within
2022
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
2020
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Gandalf the Grey
2014
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Magneto
2014
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Gandalf the Grey
2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Gandalf the Grey
2012
King Lear
King Lear
2008
The Golden Compass
Iorek Byrnison (voice)
2007
Stardust
Narrator (voice)
2007
Flushed Away
The Toad (voice)
2006
X-Men: The Last Stand
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
2006
The Da Vinci Code
Sir Leigh Teabing
2006
Saint of 9/11
Narrator
2006
Doogal
Zebedee (voice)
2006
Neverwas
Gabriel Finch
2005
Asylum
Dr. Peter Cleave
2005
The Magic Roundabout
Zebedee (voice)
2004
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Gandalf
2003
X2
Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
2003
Émile
Emile
2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Gandalf
2002
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Gandalf
2001
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Self
2000
X-Men
Magneto
2000
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Narrator (voice)
2000
Apt Pupil
Kurt Dussander
1998
Gods and Monsters
James Whale
1998
Swept from the Sea
Dr. James Kennedy
1998
Bent
Uncle Freddie
1997
An Evening with Lily Savage
Self
1996
Rasputin
Tsar Nicholas II
1996
Richard III
Richard III
1995
Jack & Sarah
William
1995
Cold Comfort Farm
Amos Starkadder
1995
The Shadow
Dr. Reinhardt Lane
1994
Six Degrees of Separation
Geoffrey
1993
And the Band Played On
Bill Kraus
1993
The Ballad of Little Jo
Percy Corcoran
1993
Last Action Hero
Death
1993
Gladio
Aldo Moro (voice)
1992
Scandal
John Profumo
1989
Plenty
Sir Andrew Charleson
1985
The Keep
Dr. Theodore Cuza
1983
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Chauvelin
1982
Walter
Walter
1982
Priest of Love
D.H. Lawrence
1981
Macbeth
Macbeth
1979
Alfred the Great
Roger
1969
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
Wolf
1965
Richard II
Richard II
Schadenfreude
Continuity Announcer
The Critic
Jimmy Erskine
2024
Dragfox
Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)
2024
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
2024
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Self
2024
Hamlet
Hamlet
2024
The One Note Man
Narrator (voice)
2023
Quintessentially British
Self
2022
Animal Crackers
Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
2017
Beauty and the Beast
Cogsworth
2017
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
2016
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Self - Performer
2016
The Roof
And Even Yet Another Fan
2016
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2015
The Dresser
Norman
2015
Mr. Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
2015
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Self
2014
Miss in Her Teens
The Prologue
2014
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Self
2013
Muse of Fire
Self
2013
The Wolverine
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
2013
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
The Great Intelligence (voice)
2012
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
Self
2012
Looking for Lowry
Himself
2011
Lady Grey London
2010
Theatreland
Himself
2009
For the Love of God
The Jackdaw
2007
The Hobart Shakespeareans
Himself
2005
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
Self
2004
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
2004
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Self
2003
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
2003
Film Collectibles: Capturing Movie Memories
Self
2003
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Narrator (voice)
2001
Surviving Friendly Fire
1997
A Bit Of Scarlet
Narrator
1997
Restoration
Will Gates
1995
To Die For
Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
1994
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
1994
I'll Do Anything
John Earl McAlpine
1994
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Narration (voice)
1993
Othello
Iago
1990
Zina
Kronfeld
1985
Walter and June
Walter
1983
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
1982
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Alexander Ivanov
1979
Hedda Gabler
George Tesman
1972
Hamlet
Hamlet
1970
Edward II
King Edward
1970
The Promise
1969
A Touch of Love
George
1969
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Self
Avengers: Doomsday
Magneto
2026
Dragged Through Time
2025
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness
2025
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride
Self
2022
Hating Peter Tatchell
Self
2021
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Dr. Charles Marland-White
2021
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
2020
Cats
Gus, the Theatre Cat
2019
The Good Liar
Roy Courtnay
2019
On Broadway
Self
2019
All Is True
Earl of Southampton
2018
National Theatre Live: King Lear
King Lear
2018
McKellen: Playing the Part
Himself
2018
The Paul O'Grady Story
Self
2017
How a Kite Flies
Mr. Kite (voice)
2017
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
Self
2017
Edmund the Magnificent
Self - Narrator (voice)
2017
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Self
2016
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
Spooner
2016
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
2016
Shakespeare on Film
2016
Play the Devil: Making Richard III
2016
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
Self
2013
The Egg Trick
Magician
2013
The Betty Driver Story
Self
2011
Small-Time Revolutionary
Hamish Miller (voice)
2010
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
Narrator (voice)
2010
The Art of Breaking Character
Self
2007
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Self
2005
Eighteen
Jason Anders (voice)
2005
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Self
2004
The Making of the Return of the King
Self
2004
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
Self
2003
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men - Making X2
2003
The Making of The Two Towers
2003
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
Self
2003
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
Self
2001
A Passage to Middle-Earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
Self
2001
Quest for the Ring
Self
2001
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
Self - 'Magneto'
2000
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
Self
1999
After Stonewall
Self
1999
David Macaulay: Roman City
Augustus Caesar (voice)
1994
Camp Christmas
1993
Countdown to War
Adolf Hitler
1989
Scarfe's Follies
1988
Süleyman the Magnificent
Narrator
1987
The Tragedy of King Richard II
King Richard II
1970
The Christophers
Graceless Go I
Tony
1974
No Man's Land
Spooner
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'
Self (archive footage)
2025
Billy & Dom Eat the World
Himself · (1 episode)
2025
ted
Narrator (voice) · (2 episodes)
2024
Great British Theatre
(5 episodes)
2021
Reunited Apart
Self · (1 episode)
2020
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Speaker · (1 episode)
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (1 episode)
2014
Vicious
Freddie Thornhill · (12 episodes)
2013
Perspectives
(1 episode)
2011
The Prisoner
2 / Curtis · (6 episodes)
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2009
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (8 episodes)
2007
The One Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2006
Extras
Ian McKellen · (1 episode)
2005
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
2004
The Paul O'Grady Show
(1 episode)
2004
Churchill
Himself - Narrator (voice) · (3 episodes)
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self · (2 episodes)
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
(1 episode)
2003
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Self · (1 episode)
2002
David Copperfield
Creakle · (2 episodes)
1999
Family Guy
Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice) · (1 episode)
1999
Parkinson
Self · (3 episodes)
1998
The View
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1997
Inside the Actors Studio
Self · (1 episode)
1994
Tales of the City
Archibald Anson Gidde · (2 episodes)
1993
Have I Got News for You
Self · (1 episode)
1990
The Simpsons
Ian McKellen (voice) · (1 episode)
1989
Windmills of the Gods
Chairman · (2 episodes)
1988
Playing Shakespeare
(9 episodes)
1984
Pillar of Fire
Narrator · (20 episodes)
1981
Dying Day
Antony Skipling
1980
Armchair Thriller
Anthony Skipling · (60 episodes)
1978
An Audience with...
Self · (1 episode)
1978
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975
Playhouse
Alexander · (1 episode)
1974
Country Matters
David Masterman · (13 episodes)
1972
Sesame Street
Himself · (1 episode)
1969
Omnibus
Self - Reading Poetry · (1 episode)
1967
David Copperfield
David Copperfield · (9 episodes)
1966
BBC Play of the Month
Captain Plume · (1 episode)
1965
BBC Play of the Month
Simon Bliss · (1 episode)
1965
BBC Play of the Month
Ross / T.E. Lawrence · (1 episode)
1965
BBC Play of the Month
George Tesman · (1 episode)
1965
Coronation Street
Mel Hutchwright · (13 episodes)
1960
Tony Awards
Self - Winner · (1 episode)
1956
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1956
The Oscars
Self · (3 episodes)
1953
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1944