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Ian McKellen
Born · May 25, 1939 (85 years old)
Known For: Acting
Place of Birth: Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
Bio
Sir Ian Murray McKellen CH CBE (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 he 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, 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 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.
Hamlet Within
0.0
2022
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
6.0
2020
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Gandalf the Grey
7.6
2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Gandalf the Grey
7.4
2012
King Lear
King Lear
6.7
2008
The Golden Compass
Iorek Byrnison (voice)
6.1
2007
Stardust
Narrator (voice)
7.3
2007
Flushed Away
The Toad (voice)
6.3
2006
X-Men: The Last Stand
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
6.4
2006
The Da Vinci Code
Sir Leigh Teabing
6.7
2006
Saint of 9/11
Narrator
5.7
2006
Doogal
Zebedee (voice)
4.9
2006
Neverwas
Gabriel Finch
6.3
2005
Asylum
Dr. Peter Cleave
5.8
2005
The Magic Roundabout
Zebedee (voice)
5.4
2005
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Gandalf
8.5
2003
X2
Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
7.0
2003
Émile
Emile
5.9
2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Gandalf
8.4
2002
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Gandalf
8.4
2001
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Self
6.2
2000
X-Men
Magneto
7.0
2000
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Narrator (voice)
7.0
2000
Apt Pupil
Kurt Dussander
6.5
1998
Gods and Monsters
James Whale
6.9
1998
Swept from the Sea
Dr. James Kennedy
6.5
1998
Bent
Uncle Freddie
6.9
1997
An Evening with Lily Savage
Self
0.0
1996
Rasputin
Tsar Nicholas II
6.5
1996
Richard III
Richard III
6.7
1995
Jack & Sarah
William
6.7
1995
Cold Comfort Farm
Amos Starkadder
6.7
1995
The Shadow
Dr. Reinhardt Lane
6.1
1994
Six Degrees of Separation
Geoffrey
6.4
1993
And the Band Played On
Bill Kraus
6.5
1993
The Ballad of Little Jo
Percy Corcoran
5.8
1993
Last Action Hero
Death
6.5
1993
Gladio
Aldo Moro (voice)
7.0
1992
Scandal
John Profumo
5.9
1989
Plenty
Sir Andrew Charleson
5.7
1985
The Keep
Dr. Theodore Cuza
5.7
1983
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Chauvelin
6.9
1982
Walter
Walter
5.1
1982
Priest of Love
D.H. Lawrence
5.0
1981
Macbeth
Macbeth
7.4
1979
Alfred the Great
Roger
4.3
1969
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
Wolf
0.0
1965
Richard II
Richard II
0.0
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Gandalf the Grey
7.3
2014
Schadenfreude
Continuity Announcer
0.0
The Critic
Jimmy Erskine
5.1
2024
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
0.0
2024
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Self
0.0
2024
Hamlet
Hamlet
7.8
2024
The One Note Man
Narrator (voice)
7.0
2023
Quintessentially British
Self
3.2
2022
Amol Rajan Interviews Ian McKellen
Self
0.0
2022
Animal Crackers
Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
6.2
2017
Beauty and the Beast
Cogsworth
7.0
2017
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
0.0
2016
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Self - Performer
7.5
2016
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
0.0
2015
The Dresser
Norman
6.2
2015
Mr. Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
6.5
2015
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Self
0.0
2014
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Magneto
7.5
2014
Miss in Her Teens
The Prologue
3.0
2014
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Self
7.9
2013
Muse of Fire
Self
6.5
2013
The Wolverine
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
6.4
2013
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
The Great Intelligence (voice)
7.7
2012
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
Self
7.5
2012
Looking for Lowry
Himself
0.0
2011
Lady Grey London
7.0
2010
Theatreland
Himself
0.0
2009
For the Love of God
The Jackdaw
4.0
2007
The Hobart Shakespeareans
Himself
4.0
2005
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
0.0
2004
Film Collectibles: Capturing Movie Memories
Self
8.5
2003
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Narrator (voice)
0.0
2001
Surviving Friendly Fire
1.0
1997
A Bit Of Scarlet
Narrator
4.1
1997
To Die For
Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
2.2
1994
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
0.0
1994
I'll Do Anything
John Earl McAlpine
5.6
1994
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Narration (voice)
0.0
1993
Othello
Iago
7.0
1990
Zina
Kronfeld
5.4
1985
Walter and June
Walter
7.0
1983
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
0.0
1982
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Alexander Ivanov
0.0
1979
Hamlet
Hamlet
0.0
1970
Edward II
King Edward
4.0
1970
A Touch of Love
George
6.4
1969
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Self
0.0
Dragfox
Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking)
0.0
2024
Hating Peter Tatchell
Self
4.2
2021
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Dr. Charles Marland-White
5.4
2021
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
10.0
2020
Cats
Gus, the Theatre Cat
4.1
2019
The Good Liar
Roy Courtnay
6.7
2019
On Broadway
Self
8.7
2019
All Is True
Earl of Southampton
6.1
2018
National Theatre Live: King Lear
King Lear
8.2
2018
McKellen: Playing the Part
Himself
7.2
2018
The Paul O'Grady Story
Self
8.3
2017
How a Kite Flies
Mr. Kite (voice)
0.0
2017
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
Self
6.6
2017
Edmund the Magnificent
Self - Narrator (voice)
7.2
2017
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Self
7.8
2016
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
Spooner
7.8
2016
Play the Devil: Making Richard III
0.0
2016
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
6.0
2016
Shakespeare on Film
6.0
2016
The Roof
And Even Yet Another Fan
6.3
2016
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
Self
6.8
2013
The Egg Trick
Magician
6.0
2013
The Betty Driver Story
Self
10.0
2011
Small-Time Revolutionary
Hamish Miller (voice)
4.0
2010
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
Narrator (voice)
7.0
2010
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Self (archive footage)
7.8
2010
The Art of Breaking Character
Self
0.0
2007
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Self
6.3
2005
Eighteen
Jason Anders (voice)
4.5
2005
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
Self
6.0
2004
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Self
6.7
2004
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
Self
6.4
2003
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Self
7.7
2003
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men - Making X2
8.0
2003
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
7.0
2003
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
Self
6.1
2003
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
Self
6.1
2001
A Passage to Middle-Earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
Self
6.8
2001
Quest for the Ring
Self
5.6
2001
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
Self
6.0
1999
Restoration
Will Gates
6.0
1995
Hedda Gabler
George Tesman
0.0
1972
Hamlet Revenant
0.0
David Macaulay: Roman City
Augustus Caesar (voice)
9.0
1994
Marley
Scrooge (rumored)
0.0
ted
Narrator (voice) · (2 episodes)
8.0
2024
Great British Theatre
(5 episodes)
0.0
2021
Reunited Apart
Self · (1 episode)
5.5
2020
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self · (1 episode)
4.4
2014
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Speaker · (1 episode)
7.5
2014
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self · (1 episode)
5.5
2014
Vicious
Freddie Thornhill · (12 episodes)
7.5
2013
Perspectives
(1 episode)
0.0
2011
The Prisoner
2 / Curtis · (6 episodes)
5.7
2009
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
5.0
2009
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Guest · (3 episodes)
7.2
2007
The Graham Norton Show
Self · (8 episodes)
7.2
2007
The One Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
4.6
2006
Extras
Ian McKellen · (1 episode)
7.8
2005
Doctor Who
Voice of the Snowman · (1 episode)
7.5
2005
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self · (1 episode)
6.6
2004
The Paul O'Grady Show
(1 episode)
4.6
2004
Churchill
Himself - Narrator (voice) · (3 episodes)
7.0
2003
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self · (2 episodes)
6.0
2003
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
(1 episode)
5.5
2003
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Self · (1 episode)
5.9
2002
Lord of the Piercing
Gandalf the Grey (archive footage)
7.0
2002
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
Self - 'Magneto'
7.0
2000
David Copperfield
Creakle · (2 episodes)
7.1
1999
Family Guy
Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice) · (1 episode)
7.4
1999
The View
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
4.4
1997
Inside the Actors Studio
Self · (1 episode)
7.4
1994
Camp Christmas
3.5
1993
Tales of the City
Archibald Anson Gidde · (2 episodes)
7.9
1993
Scarfe's Follies
0.0
1988
The Christophers
0.0
Parkinson
Self · (3 episodes)
0.0
1998
Have I Got News for You
Self · (1 episode)
7.1
1990
The Simpsons
Ian McKellen (voice) · (1 episode)
8.0
1989
Countdown to War
Adolf Hitler
5.0
1989
Windmills of the Gods
Chairman · (2 episodes)
5.8
1988
Playing Shakespeare
(9 episodes)
10.0
1984
Pillar of Fire
Narrator · (20 episodes)
9.5
1981
Armchair Thriller
Anthony Skipling · (60 episodes)
4.2
1978
An Audience with...
Self · (1 episode)
5.3
1978
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
6.9
1975
Playhouse
(3 episodes)
7.0
1974
Country Matters
David Masterman · (13 episodes)
3.0
1972
The Tragedy of King Richard II
King Richard II
0.0
1970
The Promise
0.0
1969
Sesame Street
Himself · (1 episode)
7.1
1969
David Copperfield
David Copperfield · (13 episodes)
5.0
1966
BBC Play of the Month
Captain Plume · (1 episode)
5.0
1965
Coronation Street
Mel Hutchwright · (13 episodes)
5.3
1960
The Oscars
Self · (3 episodes)
7.0
1953
Billy And Dom Eat The World
Self · (1 episode)
0.0
Amol Rajan Interviews
Self - Interviewed Guest · (1 episode)
0.0