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Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

Acting May 25, 1939 (87 years old) 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.

Movies 172

Avengers: Doomsday

Avengers: Doomsday

as Magneto

2026
Ebenezer 8.5

Ebenezer

as Jacob Marley

2026
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 8.5

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

as Gandalf

2001
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King 8.5

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

as Gandalf

2003
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers 8.4

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

as Gandalf

2002
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 7.3

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

as Gandalf the Grey

2014
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey 7.4

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

as Gandalf the Grey

2012
Beauty and the Beast 7.0

Beauty and the Beast

as Cogsworth

2017
X-Men: Days of Future Past 7.5

X-Men: Days of Future Past

as Magneto

2014
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug 7.6

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

as Gandalf the Grey

2013
The Da Vinci Code 6.7

The Da Vinci Code

as Sir Leigh Teabing

2006
Flushed Away 6.3

Flushed Away

as The Toad (voice)

2006
Stardust 7.3

Stardust

as Narrator (voice)

2007
Last Action Hero 6.5

Last Action Hero

as Death

1993
The Golden Compass 6.1

The Golden Compass

as Iorek Byrnison (voice)

2007
Cats 4.1

Cats

as Gus, the Theatre Cat

2019
The Christophers 6.8

The Christophers

as Julian Sklar

2026
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum

as Gandalf

2027
Mr. Holmes 6.5

Mr. Holmes

as Sherlock Holmes

2015
The Shadow 6.1

The Shadow

as Dr. Reinhardt Lane

1994
The Keep 5.6

The Keep

as Dr. Theodore Cuza

1983
And the Band Played On 6.5

And the Band Played On

as Bill Kraus

1993
Six Degrees of Separation 6.4

Six Degrees of Separation

as Geoffrey

1993
The Wolverine 6.4

The Wolverine

as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)

2013
Apt Pupil 6.5

Apt Pupil

as Kurt Dussander

1998
The Good Liar 6.7

The Good Liar

as Roy Courtnay

2019
The Magic Roundabout 5.4

The Magic Roundabout

as Zebedee (voice)

2005
Animal Crackers 6.4

Animal Crackers

as Horatio P. Huntington (voice)

2018
Gods and Monsters 6.9

Gods and Monsters

as James Whale

1998
Scandal 6.0

Scandal

as John Profumo

1989
Richard III 6.8

Richard III

as Richard III

1995
Asylum 6.1

Asylum

as Dr. Peter Cleave

2005
The Critic 5.8

The Critic

as Jimmy Erskine

2024
Restoration 6.1

Restoration

as Will Gates

1995
X-Men: The Mutant Watch 7.0

X-Men: The Mutant Watch

as Self - 'Magneto'

2000
Doctor Who: The Snowmen 7.7

Doctor Who: The Snowmen

as The Great Intelligence (voice)

2012
All Is True 6.0

All Is True

as Earl of Southampton

2018
Bent 6.9

Bent

as Uncle Freddie

1997
The Scarlet Pimpernel 6.8

The Scarlet Pimpernel

as Chauvelin

1982
Jack & Sarah 6.8

Jack & Sarah

as William

1995
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin 6.4

The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin

as Self

2017
Neverwas 6.4

Neverwas

as Gabriel Finch

2005
The Making of The Two Towers 8.8

The Making of The Two Towers

as Self

2006
The Ballad of Little Jo 6.1

The Ballad of Little Jo

as Percy Corcoran

1993
Swept from the Sea 6.4

Swept from the Sea

as Dr. James Kennedy

1998
The Making of The Return of the King 8.8

The Making of The Return of the King

as Self

2006
The Dresser 6.2

The Dresser

as Norman

2015
Ringers: Lord of the Fans 6.4

Ringers: Lord of the Fans

as Self

2005
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot 7.8

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

as Self

2013
Rasputin 6.6

Rasputin

as Tsar Nicholas II

1996
Doogal 4.9

Doogal

as Zebedee (voice)

2006
Muse of Fire 6.5

Muse of Fire

as Self

2013
The Betty Driver Story 10.0

The Betty Driver Story

as Self

2011
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men 3.7

Evolution X - The Making of X-Men

2003
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King' 6.5

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

as Self

2004
I'll Do Anything 5.6

I'll Do Anything

as John Earl McAlpine

1994
Cold Comfort Farm 6.8

Cold Comfort Farm

as Amos Starkadder

1995
Alfred the Great 4.8

Alfred the Great

as Roger

1969
A Touch of Love 6.6

A Touch of Love

as George

1969
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'

A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'

as Self (archive footage)

2025
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC 7.4

Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

as Self - Performer

2016
Zina 6.0

Zina

as Kronfeld

1985
Plenty 5.7

Plenty

as Sir Andrew Charleson

1985
McKellen: Playing the Part 7.2

McKellen: Playing the Part

as Self

2018
Frank and Percy

Frank and Percy

as Percy

2026
The Paul O'Grady Story 8.3

The Paul O'Grady Story

as Self

2017
Macbeth 7.5

Macbeth

as Macbeth

1979
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring 6.6

Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring

as Self

2001
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King 8.1

Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King

as Self

2003
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land 7.5

National Theatre Live: No Man's Land

as Spooner

2016
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin 7.0

The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin

as Self

2013
Infinitum: Subject Unknown 5.3

Infinitum: Subject Unknown

as Dr. Charles Marland-White

2021
X-Men 7.0

X-Men

as Magneto

2000
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' 8.0

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

as Self

2001
Priest of Love 5.0

Priest of Love

as D.H. Lawrence

1981
The One Note Man 6.0

The One Note Man

as Narrator (voice)

2023
Hamlet 7.8

Hamlet

as Hamlet

2024
King Lear 6.4

King Lear

as King Lear

2008
X3: The Excitement Continues

X3: The Excitement Continues

as Self

2006
On Broadway 8.7

On Broadway

as Self

2019
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision 6.4

The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision

as Self

2003
National Theatre Live: King Lear 8.1

National Theatre Live: King Lear

as King Lear

2018
Countdown to War 6.8

Countdown to War

as Adolf Hitler

1989
The Fellowship of the Ring: Scale

The Fellowship of the Ring: Scale

as Self

2002
Hamlet Within

Hamlet Within

2022
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man 7.1

Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man

as Narrator (voice)

2000
Quest for the Ring 5.7

Quest for the Ring

as Self

2001
The Tragedy of King Richard II 7.0

The Tragedy of King Richard II

as King Richard II

1970
X-Men: Premieres Around the World 5.5

X-Men: Premieres Around the World

as Self

2003
Eighteen 4.7

Eighteen

as Jason Anders (voice)

2005
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2 7.0

The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2

as Self

2003
Emile 6.2

Emile

as Emile

2003
Double Take: Xavier & Magneto

Double Take: Xavier & Magneto

as Self

2014
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script

The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script

as Self

2002
Walter 5.9

Walter

as Walter

1982
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne 10.0

The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne

as Wolf

1965
X-Men: The Last Stand 6.4

X-Men: The Last Stand

as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto

2006
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth

The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth

as Self

2002
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage 7.8

Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

as Self

2016
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast

The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast

as Self

2002
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

as Alexander Ivanov

1979
Hating Peter Tatchell 4.1

Hating Peter Tatchell

as Self

2021
X2 7.0

X2

as Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto

2003
The Life and Death of Lily Savage 7.0

The Life and Death of Lily Savage

as Self

2024
Schadenfreude

Schadenfreude

as Continuity Announcer

2025
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved

2024
An Evening with Lily Savage 10.0

An Evening with Lily Savage

as Self

1996
Miss in Her Teens 3.0

Miss in Her Teens

as The Prologue

2014
Nelson Mandela Redrawn 10.0

Nelson Mandela Redrawn

as Self

2014
The Roof 6.3

The Roof

as And Even Yet Another Fan

2016
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed! 6.4

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

as Self

2000
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride 8.0

Freedom: 50 Years of Pride

as Self

2022
LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes

LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes

as L S Lowry

2026
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love 8.0

Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

as Narrator (voice)

2001
After Stonewall 5.6

After Stonewall

as Self

1999
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..

The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..

as Self

2002
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale 6.5

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

as Self

1999
Thin Ice 5.0

Thin Ice

as Ian McKellen

1995
Theatreland

Theatreland

as Self

2009
The Two Towers: Designing Middle-earth

The Two Towers: Designing Middle-earth

as Self

2003
Craven Arms

Craven Arms

as David Masterman

1972
Brett Ratner's X-Diaries 5.0

Brett Ratner's X-Diaries

as Self

2006
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!! 7.5

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

as Self

2004
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC

Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC

as Self (archive footage)

2015
David Macaulay: Roman City 9.0

David Macaulay: Roman City

as Augustus Caesar (voice)

1994
The Art of Breaking Character

The Art of Breaking Character

as Self

2007
Edmund the Magnificent 7.3

Edmund the Magnificent

as Self - Narrator (voice)

2017
Walter and June 6.7

Walter and June

as Walter

1983
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU 7.0

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

2020
Dragfox 9.0

Dragfox

as Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)

2024
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness

Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness

2025
Gladio 7.0

Gladio

as Aldo Moro (voice)

1992
Pet Shop Boys: Cubism 8.0

Pet Shop Boys: Cubism

as Self- voice

2007
Tea with Judi Dench featuring Ian McKellen

Tea with Judi Dench featuring Ian McKellen

as Self

2026
For the Love of God 4.0

For the Love of God

as The Jackdaw

2007
Graceless Go I 10.0

Graceless Go I

as Tony

1974
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary

Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary

as Self

A Simple Matter of Justice

A Simple Matter of Justice

as Self

1993
Othello 7.3

Othello

as Iago

1990
Scarfe's Follies

Scarfe's Follies

1988
Hamlet 8.0

Hamlet

as Hamlet

1970
Camp Christmas 2.7

Camp Christmas

1993
Hedda Gabler 8.0

Hedda Gabler

as George Tesman

1972
A Bit Of Scarlet 4.4

A Bit Of Scarlet

as Narrator

1997
The Promise 9.0

The Promise

1969
The Egg Trick 6.0

The Egg Trick

as Magician

2013
Saint of 9/11 5.7

Saint of 9/11

as Narrator

2006
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth

The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth

as Self

2002
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet 10.0

Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet

2020
Dying Day 8.0

Dying Day

as Antony Skipling

1980
Edward II 4.9

Edward II

as King Edward

1970
How a Kite Flies

How a Kite Flies

as Mr. Kite (voice)

2017
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

as Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)

2016
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation 7.0

A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation

as Narrator (voice)

2010
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest

Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest

as Self

1994
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is? 7.0

Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?

2004
To Die For 2.6

To Die For

as Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)

1994
Age of Dissent

Age of Dissent

as Self

1994
The Hobart Shakespeareans 6.0

The Hobart Shakespeareans

as Self

2005
Play the Devil: Making Richard III

Play the Devil: Making Richard III

2016
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up 9.0

Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up

as Narration (voice)

1993
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony 7.5

London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony

as Self

2012
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare 7.0

Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare

1982
Quintessentially British 3.8

Quintessentially British

as Self

2022
Small-Time Revolutionary 3.0

Small-Time Revolutionary

as Hamish Miller (voice)

2010
Looking for Lowry

Looking for Lowry

as Self

2011
My First Time 2.0

My First Time

as Narrator

2004
Guerrilla Distribution

Guerrilla Distribution

as Self

2007
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen 6.0

Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen

2016
Süleyman the Magnificent

Süleyman the Magnificent

as Narrator

1987
Shakespeare on Film 6.0

Shakespeare on Film

2016
Surviving Friendly Fire 3.0

Surviving Friendly Fire

1997

TV Shows 67

The Simpsons 8.0

The Simpsons

as Ian McKellen (voice)

1989
Family Guy 7.4

Family Guy

as Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice)

1999
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen 4.9

Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen

as Self - Guest

2009
Late Show with David Letterman 6.5

Late Show with David Letterman

as Self - Guest

1993
Late Night with Seth Meyers 5.1

Late Night with Seth Meyers

as Self - Guest

2014
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 6.1

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

as Self - Guest

2015
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert 6.1

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

as Self

2015
Coronation Street 5.3

Coronation Street

as Mel Hutchwright

1960
Saturday Night Live 6.9

Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

1975
The View 4.3

The View

as Self - Guest

1997
Real Time with Bill Maher 6.0

Real Time with Bill Maher

as Self

2003
Sesame Street 7.1

Sesame Street

as Self

1969
Jimmy Kimmel Live! 5.3

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

as Self

2003
The Graham Norton Show 7.2

The Graham Norton Show

as Self - Guest

2007
The Graham Norton Show 7.2

The Graham Norton Show

as Self

2007
Late Night with Conan O'Brien 7.3

Late Night with Conan O'Brien

as Self - Guest

1993
The One Show 4.3

The One Show

as Self - Guest

2006
Have I Got News for You 7.1

Have I Got News for You

as Self

1990
The South Bank Show 5.6

The South Bank Show

1978
Golden Globe Awards 7.0

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Presenter

1944
Golden Globe Awards 7.0

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Winner

1944
Tony Awards

Tony Awards

as Self - Winner

1956
The Paul O'Grady Show 5.1

The Paul O'Grady Show

2004
Film '72 5.1

Film '72

as Self

1971
The Talk 3.0

The Talk

as Self

2010
BBC Play of the Month 5.2

BBC Play of the Month

as Captain Plume

1965
BBC Play of the Month 5.2

BBC Play of the Month

as Simon Bliss

1965
BBC Play of the Month 5.2

BBC Play of the Month

as Ross / T.E. Lawrence

1965
BBC Play of the Month 5.2

BBC Play of the Month

as George Tesman

1965
The Wednesday Play 5.2

The Wednesday Play

as Wolf

1964
Omnibus 7.2

Omnibus

as Self - Reading Poetry

1967
American Playhouse 6.6

American Playhouse

as Archibald Anson Gidde

1982
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors 4.2

Variety Studio: Actors on Actors

as Self

2014
ITV Playhouse 7.0

ITV Playhouse

as Tony

1967
Parkinson

Parkinson

as Self

1998
ted 8.0

ted

as Narrator (voice)

2024
An Audience with... 5.3

An Audience with...

as Self

1978
ITV Saturday Night Theatre 7.0

ITV Saturday Night Theatre

as Lyov

1969
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway 6.1

Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway

as Self

2002
TFI Friday 7.1

TFI Friday

1996
Playhouse 7.0

Playhouse

as Alexander

1974
The Oscars 7.1

The Oscars

as Self

1953
Who Do You Think You Are? 7.0

Who Do You Think You Are?

as Self

2004
HARDtalk 8.7

HARDtalk

1997
Extras 7.8

Extras

as Ian McKellen

2005
Parkinson 7.0

Parkinson

as Self - Guest

2004
Reunited Apart 5.5

Reunited Apart

as Self

2020
Vicious 7.5

Vicious

as Freddie Thornhill

2013
Trailblazer Honors 7.5

Trailblazer Honors

as Self - Speaker

2014
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

as Self

1994
David Copperfield 7.1

David Copperfield

as Creakle

1999
Tales of the City 7.7

Tales of the City

as Archibald Anson Gidde

1993
Film Independent Spirit Awards

Film Independent Spirit Awards

as Self - Presenter

1996
The Prisoner 5.5

The Prisoner

as 2 / Curtis

2009
Perspectives

Perspectives

2011
Country Matters 4.6

Country Matters

as David Masterman

1972
Theatre Night

Theatre Night

as Iago

1985
Amol Rajan Interviews

Amol Rajan Interviews

as Self - Interviewed Guest

2021
David Copperfield 6.5

David Copperfield

as David Copperfield

1966
Playing Shakespeare 9.7

Playing Shakespeare

1984
Solo

Solo

1970
Billy & Dom Eat the World 8.5

Billy & Dom Eat the World

as Self

2025
Windmills of the Gods 6.1

Windmills of the Gods

as Chairman

1988
Inside the Actors Studio

Inside the Actors Studio

as Self

1994
Pillar of Fire 9.3

Pillar of Fire

as Narrator

1981
Churchill 7.7

Churchill

as Self - Narrator (voice)

2003
Great British Theatre

Great British Theatre

2021

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