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.
Biography from TMDB, which often draws on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
In Catlg
7 Works in the catalog credit them.
Acting (7)
Avengers: Doomsdaymovie · 2026as Magneto
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armiesmovie · 2014as Gandalf the Grey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journeymovie · 2012as Gandalf the Grey
The Da Vinci Codemovie · 2006as Sir Leigh Teabing
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the Kingmovie · 2003as Gandalf
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towersmovie · 2002as Gandalf
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringmovie · 2001as Gandalf
Filmography
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for GollumFilm · 2027 · as Gandalf- Avengers: DoomsdayFilm · 2026 · as Magneto
EbenezerFilm · 2026 · as Jacob Marley
Frank and PercyFilm · 2026 · as Percy
LS Lowry: The Unheard TapesFilm · 2026 · as L S Lowry
Tea with Judi Dench featuring Ian McKellenFilm · 2026 · as Self
The ChristophersFilm · 2026 · as Julian Sklar
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'Film · 2025 · as Self (archive footage)
Billy & Dom Eat the WorldTV · 2025 · as Self · 1 episode
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of HappinessFilm · 2025 · Acting
SchadenfreudeFilm · 2025 · as Continuity Announcer
DragfoxFilm · 2024 · as Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)
HamletFilm · 2024 · as Hamlet
The CriticFilm · 2024 · as Jimmy Erskine
The Life and Death of Lily SavageFilm · 2024 · as Self
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I LovedFilm · 2024 · Acting
tedTV · 2024 · as Narrator (voice) · 3 episodes
The One Note ManFilm · 2023 · as Narrator (voice)
Freedom: 50 Years of PrideFilm · 2022 · as Self
Hamlet WithinFilm · 2022 · Acting
Quintessentially BritishFilm · 2022 · as Self
Amol Rajan InterviewsTV · 2021 · as Self - Interviewed Guest · 1 episode
Great British TheatreTV · 2021 · Acting · 5 episodes
Hating Peter TatchellFilm · 2021 · as Self
Infinitum: Subject UnknownFilm · 2021 · as Dr. Charles Marland-White
Du Fu: China's Greatest PoetFilm · 2020 · Acting
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOUFilm · 2020 · Acting- Reunited ApartTV · 2020 · as Self · 1 episode
CatsFilm · 2019 · as Gus, the Theatre Cat
On BroadwayFilm · 2019 · as Self
The Good LiarFilm · 2019 · as Roy Courtnay
All Is TrueFilm · 2018 · as Earl of Southampton
Animal CrackersFilm · 2018 · as Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
McKellen: Playing the PartFilm · 2018 · as Self
National Theatre Live: King LearFilm · 2018 · as King Lear
Beauty and the BeastFilm · 2017 · as Cogsworth
Edmund the MagnificentFilm · 2017 · as Self - Narrator (voice)
How a Kite FliesFilm · 2017 · as Mr. Kite (voice)
The Paul O'Grady StoryFilm · 2017 · as Self
The Untold Tales of Armistead MaupinFilm · 2017 · as Self
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on FilmFilm · 2016 · as Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
Judi Dench: All the World's Her StageFilm · 2016 · as Self
National Theatre Live: No Man's LandFilm · 2016 · as Spooner- Play the Devil: Making Richard IIIFilm · 2016 · Acting
Shakespeare Live! From the RSCFilm · 2016 · as Self - Performer- Shakespeare on FilmFilm · 2016 · Acting
- Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellenFilm · 2016 · Acting
The RoofFilm · 2016 · as And Even Yet Another Fan
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBCFilm · 2015 · as Self (archive footage)
Mr. HolmesFilm · 2015 · as Sherlock Holmes
The DresserFilm · 2015 · as Norman
The Late Show with Stephen ColbertTV · 2015 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
Double Take: Xavier & MagnetoFilm · 2014 · as Self
Late Night with Seth MeyersTV · 2014 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
Miss in Her TeensFilm · 2014 · as The Prologue
Nelson Mandela RedrawnFilm · 2014 · as Self- The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five ArmiesFilm · 2014 · as Gandalf the Grey
Trailblazer HonorsTV · 2014 · as Self - Speaker · 1 episode
Variety Studio: Actors on ActorsTV · 2014 · as Self · 1 episode
X-Men: Days of Future PastFilm · 2014 · as Magneto
Muse of FireFilm · 2013 · as Self
The Egg TrickFilm · 2013 · as Magician
The Five(ish) Doctors RebootFilm · 2013 · as Self
The Hobbit: The Desolation of SmaugFilm · 2013 · as Gandalf the Grey
The WolverineFilm · 2013 · as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
The Wolverine: Path of a RoninFilm · 2013 · as Self
ViciousTV · 2013 · as Freddie Thornhill · 12 episodes
Doctor Who: The SnowmenFilm · 2012 · as The Great Intelligence (voice)
London 2012: Paralympics Opening CeremonyFilm · 2012 · as Self- The Hobbit: An Unexpected JourneyFilm · 2012 · as Gandalf the Grey
Looking for LowryFilm · 2011 · as Self
PerspectivesTV · 2011 · Acting · 1 episode
The Betty Driver StoryFilm · 2011 · as Self
A Lost and Found Box of Human SensationFilm · 2010 · as Narrator (voice)
Small-Time RevolutionaryFilm · 2010 · as Hamish Miller (voice)
The TalkTV · 2010 · as Self · 1 episode
The PrisonerTV · 2009 · as 2 / Curtis · 6 episodes
TheatrelandFilm · 2009 · as Self
Watch What Happens Live with Andy CohenTV · 2009 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
King LearFilm · 2008 · as King Lear- For the Love of GodFilm · 2007 · as The Jackdaw
Guerrilla DistributionFilm · 2007 · as Self
Pet Shop Boys: CubismFilm · 2007 · as Self- voice
StardustFilm · 2007 · as Narrator (voice)- The Art of Breaking CharacterFilm · 2007 · as Self
The Golden CompassFilm · 2007 · as Iorek Byrnison (voice)
The Graham Norton ShowTV · 2007 · as Self - Guest · 9 episodes
Brett Ratner's X-DiariesFilm · 2006 · as Self
DoogalFilm · 2006 · as Zebedee (voice)
Flushed AwayFilm · 2006 · as The Toad (voice)
Saint of 9/11Film · 2006 · as Narrator- The Da Vinci CodeFilm · 2006 · as Sir Leigh Teabing
The Making of 'The Return of the King'Film · 2006 · as Self
The Making of 'The Two Towers'Film · 2006 · as Self
The One ShowTV · 2006 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
X-Men: The Last StandFilm · 2006 · as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto- X3: The Excitement ContinuesFilm · 2006 · as Self
AsylumFilm · 2005 · as Dr. Peter Cleave
EighteenFilm · 2005 · as Jason Anders (voice)
ExtrasTV · 2005 · as Ian McKellen · 1 episode
NeverwasFilm · 2005 · as Gabriel Finch
Ringers: Lord of the FansFilm · 2005 · as Self
The Hobart ShakespeareansFilm · 2005 · as Self
The Magic RoundaboutFilm · 2005 · as Zebedee (voice)
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'Film · 2004 · as Self
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!Film · 2004 · as Self
My First TimeFilm · 2004 · as Narrator
ParkinsonTV · 2004 · as Self - Guest · 2 episodes
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?Film · 2004 · Acting
The Paul O'Grady ShowTV · 2004 · Acting · 1 episode
Who Do You Think You Are?TV · 2004 · as Self · 1 episode
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the KingFilm · 2003 · as Self
ChurchillTV · 2003 · as Self - Narrator (voice) · 3 episodes
EmileFilm · 2003 · as Emile
Evolution X - The Making of X-MenFilm · 2003 · Acting
Jimmy Kimmel Live!TV · 2003 · as Self · 1 episode
Real Time with Bill MaherTV · 2003 · as Self · 2 episodes- The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the KingFilm · 2003 · as Gandalf
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's VisionFilm · 2003 · as Self
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2Film · 2003 · as Self
X-Men: Premieres Around the WorldFilm · 2003 · as Self
X2Film · 2003 · as Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night TakeawayTV · 2002 · as Self · 1 episode
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earthFilm · 2002 · as Self- The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth + Weta Workshop + Costume DesignFilm · 2002 · as Self
- The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to ScriptFilm · 2002 · as Self
The Fellowship of the Ring: ScaleFilm · 2002 · as Self- The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the CastFilm · 2002 · as Self
- The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..Film · 2002 · as Self
- The Lord of the Rings: The Two TowersFilm · 2002 · as Gandalf
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the RingFilm · 2001 · as Self
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in LoveFilm · 2001 · as Narrator (voice)
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings'Film · 2001 · as Self
Quest for the RingFilm · 2001 · as Self- The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the RingFilm · 2001 · as Gandalf
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of ManFilm · 2000 · as Narrator (voice)
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!Film · 2000 · as Self
X-MenFilm · 2000 · as Magneto
X-Men: The Mutant WatchFilm · 2000 · as Self - 'Magneto'
After StonewallFilm · 1999 · as Self
David CopperfieldTV · 1999 · as Creakle · 2 episodes
Family GuyTV · 1999 · as Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice) · 1 episode
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James WhaleFilm · 1999 · as Self
Apt PupilFilm · 1998 · as Kurt Dussander
Gods and MonstersFilm · 1998 · as James Whale
ParkinsonTV · 1998 · as Self · 3 episodes
Swept from the SeaFilm · 1998 · as Dr. James Kennedy
A Bit Of ScarletFilm · 1997 · as Narrator
BentFilm · 1997 · as Uncle Freddie
HARDtalkTV · 1997 · Acting · 1 episode
Surviving Friendly FireFilm · 1997 · Acting
The ViewTV · 1997 · as Self - Guest · 2 episodes
An Evening with Lily SavageFilm · 1996 · as Self
RasputinFilm · 1996 · as Tsar Nicholas II
TFI FridayTV · 1996 · Acting · 1 episode
Cold Comfort FarmFilm · 1995 · as Amos Starkadder
Jack & SarahFilm · 1995 · as William
RestorationFilm · 1995 · as Will Gates
Richard IIIFilm · 1995 · as Richard III- Richard IIIFilm · 1995 · Screenplay
Thin IceFilm · 1995 · as Ian McKellen
Age of DissentFilm · 1994 · as Self
David Macaulay: Roman CityFilm · 1994 · as Augustus Caesar (voice)
I'll Do AnythingFilm · 1994 · as John Earl McAlpine
Inside the Actors StudioTV · 1994 · as Self · 1 episode
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and ProtestFilm · 1994 · as Self
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi GrasTV · 1994 · as Self · 1 episode
The ShadowFilm · 1994 · as Dr. Reinhardt Lane
To Die ForFilm · 1994 · as Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
A Simple Matter of JusticeFilm · 1993 · as Self
And the Band Played OnFilm · 1993 · as Bill Kraus
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt UpFilm · 1993 · as Narration (voice)
Camp ChristmasFilm · 1993 · Acting
Last Action HeroFilm · 1993 · as Death
Late Night with Conan O'BrienTV · 1993 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
Late Show with David LettermanTV · 1993 · as Self - Guest · 1 episode
Six Degrees of SeparationFilm · 1993 · as Geoffrey
Tales of the CityTV · 1993 · as Archibald Anson Gidde · 2 episodes
The Ballad of Little JoFilm · 1993 · as Percy Corcoran
GladioFilm · 1992 · as Aldo Moro (voice)
Have I Got News for YouTV · 1990 · as Self · 1 episode
OthelloFilm · 1990 · as Iago
Countdown to WarFilm · 1989 · as Adolf Hitler
ScandalFilm · 1989 · as John Profumo- The SimpsonsTV · 1989 · as Ian McKellen (voice) · 1 episode
Scarfe's FolliesFilm · 1988 · Acting
Windmills of the GodsTV · 1988 · as Chairman · 2 episodes
Süleyman the MagnificentFilm · 1987 · as Narrator
PlentyFilm · 1985 · as Sir Andrew Charleson
Theatre NightTV · 1985 · as Iago · 1 episode
ZinaFilm · 1985 · as Kronfeld
Playing ShakespeareTV · 1984 · Acting · 9 episodes
The KeepFilm · 1983 · as Dr. Theodore Cuza
Walter and JuneFilm · 1983 · as Walter
American PlayhouseTV · 1982 · as Archibald Anson Gidde · 1 episode
Ian McKellen: Acting ShakespeareFilm · 1982 · Acting
The Scarlet PimpernelFilm · 1982 · as Chauvelin
WalterFilm · 1982 · as Walter
Pillar of FireTV · 1981 · as Narrator · 20 episodes
Priest of LoveFilm · 1981 · as D.H. Lawrence- Dying DayFilm · 1980 · as Antony Skipling
Every Good Boy Deserves FavourFilm · 1979 · as Alexander Ivanov
MacbethFilm · 1979 · as Macbeth
An Audience with...TV · 1978 · as Self · 1 episode
The South Bank ShowTV · 1978 · Acting · 3 episodes
Saturday Night LiveTV · 1975 · as Self - Host · 1 episode- Graceless Go IFilm · 1974 · as Tony
PlayhouseTV · 1974 · as Alexander · 1 episode
Country MattersTV · 1972 · as David Masterman · 1 episode- Craven ArmsFilm · 1972 · as David Masterman
- Hedda GablerFilm · 1972 · as George Tesman
- Film '72TV · 1971 · as Self · 1 episode
Edward IIFilm · 1970 · as King Edward
HamletFilm · 1970 · as Hamlet- SoloTV · 1970 · Acting · 1 episode
The Tragedy of King Richard IIFilm · 1970 · as King Richard II
A Touch of LoveFilm · 1969 · as George
Alfred the GreatFilm · 1969 · as Roger
ITV Saturday Night TheatreTV · 1969 · as Lyov · 1 episode- Sesame StreetTV · 1969 · as Self · 1 episode
- The PromiseFilm · 1969 · Acting
ITV PlayhouseTV · 1967 · as Tony · 1 episode
OmnibusTV · 1967 · as Self - Reading Poetry · 1 episode- David CopperfieldTV · 1966 · as David Copperfield · 9 episodes
BBC Play of the MonthTV · 1965 · as Captain Plume · 1 episode
The Trial and Torture of Sir John RampayneFilm · 1965 · as Wolf
The Wednesday PlayTV · 1964 · as Wolf · 1 episode
Coronation StreetTV · 1960 · as Mel Hutchwright · 14 episodes
Tony AwardsTV · 1956 · as Self - Winner · 1 episode- The OscarsTV · 1953 · as Self · 3 episodes
Golden Globe AwardsTV · 1944 · as Self - Presenter · 1 episode- No Man's LandFilm · as Spooner
- Untitled Anthony Hopkins DocumentaryFilm · as Self
Filmography from TMDB. This product uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.