Ian McKellenborn 1939

usually

Actor

Popularity

6.8

Famous

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.

Credits

The Critic
The Critic

2024

Crime • Drama • Mystery • Thriller

as Jimmy Erskine

5.8
1.9
Hamlet
Hamlet

2024

Drama • Thriller

as Hamlet

7.8
1.3
The One Note Man
The One Note Man

2023

Comedy

as Narrator (voice)

7
0.2
Hamlet Within
Hamlet Within

2022

Documentary

0
0.3
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film

2016

Documentary

as Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)

0
0.1
Mr. Holmes
Mr. Holmes

2015

Crime • Drama • Family • Mystery

as Sherlock Holmes

6.5
2.3
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

2014

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf the Grey

7.3
15.6
X-Men: Days of Future Past
X-Men: Days of Future Past

2014

Action • Adventure • Science Fiction

as Magneto

7.5
9.2
Miss in Her Teens
Miss in Her Teens

2014

Comedy

as The Prologue

3
0.1
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

2013

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf the Grey

7.6
9.7
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

2013

Comedy • TV Movie

as Self

7.9
0.6
Muse of Fire
Muse of Fire

2013

Documentary

as Self

6.5
0.5
The Wolverine
The Wolverine

2013

Action • Adventure • Science Fiction

as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)

6.4
1.4
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

2012

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf the Grey

7.4
13.5
Theatreland
Theatreland

2009

Documentary

as Himself

0
0.2
King Lear
King Lear

2008

Drama • TV Movie

as King Lear

6.7
0.3
The Golden Compass
The Golden Compass

2007

Adventure • Fantasy

as Iorek Byrnison (voice)

6.1
4.9
Stardust
Stardust

2007

Adventure • Family • Fantasy • Romance

as Narrator (voice)

7.3
5.8
For the Love of God
For the Love of God

2007

Animation • Comedy

as The Jackdaw

4
0.2
Flushed Away
Flushed Away

2006

Adventure • Animation • Comedy • Family

as The Toad (voice)

6.3
5.7
X-Men: The Last Stand
X-Men: The Last Stand

2006

Action • Adventure • Science Fiction • Thriller

as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto

6.4
0.4
The Da Vinci Code
The Da Vinci Code

2006

Mystery • Thriller

as Sir Leigh Teabing

6.7
8.1
Saint of 9/11
Saint of 9/11

2006

Documentary • History

as Narrator

5.7
0.2
Doogal
Doogal

2006

Adventure • Animation • Comedy • Family • Fantasy

as Zebedee (voice)

4.9
0.9
Neverwas
Neverwas

2005

Drama • Thriller

as Gabriel Finch

6.4
1
Asylum
Asylum

2005

Drama • Romance • Thriller

as Dr. Peter Cleave

5.8
1.3
The Magic Roundabout
The Magic Roundabout

2004

Animation • Comedy • Family • Fantasy

as Zebedee (voice)

5.4
1.1
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

2003

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf

8.5
20.1
X2
X2

2003

Action • Adventure • Science Fiction

as Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto

7
0.4
Émile
Émile

2003

Drama

as Emile

5.8
0.2
Film Collectibles: Capturing Movie Memories
8.5
0.2
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

2002

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf

8.4
15.5
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

2001

Action • Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf

8.4
30.1
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love

2001

Documentary

as Narrator (voice)

0
0.1
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
6.2
0.1
X-Men
X-Men

2000

Action • Adventure • Science Fiction

as Magneto

7
0.5
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man

2000

Drama • Family • Fantasy • Music

as Narrator (voice)

7.1
0.2
Apt Pupil
Apt Pupil

1998

Drama • Thriller

as Kurt Dussander

6.5
1.8
Gods and Monsters
Gods and Monsters

1998

Drama

as James Whale

7
0.9
Swept from the Sea
Swept from the Sea

1998

Drama • Romance

as Dr. James Kennedy

6.4
0.6
Bent
Bent

1997

Drama • History • Romance

as Uncle Freddie

6.8
1.2
A Bit Of Scarlet
A Bit Of Scarlet

1997

Documentary

as Narrator

4.6
0.1
An Evening with Lily Savage
0
0.2
Rasputin
Rasputin

1996

Drama • History • TV Movie

as Tsar Nicholas II

6.5
0.7
Richard III
Richard III

1995

Drama • War

as Richard III

6.7
0.9
Jack & Sarah
Jack & Sarah

1995

Comedy • Drama • Romance

as William

6.7
0.6
Cold Comfort Farm
Cold Comfort Farm

1995

Comedy • Romance

as Amos Starkadder

6.8
0.6
To Die For
To Die For

1994

Comedy • Drama • Fantasy • Romance

as Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)

2.2
0.2
The Shadow
The Shadow

1994

Action • Adventure • Crime • Fantasy • Mystery • Thriller

as Dr. Reinhardt Lane

6.1
3.2
I'll Do Anything
I'll Do Anything

1994

Comedy • Drama

as John Earl McAlpine

5.6
0.4
Six Degrees of Separation
Six Degrees of Separation

1993

Comedy • Drama • Mystery

as Geoffrey

6.4
0.9
And the Band Played On
And the Band Played On

1993

Drama • TV Movie

as Bill Kraus

6.5
1.7
The Ballad of Little Jo
The Ballad of Little Jo

1993

Drama • Romance • Western

as Percy Corcoran

5.9
0.6
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up

1993

Documentary

as Narration (voice)

0
0
Last Action Hero
Last Action Hero

1993

Action • Adventure • Comedy • Family • Fantasy

as Death

6.5
3.2
Gladio
Gladio

1992

Documentary

as Aldo Moro (voice)

7
0.1
Othello
Othello

1990

Drama

as Iago

7
0.2
Scandal
Scandal

1989

Drama • History • Romance

as John Profumo

5.9
1.1
Zina
Zina

1985

Drama

as Kronfeld

5.4
0.4
Plenty
Plenty

1985

Drama • Romance

as Sir Andrew Charleson

5.7
1.3
The Keep
The Keep

1983

Fantasy • Horror

as Dr. Theodore Cuza

5.6
2.2
Walter and June
Walter and June

1983

Drama • TV Movie

as Walter

7
0.2
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel

1982

Action • Drama • Romance • TV Movie

as Chauvelin

6.8
1.1
Walter
Walter

1982

Drama • TV Movie

as Walter

5.3
0.5
Priest of Love
Priest of Love

1981

Drama • Romance

as D.H. Lawrence

5
0.4
Macbeth
Macbeth

1979

Drama • TV Movie

as Macbeth

7.3
0.3
Alfred the Great
Alfred the Great

1969

History

as Roger

4.3
0.6
Richard II
Richard II

as Richard II

0
0.1
Schadenfreude
Schadenfreude

as Continuity Announcer

0
0.2
Dragfox
Dragfox

2024

Adventure • Animation • Comedy • Family • Fantasy • Music

as Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking)

0
0.1
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
The Life and Death of Lily Savage

2024

Comedy • Documentary

as Self

7
0.2
Quintessentially British
Quintessentially British

2022

Documentary

as Self

3.8
0.3
Cats
Cats

2019

Comedy • Drama • Fantasy

as Gus, the Theatre Cat

4
2.5
The Good Liar
The Good Liar

2019

Crime

as Roy Courtnay

6.7
2.1
National Theatre Live: King Lear
8.2
0.5
McKellen: Playing the Part
McKellen: Playing the Part

2018

Documentary • History

as Himself

7.2
0.3
Animal Crackers
Animal Crackers

2017

Adventure • Animation • Comedy • Family

as Horatio P. Huntington (voice)

6.2
2.1
The Paul O'Grady Story
The Paul O'Grady Story

2017

Documentary

as Self

8.3
0.3
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast

2017

Family • Fantasy • Romance

as Cogsworth

7
12.7
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
6.6
0.3
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage

2016

Documentary • TV Movie

as Self

7.8
0.2
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
7.5
0.2
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC

2016

Documentary • Music • TV Movie

as Self - Performer

7.5
0.2
The Roof
The Roof

2016

Comedy

as And Even Yet Another Fan

6.3
0.3
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC

2015

Documentary • TV Movie

as Self (archive footage)

0
0.2
The Dresser
The Dresser

2015

Drama • TV Movie

as Norman

6.2
0.7
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Nelson Mandela Redrawn

2014

Documentary

as Self

0
0.2
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
Doctor Who: The Snowmen

2012

Adventure • Drama • Family • Science Fiction • TV Movie

as The Great Intelligence (voice)

7.7
0.5
Looking for Lowry
Looking for Lowry

2011

Documentary

as Himself

0
0.1
The Betty Driver Story
The Betty Driver Story

2011

Documentary

as Self

10
0.1
Lady Grey London
Lady Grey London

2010

Fantasy • Romance

7
0.1
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation

2010

Animation

as Narrator (voice)

7
0.3
The Art of Breaking Character
The Art of Breaking Character

2007

Comedy • Documentary

as Self

0
0.2
The Hobart Shakespeareans
The Hobart Shakespeareans

2005

Documentary

as Himself

4
0.3
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King

2003

Documentary • History • TV Movie

as Self

8.1
0.4
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
7
0.4
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
X-Men: Premieres Around the World

2003

Documentary

as Self

5.9
0.6
A Passage to Middle-Earth: Making of 'Lord of the Rings'
7.8
0.7
Quest for the Ring
Quest for the Ring

2001

Documentary • TV Movie

as Self

5.6
0.3
Hedda Gabler
Hedda Gabler

1972

as George Tesman

0
0.2
Hamlet
Hamlet

1970

Drama

as Hamlet

0
0.1
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
0
0.2
Avengers: Doomsday
Avengers: Doomsday

2026

Science Fiction

as Magneto

0
13.5
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness
0
0.1
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride

2022

Documentary

as Self

8
0.1
The Hobbit: Extended Edition
The Hobbit: Extended Edition

2021

Adventure • Fantasy

as Gandalf

10
0.2
Hating Peter Tatchell
Hating Peter Tatchell

2021

Documentary

as Self

4.2
0.2
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Infinitum: Subject Unknown

2021

Mystery • Science Fiction • Thriller

as Dr. Charles Marland-White

5.4
0.8
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
10
0.2
On Broadway
On Broadway

2019

Documentary

as Self

8.7
0.6
All Is True
All Is True

2018

Drama • History

as Earl of Southampton

6
1.9
How a Kite Flies
How a Kite Flies

2017

Comedy • Drama

as Mr. Kite (voice)

0
0.1
Edmund the Magnificent
Edmund the Magnificent

2017

Comedy

as Self - Narrator (voice)

7.2
0.1
Shakespeare on Film
Shakespeare on Film

2016

Documentary

6
0.1
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin

2013

Documentary

as Self

6.8
0.5
The Egg Trick
The Egg Trick

2013

Comedy • Drama

as Magician

6
0.1
Small-Time Revolutionary
Small-Time Revolutionary

2010

as Hamish Miller (voice)

4
0.1
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy
Never Sleep Again: The Elm Street Legacy

2010

Documentary

as Self (archive footage)

7.8
1.4
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Ringers: Lord of the Fans

2005

Documentary

as Self

6.3
1
Eighteen
Eighteen

2005

Drama • Romance • War

as Jason Anders (voice)

4.5
0.3
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!

2004

Documentary

as Self

6.7
0.4
The Making of the Return of the King
8.8
0.5
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision

2003

Documentary • TV Movie

as Self

6.2
0.2
Lord of the Weed
Lord of the Weed

2003

Adventure • Comedy • Fantasy

as Gabber-Gandalf

0
0
The Making of The Two Towers
8.8
0.4
Lord of the Piercing
Lord of the Piercing

2002

Comedy

as Gandalf the Grey (archive footage)

6.5
0.3
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
6.5
0.4
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
X-Men: The Mutant Watch

2000

Documentary

as Self - 'Magneto'

7
1
Restoration
Restoration

1995

Drama • Romance

as Will Gates

6
0.9
David Macaulay: Roman City
David Macaulay: Roman City

1994

Documentary • History

as Augustus Caesar (voice)

9
0.2
Camp Christmas
3.5
0.3
Countdown to War
Countdown to War

1989

Drama • History • War

as Adolf Hitler

5
0.3
Scarfe's Follies
0
0.1
The Tragedy of King Richard II
The Tragedy of King Richard II

1970

Drama

as King Richard II

0
0.2
The Christophers
The Christophers

Comedy • Crime

0
0.3
Süleyman the Magnificent
0
0.1
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour

1979

TV Movie

as Alexander Ivanov

0
0.2
Edward II
Edward II

1970

Drama • History • TV Movie

as King Edward

4.8
0.2
The Promise
0
0
A Touch of Love
A Touch of Love

1969

Drama

as George

6.4
0.7

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