Metro: Emotional first look at Judi Dench and Ian McKellen TV show will make you sob
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Ian McKellen
Sir Ian Murray McKellen 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 Laurence Olivier Awards, two Actor Awards and a Golden…
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entertainment · English actor (born 1939) · voice actor · stage actor · film actor · actor · television actor · screenwriter · musician · also Ian McKellen, Sir Ian Murray McKellen, Ian Murray McKellen, Sir Ian McKellen, McKellen
Born 25 May 1939 · Q170510
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2026· 1 entry
2023· 2 entries
It was revealed that Ulvaeus and McKellen would be knitting stagewear for Kylie Minogue as part of her More Than Just a Residency concert residency at Voltaire at The Venetian Las Vegas
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Starred in the period thriller The Critic directed by Anand Tucker
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2022· 1 entry
fact checker rated the claim “The British actor Sir Ian Mckellen, known for his role as the wizard Gandalf in “The Lord of the Rings,” has recently taken a selfie with a fan in Lviv, Ukraine.” misleading.
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2021· 1 entry
Played the title role in an age-blind production of Hamlet (having previously played the part in a UK and European tour in 1971), followed by the role of Firs in Chekov's The Cherry Orchard at the Theatre Royal, Winds
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2019· 2 entries
Reunited with Condon for a fourth time in the mystery thriller The Good Liar opposite Helen Mirren, who received praise for their onscreen chemistry
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McKellen performed in a one-man stage show titled Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU celebrating the various performances throughout his career
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2017· 2 entries
McKellen appeared in the documentary McKellen: Playing the Part, directed by director Joe Stephenson
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McKellen portrayed in a supporting role as Cogsworth (originally voiced by David Ogden Stiers in the 1991 animated film) in the live-action adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, directed by Bill Condon (which mark
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2015· 2 entries
McKellen reunited with director Bill Condon playing an elderly Sherlock Holmes in the mystery film Mr
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Was gifted a cobble from the soap's exterior set for his seventy-sixth birthday
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2014· 1 entry
McKellen was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Cambridge on 18 June 2014.
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2012· 1 entry
Stated on his blog that "There is no cause for alarm
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2010· 2 entries
Awarded Empire Icon Award (2010).
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McKellen extended his support for Liverpool's Homotopia festival in which a group of gay and lesbian Merseyside teenagers helped to produce an anti-homophobia campaign pack for schools and youth centres across the city
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2009· 3 entries
Awarded Donostia Award (2009).
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Portrayed Number Two in The Prisoner, a remake of the 1967 cult series The Prisoner
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Appeared in a very popular revival of Waiting for Godot at London's Haymarket Theatre, directed by Sean Mathias, and playing opposite Patrick Stewart
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2008· 1 entry
Awarded Companion of Honour (2008).
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2007· 3 entries
McKellen narrated the romantic fantasy adventure film Stardust starring Charlie Cox and Claire Danes, which was a critical and financial success
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Returned to the Royal Shakespeare Company, in productions of King Lear and The Seagull, both directed by Trevor Nunn
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Became a patron of The Albert Kennedy Trust, an organisation that provides support to young, homeless and troubled LGBT people
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2006· 4 entries
Awarded Annie Award for Voice Acting in a Feature Production for Flushed Away (2006).
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Appeared as Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code opposite Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon
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Became a patron of Oxford Pride, stating:I send my love to all members of Oxford Pride, their sponsors and supporters, of which I am proud to be one
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McKellen spoke at the pre-launch of the 2007 LGBT History Month in the UK, lending his support to the organisation and its founder, Sue Sanders
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2003· 4 entries
Awarded Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Cast for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
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Awarded Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture for The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).
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McKellen made a guest appearance as himself on the American cartoon show The Simpsons in a special British-themed episode entitled "The Regina Monologues", along with the then UK Prime Minister Tony Blair and author J
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During an appearance on Have I Got News For You, McKellen claimed when he visited Michael Howard, then Environment Secretary (responsible for local government), in 1988 to lobby against Section 28, Howard refused to chan
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2002· 2 entries
Was the Celebrity Grand Marshal of the San Francisco Pride Parade and he attended the Academy Awards with his then-boyfriend, New Zealander Nick Cuthell
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McKellen appeared in a solo performance at the Beverly Hills Canon Theatre, where he performed his personally written scene from a Shakespeare annexe piece
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2001· 4 entries
Awarded Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
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Awarded Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).
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Received the Artist Citizen of the World Award (France)
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In an August Strindberg play The Dance of Death alongside Helen Mirren and David Strathairn at the Broadhurst Theatre
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1999· 2 entries
McKellen was cast as the wizard Gandalf in Peter Jackson's film trilogy adaptation of The Lord of the Rings (consisting of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), released between 2001 an
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McKellen was cast, again under the direction of Bryan Singer, to play the comic book supervillain Magneto in the 2000 film X-Men and its sequels X2: X-Men United (2003) and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
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1998· 3 entries
Awarded Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Actor for Gods and Monsters (1998).
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Awarded Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for Apt Pupil (1998).
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Appeared in the modestly acclaimed psychological thriller Apt Pupil, which was directed by Bryan Singer and based on a story by Stephen King
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1996· 2 entries
Awarded European Film Award for Best Actor for Richard III (1996).
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Won Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film for Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996).
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1995· 2 entries
McKellen made his screenwriting debut with Richard III, an ambitious adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name, directed by Richard Loncraine
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Appeared in the BBC television comedy film Cold Comfort Farm starring Kate Beckinsale, Rufus Sewell, and Stephen Fry
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1994· 1 entry
At the closing ceremony of the Gay Games, he briefly took the stage to address the crowd, saying, "I'm Sir Ian McKellen, but you can call me Serena": This nickname, given to him by Stephen Fry, had been circulating withi
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1993· 3 entries
Awarded GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award (1993).
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Appeared in minor roles in the television miniseries Tales of the City, based on the novel by his friend Armistead Maupin
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Starred in the film Six Degrees of Separation based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominated play of the same name
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1992· 1 entry
Acted in Pam Gems's revival of Chekov's Uncle Vanya at the Royal National Theatre alongside Antony Sher, and Janet McTeer
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1991· 2 entries
Awarded Knight Bachelor (1991).
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Awarded Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor for Richard III (1991).
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1989· 1 entry
Played Iago in production of Othello by the Royal Shakespeare Company
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1988· 3 entries
Released album “The Soldier's Tale”.
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And has since championed LGBT social movements worldwide
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This relationship lasted until 1988, and according to Mathias, it was tempestuous, with conflicts over McKellen's success in acting versus Mathias's somewhat less-successful career.
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1986· 1 entry
Returned to Broadway in the revival of Anton Chekhov's first play Wild Honey alongside Kim Cattrall and Kate Burton
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1985· 1 entry
Starred in Plenty, the film adaptation of the David Hare play of the same name
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1984· 2 entries
Awarded Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show for Acting Shakespeare (1984).
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Awarded Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a Revival for Wild Honey (1984).
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1981· 3 entries
Awarded Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play for Amadeus (1981).
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Awarded Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for Amadeus (1981).
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McKellen portrayed writer and poet D
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1979· 6 entries
Awarded Commander of the Order of the British Empire (1979).
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Awarded Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a New Play for Bent (1979).
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“Well, nobody looks to Hollywood for social commentary, do they? They only recently discovered that there were black people in the world.”
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“Hollywood has mistreated women in every possible way throughout its history. Gay men don't exist.”
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McKellen gained acclaim for his role as Antonio Salieri in the Broadway transfer production of Peter Shaffer's play Amadeus
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“Heterosexuality is far too interesting a phenomenon to be ignored.”
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1978· 2 entries
Awarded Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy Performance for The Alchemist (1978).
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Met his second partner, Sean Mathias, at the Edinburgh Festival
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1977· 1 entry
Awarded Laurence Olivier Award for Actor of the Year in a Revival for The Pillars of Society (1977).
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1976· 1 entry
Played the title role in William Shakespeare's Macbeth at Stratford in a "gripping
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1969· 4 entries
McKellen starred in three films, Michael Hayes's The Promise, Clive Donner's epic film Alfred the Great, and Waris Hussein's A Touch of Love (1969)
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Was invited to join the Prospect Theatre Company to play the lead parts in Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe's Edward II
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The latter causing a storm of protest over the enactment of the homosexual Edward's lurid death
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With his role of George Matthews in A Touch of Love, and his first leading role was in 1980 as D
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1965· 1 entry
Was a member of Laurence Olivier's National Theatre Company at the Old Vic, which led to roles at the Chichester Festival
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1961· 2 entries
At the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, as Roper in A Man for All Seasons, although an audio recording of the Marlowe Society's Cymbeline had gone on commercial sale as part of the Argo Shakespeare series
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At the Belgrade Theatre as a member of its repertory company, and in 1965 made his first West End appearance
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1958· 1 entry
McKellen, at the age of 18, won a scholarship to the University of Cambridge where he studied English literature as an undergraduate student of St Catharine's College, Cambridge
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1939· 1 entry
Born 1939-05-25.
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