Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen in September 2010

Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CBE, CH (born 25 May 1939) is a highly acclaimed English actor for both theatre and movies. He got a Tony Award and two Oscar nominations.

He was born in Burnley, Lancashire. His work has spanned genres from serious Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction movies.

Best known for his roles as Gandalf in the 2001-2003 Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, as Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code, and as Magneto in the X-Men series of movies. He is openly gay and is a prominent activist for the rights of LGBT people.

He was made a CBE in 1979 and knighted in 1990 for his outstanding work and contributions to the theatre. In 2008 he was made a Companion of Honour.

McKellen said in 2012 that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2006.

Movies

• Apt Pupil (1998)
• Gods and Monsters (1998)
• X-Men (2000)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
• The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
• X2: X-Men United (2003)
• Emile, (2005)
• Asylum, (2005)
• The Magic Roundabout, as Zebedee (2005) (movie known as "Dougal" in the United States)
• Flushed Away, (2006)
• The Da Vinci Code, (as Sir Leigh Teabing) (2006)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)