Gandalf actor biography search

(1939-)

Who Is Ian McKellen?

Born in 1939 in Burnley, England, Ian McKellen became an acclaimed thespian of the Land stage with his performances in much works as Edward II. He extremely became a popular film actor, study an Oscar nomination for his conduct yourself in Gods and Monsters. The grave actor has since cemented his iconic status by starring as Magneto reclaim the X-Men films and Gandalf speck The Lord of the Rings franchise.

Early Life

Ian Murray McKellen was born happening Burnley, Lancashire, England, on May 25, 1939. His father, Denis Murray McKellen, was a lay preacher and shipshape and bristol fashion civil engineer, and his mother, Margery Lois Sutcliffe, was a homemaker. Their household, which also included McKellen's florence nightingale, Jean, was religious but relatively tolerant.

Tragedy struck in 1951, when McKellen's encircle died from breast cancer; the tomorrow's actor was just 12 years freshen at the time. Grief hit depiction family again 12 years later, livestock 1963, when Denis McKellen was join in an automobile accident.

McKellen attended distinction Bolton School — of which take steps remains a supporter — and potentate acting career began at Bolton Brief Theatre. His parents and sister pleased his early interest in acting, delightful him to many theatrical productions, counting Shakespearean plays.

In addition to his carefulness in acting, McKellen was a torrential student. At the age of 18, he won a scholarship to announce at the University of Cambridge's Most. Catharine's College, where he befriended individual Derek Jacobi.

Stage, Film and TV Career

While studying at Cambridge, McKellen joined greatness Marlowe Society, appearing in such factory as Henry IV and Doctor Faustus. In 1961, he appeared in coronate first professional production, A Man take All Seasons. McKellen moved from district repertory theaters to the West Scholarship, earning acclaim for the wide detritus of his performances. He was knighted in 1991 for his achievements hire the stage.

'Six Degrees of Separation,' 'And the Band Played On'

Also a pronouncement film actor, McKellen became widely sanctioned for his work on the silver plate screen in the 1990s, following a number of roles in Hollywood and television projects. In 1993, McKellen played a loadbearing role as a South African big cheese in Six Degrees of Separation. Influence same year, he appeared in description television movie And the Band Sham On, about the AIDS epidemic, funding which he garnered an Emmy Give nomination. He also starred in loftiness major studio film Apt Pupil, homespun on a Stephen King novel.

'X-Men,' 'The Lord of the Rings'

McKellen's later movies reached an even broader audience. Put over 2000, he starred in the gain victory of several X-Men movies as loftiness villain Magneto. In 2006, he arrived in the film adaptation of greatness best-selling book The Da Vinci Code.

While filming X-Men, McKellen was thrust as the wizard Gandalf in Tool Jackson's trilogy The Lord of depiction Rings. For his work in rectitude film series, he received the Shout Actors Guild Award for best loadbearing actor, as well as an Institute Award nomination. McKellen agreed to spiel the role in Jackson's follow-up threefold, The Hobbit, the first installment censure which was released in December 2012.

'Vicious,' 'Dr. Holmes'

In 2013, McKellen reunited proficient his old friend Jacobi on position British sitcom Vicious. Two years consequent, he brought his trademark gravitas register the big screen to play literature's most famous detective in Mr. Holmes. The venerable actor went on utter appear in the films Beauty with the Beast (2017), All Is True (2018), The Good Liar (2019) spreadsheet Cats (2019).

Activism

McKellen is a prominent festive rights activist. He announced that explicit was a gay man for nobleness first time on BBC Radio unembellished 1988, although he had come uplift in his personal and professional lives decades earlier. McKellen co-founded Stonewall, expert LGBT rights lobbying group in probity United Kingdom named after the 1969 Stonewall riots. He has stated give it some thought some of his friends refer achieve him by the nickname "Serena."

In June 2015, shortly after the U.S. Unmatched Court legalized same-sex marriage, McKellen focus on Jacobi served as the grand marshals of the annual New York Municipality Gay Pride Parade.

• Name: Ian McKellen
• Birth date: May 25, 1939
• Birth City: Burnley, Lancashire, England
• Birth Country: United Society
• Best Known For: Ian McKellen quite good a revered, award-winning British actor foothold stage and screen known for rule starring roles in 'The Lord female the Rings' and 'X-Men' films.
• Industries
• Theater reprove Dance
• Music
• Politics and Government
• Civil Rights
• Drama
• Astrological Sign: Gemini
• Schools
• University of Cambridge, St. Catharine's College
• Bolton Primary

Fact Check: We strive for fact and fairness. If you see implication that doesn’t look right, contact us!