Ian McKellen
Known for: Acting
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.
Filmography
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self - Guest
2015
Series
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Self
2015
Series
The Simpsons
Ian McKellen (voice)
1989
Series
Family Guy
Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice)
1999
Series
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen
Self - Guest
2009
Series
Late Night with Seth Meyers
Self - Guest
2014
Series
Sesame Street
Self
1969
Series
Late Show with David Letterman
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host
1975
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self - Guest
2007
Series
The Graham Norton Show
Self
2007
Series
Real Time with Bill Maher
Self
2003
Film
Avengers: Doomsday
Magneto
2026
Series
Coronation Street
Mel Hutchwright
1960
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
Gandalf
2003
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Gandalf
2001
Series
The View
Self - Guest
1997
Series
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
Self
2003
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers
Gandalf
2002
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Presenter
1944
Series
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner
1944
Series
Tony Awards
Self - Winner
1956
Film
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
Gandalf the Grey
2014
Series
The One Show
Self - Guest
2006
Series
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Self - Guest
1993
Series
Have I Got News for You
Self
1990
Series
The Talk
Self
2010
Series
ted
Narrator (voice)
2024
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Captain Plume
1965
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Simon Bliss
1965
Series
BBC Play of the Month
Ross / T.E. Lawrence
1965
Series
BBC Play of the Month
George Tesman
1965
Series
Playhouse
Alexander
1974
Series
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Self
2014
Film
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Magneto
2014
Film
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Gandalf the Grey
2012
Film
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Gandalf the Grey
2013
Series
The Wednesday Play
Wolf
1964
Series
American Playhouse
Archibald Anson Gidde
1982
Series
The Oscars
Self
1953
Film
Beauty and the Beast
Cogsworth
2017
Series
Omnibus
Self - Reading Poetry
1967
Series
Parkinson
Self
1998
Film '72
Self
1971
Series
Who Do You Think You Are?
Self
2004
Film
The Da Vinci Code
Sir Leigh Teabing
2006
Film
Flushed Away
The Toad (voice)
2006
Series
TFI Friday
1996
Series
ITV Playhouse
Tony
1967
Series
The Paul O'Grady Show
2004
Series
An Audience with...
Self
1978
Series
Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway
Self
2002
Series
ITV Saturday Night Theatre
Lyov
1969
Series
Extras
Ian McKellen
2005
Film
The Golden Compass
Iorek Byrnison (voice)
2007
Film
Ebenezer
Jacob Marley
2026
Film
Stardust
Narrator (voice)
2007
Film
Last Action Hero
Death
1993
Film
Mr. Holmes
Sherlock Holmes
2015
Series
Reunited Apart
Self
2020
Series
Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras
Self
1994
Series
Trailblazer Honors
Self - Speaker
2014
Film
Cats
Gus, the Theatre Cat
2019
Film
The Shadow
Dr. Reinhardt Lane
1994
Series
HARDtalk
1997
Film
The Christophers
Julian Sklar
2026
Series
Vicious
Freddie Thornhill
2013
Film
The Keep
Dr. Theodore Cuza
1983
Series
David Copperfield
Creakle
1999
Series
Tales of the City
Archibald Anson Gidde
1993
Film
Apt Pupil
Kurt Dussander
1998
Series
The Prisoner
2 / Curtis
2009
Film
The Wolverine
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)
2013
Film
The Good Liar
Roy Courtnay
2019
Film
The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum
Gandalf
2027
Series
Perspectives
2011
Film
Animal Crackers
Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
2018
Series
Country Matters
David Masterman
1972
Film
The Critic
Jimmy Erskine
2024
Film
Richard III
Richard III
1995
Film
Asylum
Dr. Peter Cleave
2005
Series
Playing Shakespeare
1984
Film
All Is True
Earl of Southampton
2018
Film
The Dresser
Norman
2015
David Copperfield
David Copperfield
1966
Film
The Magic Roundabout
Zebedee (voice)
2005
Film
Scandal
John Profumo
1989
Film
Six Degrees of Separation
Geoffrey
1993
Film
X-Men: The Mutant Watch
Self - 'Magneto'
2000
Film
Dragfox
Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)
2024
Film
Beyond the Movie: The Return of the King
Self
2003
Film
Bent
Uncle Freddie
1997
Film
Gods and Monsters
James Whale
1998
Film
Infinitum: Subject Unknown
Dr. Charles Marland-White
2021
Film
The Wolverine: Path of a Ronin
Self
2013
Film
Gladio
Aldo Moro (voice)
1992
Series
Amol Rajan Interviews
Self - Interviewed Guest
2021
Film
And the Band Played On
Bill Kraus
1993
Series
Billy & Dom Eat the World
Self
2025
Film
The Betty Driver Story
Self
2011
Film
King Lear
King Lear
2008
Film
Restoration
Will Gates
1995
Film
The Roof
And Even Yet Another Fan
2016
Film
Plenty
Sir Andrew Charleson
1985
Film
The Untold Tales of Armistead Maupin
Self
2017
Film
The Scarlet Pimpernel
Chauvelin
1982
Film
X-Men: Premieres Around the World
Self
2003
Film
Rasputin
Tsar Nicholas II
1996
Film
The Making of 'The Two Towers'
Self
2006
Series
Pillar of Fire
Narrator
1981
Series
Windmills of the Gods
Chairman
1988
Film
Jack & Sarah
William
1995
Film
On Broadway
Self
2019
Film
I'll Do Anything
John Earl McAlpine
1994
Film
Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet
2020
Film
Muse of Fire
Self
2013
Solo
1970
Film
Neverwas
Gabriel Finch
2005
The Promise
1969
Film
Doogal
Zebedee (voice)
2006
Film
Doctor Who: The Snowmen
The Great Intelligence (voice)
2012
Film
Ringers: Lord of the Fans
Self
2005
Film
The Making of 'The Return of the King'
Self
2006
Film
Quest for the Ring
Self
2001
Film
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot
Self
2013
Film
Cold Comfort Farm
Amos Starkadder
1995
Film
Evolution X - The Making of X-Men
2003
Film
Swept from the Sea
Dr. James Kennedy
1998
Film
An Evening with Lily Savage
Self
1996
Film
Priest of Love
D.H. Lawrence
1981
Play the Devil: Making Richard III
2016
Film
Emile
Emile
2003
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: From Book to Script
Self
2002
Film
A Touch of Love
George
1969
Film
Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love
Narrator (voice)
2001
Film
Alfred the Great
Roger
1969
Film
Shakespeare Live! From the RSC
Self - Performer
2016
Film
The Ballad of Little Jo
Percy Corcoran
1993
Film
Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare
1982
Film
National Theatre Live: King Lear
King Lear
2018
Series
Churchill
Self - Narrator (voice)
2003
Film
X-Men
Magneto
2000
Film
Passage to Middle-Earth: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings'
Self
2001
Frank and Percy
Percy
Film
Zina
Kronfeld
1985
Film
Frodo Is Great... Who Is That?!!
Self
2004
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: Cameras in Middle-earth
Self
2002
Film
Theatreland
Self
2009
Film
Schadenfreude
Continuity Announcer
2025
Film
Hating Peter Tatchell
Self
2021
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: Scale
Self
2002
Film
Macbeth
Macbeth
1979
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: Designing and Building Middle-earth + Weta Workshop + Costume Design
Self
2002
Film
Judi Dench: All the World's Her Stage
Self
2016
Film
X-Men: The Last Stand
Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
2006
Shakespeare on Film
2016
Film
Knights of Classic Drama at the BBC
Self (archive footage)
2015
The Art of Breaking Character
Self
2007
Film
Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness
2025
Film
A Filmmaker's Journey: Making 'The Return of the King'
Self
2004
Film
Nelson Mandela Redrawn
Self
2014
Film
The Tragedy of King Richard II
King Richard II
1970
Film
Beyond the Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring
Self
2001
Film
McKellen: Playing the Part
Self
2018
Film
Eighteen
Jason Anders (voice)
2005
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Road Goes Ever On..
Self
2002
Film
Edward II
King Edward
1970
Film
Hamlet
Hamlet
2024
Film
The Quest Fulfilled: A Director's Vision
Self
2003
Film
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
Alexander Ivanov
1979
Film
The Egg Trick
Magician
2013
Graceless Go I
Tony
1974
Hedda Gabler
George Tesman
1972
Series
Inside the Actors Studio
Self
1994
Film
National Theatre Live: No Man's Land
Spooner
2016
Film
Countdown to War
Adolf Hitler
1989
Film
The Life and Death of Lily Savage
Self
2024
Film
The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved
2024
Series
Great British Theatre
2021
Film
The Second Uncanny Issue of X-Men! Making X2
Self
2003
Film
Hamlet Within
2022
Film
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man
Narrator (voice)
2000
Film
The Fellowship of the Ring: The Fellowship of the Cast
Self
2002
Film
A World War II Fairy Tale: The Making of Michael Mann's 'The Keep'
Self (archive footage)
2025
Film
Double Take: Xavier & Magneto
Self
2014
Film
Age of Dissent
Self
1994
Film
Freedom: 50 Years of Pride
Self
2022
Film
LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes
L S Lowry
2026
Film
X2
Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto
2003
Film
A Simple Matter of Justice
Self
1993
Film
Scarfe's Follies
1988
Film
The World of Gods and Monsters: A Journey with James Whale
Self
1999
Film
Walter
Walter
1982
Film
Miss in Her Teens
The Prologue
2014
Untitled Anthony Hopkins Documentary
Self
Film
Hamlet
Hamlet
1970
Film
The Paul O'Grady Story
Self
2017
Film
Walter and June
Walter
1983
Film
Small-Time Revolutionary
Hamish Miller (voice)
2010
Film
Süleyman the Magnificent
Narrator
1987
Film
Edmund the Magnificent
Self - Narrator (voice)
2017
Film
Quintessentially British
Self
2022
Film
The Hobart Shakespeareans
Self
2005
Film
Stonewall 25: Global Voices of Pride and Protest
Self
1994
Film
David Macaulay: Roman City
Augustus Caesar (voice)
1994
Film
Now You See Him: 'The Invisible Man' Revealed!
Self
2000
Film
Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU
2020
Film
All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film
Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)
2016
For the Love of God
The Jackdaw
2007
Film
London 2012: Paralympics Opening Ceremony
Self
2012
Craven Arms
David Masterman
1972
Film
Surviving Friendly Fire
1997
Film
Othello
Iago
1990
Film
After Stonewall
Self
1999
Film
Looking for Lowry
Self
2011
Film
To Die For
Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
1994
Film
How a Kite Flies
Mr. Kite (voice)
2017
Film
Camp Christmas
1993
Film
The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
Wolf
1965
Film
Guerrilla Distribution
Self
2007
Film
A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation
Narrator (voice)
2010
Film
A Bit Of Scarlet
Narrator
1997
Dying Day
Antony Skipling
1980
Richard II
Richard II
No Man's Land
Spooner
Film
My First Time
Narrator
2004
Dragged Through Time
2025
Film
The One Note Man
Narrator (voice)
2023
Film
Saint of 9/11
Narrator
2006
Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen
2016
Film
Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is?
2004
Film
Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up
Narration (voice)
1993