Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

(* 1939)

Biographical Sketch

Sir Ian Murray McKellen, CH, CBE (born Burnley, Lancashire, England, May 25, 1939) is an English actor. He is the recipient of six Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BIF Award, two Saturn Awards, four Drama Desk Awards and two Critics’ Choice Awards. He has also received two Academy Award nominations, four BAFTA nominations and five Emmy Award nominations.

A longstanding alumnus of the Royal Shakespeare Company and at home of the great stages of Britain, the U.S. and theatres around the world, as much as in Hollywood’s major film studios, McKellen’s work spans genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction; and his performances have long since guaranteed him a place in the canon of English actors both on stage and on film. His best-known film roles include Richard III in his own and Richard Loncraine’s 1995 adaptation of Shakespeare’s play (he had previoiusly also starred in the same role in an acclaimed 1990 National Theatre production and two world and US tours in 1990 and 1992, respectively), Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, and Magneto in Bryan Singer’s X-Men films.

McKellen was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 for services to the performing arts, and was made a Companion of Honour for services to drama and to equality in the Queen’s 2008 New Year Honours. He has been openly gay since 1988, and continues to be a champion for LGBT social movements worldwide. He was made a Freeman of the City of London in October 2014.

Major Awards and Honors

Titles of the British Empire

1979: Commander of the British Empire
1991: Knight Bachelor

Titles of the British Commonwealth

2007: Order of the Companions of Honour – Companion of Honour

Golden Globe Awards
(Hollywood Foreign Press Association)

1996: Best Supporting Actor, Television – “Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny”

Screen Actors’ Guild Awards (USA)

2001: Outstanding Male Actor in a Supporting Role – “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”
2003: Outstanding Cast in a Motion Picture – “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

National Board of Review Awards (USA)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Critics’ Choice Awards (USA & Canada)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”
2003: Best Cast – “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”

Tony Awards (Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre) (USA)

1981: Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play – “Amadeus”

Drama Desk Awards (USA)

1974: Outstanding Performance – “King Lear”
1974: Outstanding Performance – “The Wood Demon”
1981: Outstanding Actor in a Play – “Amadeus”
1984: Outstanding One-Person Show – “Acting Shakespeare”
1987: Outstanding Actor in a Play – “Wild Honey”

Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards (USA)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Chicago Film Critics Association Awards (USA)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Toronto Film Critics Association Awards (USA)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Olivier Awards (Great Britain)

1977: Best Actor in a Revival – “Pillars of the Community”
1978: Best Comedy Performance – “The Alchemist”
1979: Best Actor in a New Play – “Bent”
1984: Best Actor in a Revival – “Wild Honey”
1991: Best Actor – “Richard III”
2006: Society of London Theatre Special Award

British Independent Film Awards

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Evening Standard Awards (Great Britain)

1984: Best Actor – “Coriolanus”
1989: Best Actor – “Othello”
2009: Lebedev Special Award

Empire Awards (Great Britain)

2010: Empire Icon Award

City of London

2014: Freeman of the City of London

European Film Awards

1995: Best Actor – “Richard III”

San Sebastián International Film Festival (Spain)

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Pride International Film Festival

2004: Lifetime Achievement & Distinction Award

Online Film Critics Society Award

1998: Best Actor – “Gods and Monsters”

Back Stage Garland Awards (USA)

1998: Outstanding Solo Performance – “A Knight Out in Los Angeles”

Saturn Awards (USA)

1998: Best Supporting Actor – “Apt Pupil”
2001: Best Supporting Actor – “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring”

CableACE Awards (USA)

1993: Best Supporting Actor, Miniseries / Movie – “And the Band Played On”

Annie Awards (USA)

2006: Voice Acting in a Feature Production – “Flushed Away”

Filmography

Movies

The Promise (1969)
– Role: Leonidik
Alfred the Great (1969)
– Role: Roger
A Touch of Love (1969)
– Role: George Matthews
Priest of Love (1981)
– Role: D. H. Lawrence
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
– Role: Chauvelin
The Keep (1983)
– Role: Dr. Theodore Cuza
Plenty (1985)
– Role: Sir Andrew Charleson
Zina (1985)
– Role: Arthur Kronfeld
Scandal (1989)
– Role: John Profumo
Six Degrees of Separation (1993)
– Role: Geoffrey Miller
The Ballad of Little Jo (1993)
– Role: Percy Corcoran
Last Action Hero (1993)
– Role: Death Cameo appearance
And the Band Played On (1993)
– Role: Bill Kraus
To Die For (1994)
– Role: Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)
The Shadow (1994)
– Role: Dr. Reinhardt Lane
I’ll Do Anything (1994)
– Role: John Earl McAlpine
Restoration (1995)
– Role: Will Gates
Richard III (1995)
– Role: Richard III
Jack and Sarah (1995)
– Role: William
Swept from the Sea (1997)
– Role: Dr. James Kennedy
Bent (1997)
– Role: Uncle Freddie
Gods and Monsters (1998)
– Role: James Whale
Apt Pupil (1998)
– Role: Kurt Dussander
X-Men (2000)
– Role: Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man (2000)
– Role: Narrator (voice)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
– Role: Gandalf the Grey
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
– Role: Gandalf the White
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
– Role: Gandalf the White
Emile (2003)
– Role: Emile
X2 (2003)
– Role: Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
Eighteen (2004)
– Role: Jason Anders (voice)
Neverwas (2005)
– Role: Gabriel Finch
Asylum (2005)
– Role: Dr. Peter Cleave
The Magic Roundabout (2005)
– Role: Zebedee (voice)
Flushed Away (2006)
– Role: The Toad (voice)
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
– Role: Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto
The Da Vinci Code (2006)
– Role: Sir Leigh Teabing
Stardust (2007)
– Role: Narrator (voice)
The Golden Compass (2007)
– Role: Iorek Byrnison (voice)
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
– Role: Gandalf the Grey
The Wolverine (2013)
– Role: Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited cameo)
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013)
– Role: Gandalf the Grey
Miss in Her Teens (2014)
– Role: The Prologue
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
– Role: Erik Lehnsherr/ Magneto
– Shared role with Michael Fassbender
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
– Role: Gandalf the Grey
Mr. Holmes (2015)
– Role: Sherlock Holmes
Animal Crackers (2017)
– Role: Horatio P. Huntington (voice)
Beauty and the Beast (2017)
– Role: Cogsworth

Television

The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling (1964)
– Role: Plowden
Sunday Out of Season (1965)
– Role: Victor Leech
The Wednesday Play (1965)
– Role: Wolf; episode The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne
David Copperfield (1966)
– Role: David Copperfield
Solo (1970)
– Role: John Keats
Edward II (1970)
– Role: King Edward
Hamlet (1970)
– Role: Hamlet
Ross: The Reticent Hero (1970)
– Role: T.E. Lawrence
The Tragedy of King Richard II (1971)
– Role: King Richard II
Country Matters (1972)
– Role: David Masterman
Late Night Drama (1974)
Jackanory (1978)
– Role: Reader
Pillar of Fire (1981)
– Narrator; documentary.
The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
– Role: Paul Chauvelin
Walter (1982)
– Role: Walter
Countdown to War (1989)
– Role: Adolf Hitler
Cold Comfort Farm (1995)
– Role: Amos Starkadder; TV movie.
Rasputin: Dark Servant of Destiny (1996)
– Role: Nicholas II
David Copperfield (1999)
– Role: Mr. Creakle
The Simpsons (2003)
– Role: Himself (voice); episode The Regina Monologues
Coronation Street (2005)
– Role: Mel Hutchwright/Lionel Hipkiss, 10 episodes.
Extras (2006)
– Role: Himself
King Lear (2008)
– Role: King Lear
The Prisoner (2009)
– Role: Number Two
Doctor Who (2012)
– Role: The Great Intelligence; Doctor Who “The Snowmen”
The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot (2013)
– Role: Himself; BBC Red Button webcast
Vicious (2013-16)
– Role: Freddie Thornhill, 14 episodes.
The Dresser (2015)
– Role: Norman; TV movie.

Notable Stage Appearances

Much Ado About Nothing (Royal National Theatre / Old Vic, London, 1965)
Trelawny of the ‘Wells’ (National Theatre, London & Chichester Festival, 1965)
The Promise (West End, London & Broadway, New York, 1967)
Edward II (Edinburgh Festival & West End, 1969)
– Role: Edward II
Hamlet ( UK / European Tour, 1971)
– Role: Hamlet
‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (UK Tour, 1972)
Dr. Faustus (Royal Shakespeare Company, Edinburgh Festival & Aldwych Theatre, London, 1974)
– Role: Dr. Faustus
King John (Royal Shakespeare Company, 1975)
Romeo and Juliet (Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon & London, 1976)
– Role: Romeo
The Winter’s Tale (Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon, 1976)
Macbeth (Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon & Young Vic, London, 1976-77)
– Role: Macbeth
The Alchemist (Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon & London, 1977)
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (Royal Shakespeare Company, Barbican Arts Centre, London, 1977)
Three Sisters (Royal Shakespeare Company, UK Tour, 1978)
Bent (Royal Court and Criterion, London, 1979)
– Role: Max
Acting Shakespeare (Copenhagen, 1980)
– Role: Himself
Amadeus (Broadway, New York, 1980)
– Role: Salieri
Coriolanus (National Theatre, London, 1984)
– Role: Coriolanus
Wild Honey (National Theatre, London, 1984 & Broadway, New York, 1986)
The Cherry Orchard (National Theatre, London, 1985)
– Role: Lopakhin
The Duchess of Malfi (National Theatre, London, 1985)
The Real Inspector Hound (National Theatre, London & Paris, 1985)
Othello (Royal Shakespeare Company, London & Stratford-upon-Avon, 1989)
– Role: Iago
Richard III (National Theatre, London & world tour, 1990 & US tour, 1992)
– Role: Richard III
Uncle Vanya (National Theatre, London, 1992)
– Role: Ivan Petrovich Voinitsky
Peter Pan (National Theatre, London, 1997)
– Role: Mr. Darling / Captain Hook
An Enemy of the People (National Theatre, London, 1997 & Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1998)
Present Laughter (West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, 1998)
Dance of Death (Broadhurst Theatre, New York, 2001 & Lyric Theatre, London, 2003)
Aladdin (Old Vic, London, 2004-05)
– Role: Widow Twankie
The Cut (Donmar Warehouse, London, 2006)
King Lear (Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 2007; New Zealand, 2007; Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, 2007; Minneapolis, 2007; New London Theatre, 2007–08)
– Role: King Lear
The Seagull (Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 2007; Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York, 2007; Minneapolis, 2007; New London Theatre, 2007–08)
– Role: Sorin
Waiting for Godot (Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, 2009-10; Comedy Theatre, Melbourne, Australia, 2010; Fugard Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa, 2010)
– Role: Estragon
The Syndicate (Chichester Festival, 2011)
No Man’s Land & Waiting for Godot (double bill) (Broadway, New York, 2013-14)
Letters Live (Freemasons Hall, 2015)
No Man’s Land (Wyndham’s, London, 2016)