Sir Ian Murray McKellen CH CBE (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor.
He has had a Tony Award and two Oscar nominations.
Ian McKellen | |
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Born | Ian Murray McKellen 25 May 1939 Burnley, Lancashire, England |
Education | St Catharine's College, Cambridge (BA) |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1958–present |
Partners |
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Website | mckellen |
McKellen was born on 25 May 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire. In 1939, he moved to Wigan. In 1951, he moved to Bolton.
His work has spanned genres from serious Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction movies.
In a television movie role in 1970 titled Edward II, he and his co-star, James Laurenson kissed in British television's first gay kiss.
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 appeared in The Hobbit movie series.
He is openly gay and is a prominent activist for the rights of LGBT people. He said that the reason why he took the role in the X-Men movies was because of his sexuality. He said: "Mutants are like gays. They’re cast out by society for no good reason".
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.
McKellen once signed an autograph to a fan stating "Fuck off, I’m gay." The person given the autograph was politician Michael Howard.
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