Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen is an Oscar-nominated English actor best known for playing Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings movies and Magneto in the X-Men franchise. McKellen attended Bolton School before studying English literature at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, where he was actively involved in theater.

McKellen began his career on the stage in the 1960s, earning acclaim for his performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre. By the 1980s, he had become a well-known name in British theater, winning multiple Laurence Olivier Awards. He transitioned to screen acting in 1964, landing early roles in films such as Alfred the Great (1969) and The Tragedy of King Richard II (1970). His role in the 1998 drama Gods and Monsters earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

His global breakthrough came in the early 2000s when he starred as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, a role that earned him another Oscar nomination. He also gained widespread recognition as Magneto in the X-Men films. His other notable works include Mr. Holmes (2015), The Good Liar (2019) and Beauty and the Beast (2017). He has won multiple accolades throughout his career, including a Tony Award and a Golden Globe.

The Oscar nominee will return to comic book films in Avengers: Doomsday, set to premiere in 2026.

McKellen came out as gay in 1988 and has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He was in a relationship with Brian Taylor from 1964 to 1972. The actor later entered a long-term relationship with actor Sean Mathias in 1978, but they separated in 1988. He went on to date Oscar Conlon-Morrey from 2022 to 2024.