Ian McKellen is an English stage and screen actor. He is the recipient of seven Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Academy Award nominations, four BAFTA nominations and five Emmy Award nominations. McKellen's work spans genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. His notable film roles include Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies, Magneto in the X-Men films, Sir Leigh Teabing in The Da Vinci Code (2006), Sherlock Holmes in Mr. Holmes (2015) and Cogsworth in the live-action adaptation of Beauty and the Beast (2017).
Theatre
Filmography
Film
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | The Indian Tales of Rudyard Kipling | Plowden | Episode: "The Tomb of His Ancestors" |
| 1965 | The Wednesday Play | Wolf | Episode: "The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne" |
| 1966 | David Copperfield | David Copperfield | 9 episodes |
| 1970 | Solo | John Keats | Episode: "Ian McKellen as John Keats" |
| 1972 | Country Matters | David Masterman | Episode: "Craven Arms" |
| 1978 | Jackanory | Reader | 5 episodes reading "The Moon in the Cloud" |
| 1980 | Armchair Thriller | Anthony Skipling | 4-episode story: "Dying Day" |
| 1981 | Pillar of Fire | Narrator | Documentary |
| 1988 | Windmills of the Gods | Chairman | 2 episodes |
| 1993 | Tales of the City | Archibald Anson Gidde | Miniseries, episodes 3 and 5 |
| 1999 | David Copperfield | Mr. Creakle | 2 episodes |
| 2002 | Saturday Night Live | Himself (host) | Episode: "Ian McKellen/Kylie Minogue" |
| 2003 | The Simpsons | Himself | Voice Episode: "The Regina Monologues" |
| 2005 | Coronation Street | Mel Hutchwright/Lionel Hipkiss | 10 episodes |
| 2006 | Extras | Himself | Episode: "Sir Ian McKellen" |
| 2009 | The Prisoner | Number Two | 6 episodes |
| 2012 | Doctor Who | The Great Intelligence | Voice Episode: "The Snowmen" |
| 2013–2016 | Vicious | Freddie Thornhill | 14 episodes |
| 2018 | Family Guy | Dr. Cecil Pritchfield | Voice Episode: "Send in Stewie, Please" |
| 2024 | Ted | Narrator | 2 episodes |
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Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers | Gandalf | Voice |
| 2003 | The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King | ||
| 2004 | The Lord of the Rings: The Third Age | ||
| The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth | |||
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Music
- In 1987, McKellen appeared reciting Shakespeare while rock group The Fleshtones improvised behind him on Andy Warhol's Fifteen Minutes which ran on MTV.
- Vampire in the music video "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys
- The man who's "falling out of reach" in the music video "Falling Out of Reach" by Guillemots
- Appears on the Scissor Sisters track "Invisible Light" from their 2010 album Night Work, reciting a passage regarding the "Invisible Light" of the title.
- Appeared as himself alongside George Ezra in the latter's music video for "Listen to the Man". Whilst Ezra is singing his song, McKellen joins in and lip-syncs Ezra's voice.
Music videos
| Year | Artist | Song |
|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Pet Shop Boys | "Heart" |
| 2014 | George Ezra | "Listen to the Man" |
Audiobooks
- Audiobook narrator of Michelle Paver's series Wolf Brother, Spirit Walker, Soul Eater, Outcast, Oath Breaker, and Ghost Hunter, as well as a version of Homer's Odyssey.
See also
References
- Barratt 2005, p. 233.
- ^ "Filmography: McKellen, Ian". Film & Television Database. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 8 May 2009. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- "The Laurence Olivier Awards: full list of winners 1976-2008" (PDF). Official London Theatre. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- "Sir Ian McKellen | Acting Awards, Honours, and Appointments". Sir Ian McKellen Official Website. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
- Barratt 2005, pp. 232–33.
- Ian McKellen at Behind the Voice Actors Retrieved 2015-01-02.
- "Ian McKellen by Andy Warhol (1928–1987)". Christie's. n.d. Retrieved 16 April 2018.
- "Ian Mckellen in Heart Album". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Barnett, Laura (23 April 2008). "Ian Mckellen reads 'Falling Out of Reach'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Martin, Dan (14 April 2010). "Scissor Sisters collaborate with Ian McKellen: Lord of the Rings actor appears on final track of Scissor Sisters' long-awaited third album, Night Work". The Observer. London. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 11 December 2016.
- Graham, Daniella (29 October 2014). "Sir Ian McKellen totally outshines George Ezra in Listen to the Man video". Metro. Archived from the original on 16 November 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2014.
- "Ian McKellen reads Chronicles of Ancient Darkness". TheGuardian.com. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Arnold, Sue (19 November 2005). "Ian McKellen reads Spirit Walker". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Arnold, Sue (8 August 2008). "Ian McKellen reads Soul Eater". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- "Ian McKellen reads Outcast". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- "McKellen reads Oath Breaker". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- "McKellen reads Ghost Hunter". Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
- Ward, David (22 December 2006). "McKellen reading The Odyssey". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 8 January 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
Sources
- Barratt, Mark (2005). Ian McKellen: An Unofficial Biography. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-7535-1074-2.