Ian Mckellen Bio (Biography)
Real name:
Ian Murray McKellen
Date of birth:
May 25. 1939
Place of birth:
Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
Astrology Sign:
Gemini
Height:
5' 11" (1.80 m)
Residence:
England
Hair color:
grey
Eye color:
blue
Fathers name:
Denis Murray McKellen
Mothers name:
Margery Lois McKellen
Tags:
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Biography
Ian McKellen is an award winning English stage and film actor. He is best known for the role of Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and as Magneto in the X-Men trilogy. He has also won a Tony award for his stage roles.
Ian McKellen was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England on May 25, 1939. He was raised primarily in Wigan. His mother died with he was twelve years of age; thereafter his father raised Ian and his sister. His father died when he was 24 years old. Showing an early interest in acting, Ian McKellan began acting in local productions at the Bolton Little Theatre. He later won a scholarship to St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge.
In 1961 he made his stage debut, he appeared for the first time in a West End production in 1964. His big break cam in 1969 with his portrayal of Kind Edward II in the play Edward II. In 1972 he formed the Actors' Company, to speak for other actors. He continued appearing on stage in roles from Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and The Alchemist. In 1979, he made his Broadway debut in the play Bent. In 1980, he appeared in the Broadway production of Amadeus for which he won a Tony Award.
In addition to roles on stage, Ian McKellen acting on screen beginning with the 1969 film A Touch of Love and the 1993 hit Six Degrees of Separation. He also played in the television movie And The Band Played On. His biggest film role was as the Magneto character in the X-Men trilogy of movies. He also starred in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Gandalf. He won awards from the Screen Actors Guild for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the first Lord of the Rings film.
Ian McKellen is openly gay and is active in the gay rights movement. He co-founded the Stonewall group, a gay rights lobbyist group in the United Kingdom. He is also active in the GAY-GLOS group.
Ian McKellen was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England on May 25, 1939. He was raised primarily in Wigan. His mother died with he was twelve years of age; thereafter his father raised Ian and his sister. His father died when he was 24 years old. Showing an early interest in acting, Ian McKellan began acting in local productions at the Bolton Little Theatre. He later won a scholarship to St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge.
In 1961 he made his stage debut, he appeared for the first time in a West End production in 1964. His big break cam in 1969 with his portrayal of Kind Edward II in the play Edward II. In 1972 he formed the Actors' Company, to speak for other actors. He continued appearing on stage in roles from Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth and The Alchemist. In 1979, he made his Broadway debut in the play Bent. In 1980, he appeared in the Broadway production of Amadeus for which he won a Tony Award.
In addition to roles on stage, Ian McKellen acting on screen beginning with the 1969 film A Touch of Love and the 1993 hit Six Degrees of Separation. He also played in the television movie And The Band Played On. His biggest film role was as the Magneto character in the X-Men trilogy of movies. He also starred in The Lord of the Rings trilogy as Gandalf. He won awards from the Screen Actors Guild for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for the first Lord of the Rings film.
Ian McKellen is openly gay and is active in the gay rights movement. He co-founded the Stonewall group, a gay rights lobbyist group in the United Kingdom. He is also active in the GAY-GLOS group.