Ian Murray McKellen . His parents, Denis and Margery, soon moved with Ian and his sister Jean to the mill town of Wigan. It was in this small town that young Ian rode out World War II. He soon developed a fascination with acting and the theater, which was encouraged by his parents.
They would take him to plays, those by William Shakespeare, in particular. The amateur school productions fostered Ian's growing passion for theatre. When Ian was of age to begin attending school, he made sure to get roles in all of the productions.
At Bolton School in
particular, he developed his skills early on. Indeed, his first role in a
Shakespearian play was at Bolton, as Malvolio in "Twelfth Night". Ian
soon began attending Stratford-upon-Avon theater festivals, where he saw
the greats perform: Laurence Olivier, Wendy Hiller, John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson and Paul Robeson.
He continued his education in English Drama, but soon it fell by the
wayside as he concentrated more and more on performing. He eventually
obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1961, and began his career in earnest.
McKellen began working in theatre over the next few years. Very few
people knew of Ian's homosexuality; he saw no reason to go public, nor
had he told his family. They did not seem interested in the subject and
so he saw no reason to bring it up. In 1988, Ian publicly came out of
the closet on the BBC Radio 4 program, while discussing Margaret Thatcher's
"section 28" legislation which would make the "public promotion of
homosexuality" a crime. It was reason enough for McKellen to take a
stand, and he has been active in the Gay Rights movement ever since.
Ian currently resides in Limehouse, where he lives with his current lover of 8 years, Sean Mathias. The two worked together on the film Bent (1997). To this day, McKellen works mostly in theater, and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II
in 1990 for his efforts in the arts. However, he has managed to make
several quite successful forays into film. He has appeared in several
productions of Shakespeare's works including his well received Ricardo III
(1995), and in a variety of other movies. However, it has only been
recently that his star has finally begun to shine in the eyes of North
American audiences. Roles in various films, La hija de Robert Poste (1995), Verano de corrupción (1998) and Dioses y monstruos
(1998), riveted audiences. The latter, in particular, created a
sensation in Hollywood, and McKellen's role garnered him several of
awards and nominations, including a Golden Globe and an Oscar nod.
McKellen continues to work extensively on stage... solidifying his role
as Laurence Olivier's worthy successor, having recently scored hits in the London productions of "Peter Pan" and Noel Coward's "Present Laughter".
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Peacham
They would take him to plays, those by William Shakespeare, in particular. The amateur school productions fostered Ian's growing passion for theatre. When Ian was of age to begin attending school, he made sure to get roles in all of the productions.
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Peacham
Trade Mark
Rich yet flawless voice, combined with Shakespearean bearing
Trivia
He was awarded Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in 1990 for his services to drama.
Has played the vampire in the music video "Heart" by Pet Shop Boys.
Originated the role of Antonio Salieri in the Broadway production of "Amadeus".
Had a tattoo of the Elvish character for 9 along with all the other members of the fellowship in El señor de los anillos: La comunidad del anillo (2001).
Is a vegetarian.
Was offered the part of Mission Commander Swanbeck in M.I.-2 (Misión imposible 2) (2000). He was not able to accept the role, due to a prior theatre engagement in London. The part eventually went to Anthony Hopkins.
Has played Maggie Smith in a "Weekend Update" skit on an episode of Saturday Night Live (1975) that he hosted.
While being a guest on Jay Leno (December 26, 2003), he said that he had not seen X-Men 2 (2003) when it opened in theaters, he only saw it when the DVD hit the stores. He then called up Bryan Singer
and asked, "Is there going to be X-Men 3?" Singer replied, "Yes". In
his excitement, he got Singer six theater tickets to go see El señor de los anillos: El retorno del rey (2003). As it turned out, X-Men. La decisión final (2006) would not be directed by Singer.
The original Lord of the Rings books, and X-Men comics, both
feature a character named Sauron, and a book entitled "The Return of the
King". The X-Men graphic novel "The Return of the King" is,
appropriately, about the return of Magneto.
He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1985 (1984 season) for Best Actor in a Revival for "Wild Honey".
He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1991 (1990 season) for Best Actor in "Richard III" at the Royal National Theatre.
Began acting as a means of escape from mourning after his mother's
death and constant bullying at school from fellow students.
He was awarded the 1989 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Othello".
He was awarded the 1984 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Coriolanus".
Graduated with a 2:2 in English from Cambridge University.
Studied at St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, when he was 18, with Sir Derek Jacobi, and with whom he had been "desperately in love", as he confessed on Inside the Actors Studio
(1994). In an article in "The Advocate", issue dated December 11, 2001,
he further explained that what he had felt for Jacobi in their youth
was "a passion that was undeclared and unrequited".
Originally aspired to be a journalist.
Was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford Upon Avon, England.
Wore a prosthetic nose to play Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Has played cult characters in two of the biggest franchises; he
played Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Magneto in the X-Men
film series.
Won Broadway's 1981 Tony Award as Best Actor (Play) for originating the role of Antonio Salieri in "Amadeus". He was nominated in the same category in 1984 for "Ian McKellen Acting Shakespeare".
He used the phrase "old friend" in both the X-Men film series and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In both cases (to Christopher Lee as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings and Patrick Stewart as Xavier in X-Men) it is said to an ally who has become a nemesis and "old friend" is said mockingly.
Has worked with two Faramirs. Prior to appearing in the Lord of the Rings films with David Wenham, he appeared in the film Plenty (1985), with Andrew Seear. Seear played Faramir in the BBC radio adaptation, opposite Ian Holm.
Was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company at the same time as Patrick Stewart.
Like his El código Da Vinci
(2006) character, Sir Leigh Teabing, he has been knighted. As such,
prior to being cast, he spotted two errors in the book's portrayal of
Knighthood. Knights neither receive ID badges nor are granted any of the
special privileges Teabing demands as a result of Knighthood.
Only performer to receive an acting Academy Award nomination for Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Has appeared in the Lord of the Rings and X-Men, both of which
required a lead character to be recast soon after production started. In
the Lord of the Rings, Stuart Townsend was replaced by Viggo Mortensen, and in X-Men (2000), Dougray Scott was replaced by Hugh Jackman.
Says the same line, "The war has begun", in the trailers of both the major, unrelated blockbusters X-Men 2 (2003) and El señor de los anillos: Las dos torres (2002).
When he appeared on "Desert Island Discs" (the long-running BBC
radio program that asks prominent people what eight pieces of music they
would take to a deserted island), the pieces he chose were: 1. "Stars
and Stripes Forever" (John Philip Sousa) performed by Vladimir Horowitz;
2. Part of "Adagio for Strings" (Barber) performed by the Philharmonia
Orchestra conducted by Geoffrey Simon; 3. Part of 2nd movement of Late
Quartet No.13 in B flat Opus 130 (Ludwig van Beethoven) performed by the Lindsay String Quartet; 4. "Rose's Turn" (Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim) performed by Ethel Merman; 5. "Stormy Weather" (Koehler/Arlen) performed by Lena Horne; 6. "Mississippi Goddam" (Nina Simone)
performed by Simone; 7. "Harrison's Clocks (Birtwhistle) performed by
Joanna McGregor; 8. "Dancing Queen" (B. Andersson/S.Andersson/Ulvaeus)
performed by ABBA; His one allowed book was "A Dictionary of Flora and Fauna", and his luxury was a grand piano.
He was awarded the Companion of Honour in the 2008 Queen's New
Year's Honours List for his services to the gay and entertainment
community.
Is good friends with Monica Lewinsky. The two met at the The 71st Annual Academy Awards (1999). She accompanied him to the London premiere of Dioses y monstruos (1998).
Ranked #45 in the 2008 Telegraph's list "the 100 most powerful people in British culture".
Was Head boy at Bolton School.
Had not read either "The Golden Compass" (aka "Northern Lights") by Philip Pullman, or any of the Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien before he was cast in the movie adaptations.
Played Magneto in three consecutive films - the only other actors
to play comic book criminals in three films, as of 2008, are James Franco as Harry Osborn, Gene Hackman as Lex Luthor and his X-Men (2000) co-star, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique.
Received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster on February 3, 2013.
Had Maggie Smith play his mother in Ricardo III
(1995), and then played her on an episode of "Saturday Night Live". In
the BBC Radio production of "Goldfinger", he worked with her real son, Toby Stephens. Smith's former husband, Sir Robert Stephens, also played Aragorn in the BBC Radio version of "The Lord of the Rings".
Has English, Northern Irish, and Scottish ancestry.
At 74 years old, he is the oldest actor to be cast in the role of Sherlock Holmes.
Revealed in December 2012 that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
London E14, England [December 2007]
Personal Quotes
[on his first theatre experience, "Peter Pan"] I wasn't
over-impressed. For one thing it wasn't a real crocodile and I could see
the wires.
I think it's one thing to declare your sexuality, if you care
about what that is. It's another thing to start talking in public about
what you do in private and who you do it with. It's not that they [my
significant others] don't want to be identified as gay, but that they
don't want to be identified as ... with me.
When I, as Gandalf, meet Bilbo or Frodo at home, I bump my head on the rafters. [J.R.R. Tolkien] didn't think to mention it.
I am encouraged by the theatricality of [J.R.R. Tolkien's]
readings - full of rhythm and humor and characterization. Without
question Gandalf is like Tolkien but then so, I suspected, are Frodo and
Aragorn.
I've had enough of being a gay icon! I've had enough of all this
hard work, because, since I came out, I keep getting all these parts,
and my career's taken off. I want a quiet life. I'm going back into the
closet. But I can't get back into the closet, because it's absolutely
jam-packed full of other actors.
Acting is no longer about lying. It's now about revealing the
truth. People are at ease with me now. Honesty is the best policy.
"The Lord of the Rings" is a mythology, it is a fairy tale, it's
an adventure story. It never happened. Except somewhere in our hearts.
It wasn't exactly a mistake, but if there's anything I regret,
it's probably having disguised my own native accent. Actors of my
generation all tended to speak RP [received pronunciation]. Of course,
it's all different now and drama students are encouraged to keep their
regional accents and be able to do RP when required. Even at the BBC
these days there's no standardised accent, and I rather think that's a
good thing.
[12/5/03, on initially thinking it crazy to release the LOTR
trilogy 12 months apart] I thought people wouldn't remember what
happened a year ago. But I hadn't factored that they would be so
successful at the box office, and that so many people would buy the DVD
and videos in between the release of each film. I had thought the whole
enterprise was doomed, because of the release pattern. I'm very happy to
have been proved wrong.
They didn't call it marriage, although you can call it anything
you want. The one thing you cannot mention is God, that is absolutely
verboten. I suppose I'm a bit mean-spirited, but I really can't see why
the government couldn't just say gay people can get married - that would
have been true equality and so much simpler. But that hasn't been done
because they couldn't face the furore. So they've passed a law that is
not available to straight people - straight people cannot have a civil
partnership, they have to get married - extraordinary.
Nobody has ever looked to Hollywood for social advance. Hollywood
is a dream factory. I love the way that conservatives think that
Hollywood is a bed of radicalism - it couldn't be more staid and
old-ladyship if it tried. The audience don't give a blind whatever about
the sexuality of actors. Gay people fancy straight people and
vice-versa. It's all in the head, so what does it matter? You're not
going to meet 'Heath Ledger'. You're not going to find out . . . It's
the image you're looking at and falling in love with. There will be
girls who go and see those two unhappy gay cowboys and go home and have
fantasy dreams about them. Lovely!
I don't make much distinction between being a stand-up comic and
acting Shakespeare - in fact, unless you're a good comedian, you're
never going to be able to play Hamlet properly.
I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer at the front
saying, "This is fiction." I mean, walking on water? I mean, it takes
an act of faith.
It is very, very, very difficult for an American actor who wants a
film career to be open about his sexuality. And even more difficult for
a woman if she's lesbian. It's very distressing to me that that should
be the case. The film industry is very old fashioned in California.
In theatre, I have been able to take parts I didn't think I could
do - you have time to rehearse and learn. In movies, they want you to do
what they know you can do - there isn't the time.
I looked down from my terrace hanging over the Thames one morning.
It was low tide and there, stranded on the pebbles, was a four-legged
corpse - hairless, white and bloated. Was it a calf or a sheep or a goat
or a dog? I stared at it until the tide rose and washed it away. For 24
hours I was off my food. When I started eating again, I couldn't face
meat - fresh or tinned. Overnight I was vegetarian and I have been for
15 years or more. I've seen the pictures of factory farming and followed
the politics of mad cow disease and felt effortlessly superior. Yet
it's not reason or conscience that keeps me off meat and fowl--and these
days fish, too--just a memory of that unidentifiable, decomposing body
on the beach.
When I act, some people fancy me and some of them are women. There
we are! What's the problem? They don't believe me when I say I am in
love with a woman?...They don't believe me when I say I am a wizard?
They believe me even though they know I am not. It's all nonsense.
Everyone knows we are acting. [In a Reuters interview, responding to
those who say that gay actors shouldn't come out because then no one
will find them believable in romantic scenes with actors of the opposite
gender.]
I often get mistaken for 'Dumbledore'. One wizard is very much like another.
[on 'coming out' as being gay] I immediately felt better in every
way. I felt relieved that I wasn't lying. You know, when I was growing
up in England, there were no gay clubs I knew about. There were no bars.
Homosexuals were shamed publicly and imprisoned. You were on your own,
looking over your shoulder all the time, hoping in the handshake of a
stranger that he might be somebody gay. The first film role I
deliberately chose to play after I came out was a raging heterosexual,
John Profumo. I was just a little bit worried about whether I could
carry out the bed scenes.
Peter [Jackson] and I were just so thrilled that Gandalf the White
wasn't in 'The Hobbit'. We prefer Gandalf the Grey. He can have a smoke
and a drink and a chat , and do a few little tricks. It was a great
relief.
I like fantasy movies, I like musicals, I like variety shows, I
like Tony Bennett - it's all the same to me. The fact that some things
are more popular than others doesn't make them better, and it certainly
doesn't make them worse.
I get offered a lot of parts that require long beards. I've turned down God on a number of occasions.
[at a reunion, to observer Michael Fassbender] I just want to say
how lovely it is to be back in California. I feel safe here now that
you've got rid of Proposition 8. I'm looking for a husband. It's great
to meet you Michael.
Salary
| The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) | £4.000.000 |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) | £5.000.000 |
(Gifs and photos: source_Tumblr and google) birthdays
