History Creator / IanMcKellen

Sir Ian Murray [=McKellen=] [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] (born May 25, 1939) is a [[ShakespearianActors Shakespearean actor]], widely known for his roles as Gandalf in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy and ''Film/TheHobbit'', ''and'' Magneto in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'', as well as the title character in his 1995 SettingUpdate adaptation of Shakespeare's ''Film/RichardIII''. He also lent his voice to [[Film/TheGoldenCompass a certain polar bear]], and the Great Intelligence in the 2012 ''Series/DoctorWho'' ChristmasSpecial. He starred with Creator/DerekJacobi in a series called ''{{Series/Vicious}}'', a gay DomCom about [[GrowOldWithMe a long-partnered male couple]].

** 2001 ''The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring''
** 2002 ''The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers''
** 2003 ''The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King''

Sir Ian Murray [=McKellen=] [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] (born May 25, 1939) is a [[ShakespearianActors Shakespearean actor]], widely known for his roles as Gandalf in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy and ''Film/TheHobbit'', ''and'' Magneto in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' ([[http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sodageek.jpg get over it]]), as well as the title character in his 1995 SettingUpdate adaptation of Shakespeare's ''Film/RichardIII''. He also lent his voice to [[Film/TheGoldenCompass a certain polar bear]], and the Great Intelligence in the 2012 ''Series/DoctorWho'' ChristmasSpecial. He starred with Creator/DerekJacobi in a series called ''{{Series/Vicious}}'', a gay DomCom about [[GrowOldWithMe a long-partnered male couple]].

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights. He came out to the public in a BBC radio interview when the British government was in the process of passing [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 Section 28]], a law that effectively prohibited schools from even mentioning homosexuality in any sort of context to students (it was in force from 1988 to 2003). He notes that, although he'd been out to family, friends, and coworkers, coming out to the general public made him realize that he could suddenly access a new depth of emotion in his acting.

* 1998 ''Film/GodsAndMonsters'' as James Whale

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights. He came out to the public in a BBC radio interview when the British government tried to push through [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 Section 28]], a law that would have prohibited schools from even mentioning homosexuality in any sort of context to students. He notes that, although he'd been out to family, friends, and coworkers, coming out to the general public made him realize that he could suddenly access a new depth of emotion in his acting.

* BadassBaritone: He has an utterly magnificent voice.
* CoolOldGuy: Only someone as cool as Ian [=McKellen=] could pull off roles like Gandalf and Magneto. Also, the man himself is JustForFun/OneOfUs and by his own admission, [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0WvzRVByg just loves and can't stop singing George Ezra!]]
* DeadpanSnarker: In the classic British fashion, his characters tend to be given the wittiests lines. His friends and coworkers all attest that [=McKellen=] himself has an ''extremely'' dry sense of humor.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Sir Creator/PatrickStewart. Seriously, they're ''adorable'' together.
* IfItsYouItsOK: He has often joked about the fact that Creator/CateBlanchett is the [[http://ewebean.tumblr.com/post/67490889883/sir-ian-murray-mckellen-i-swear-to-god only woman]] he would happily [[http://middle-earth-madness.tumblr.com/post/136757261624/yaaaaaassss go straight for]] after he became incredibly enamored with her on the set of ''Film/TheHobbit''.
-->''"Her husband doesn't know but she and I are going to get married quite soon. Which will surprise a lot of people."''

* ThoseTwoGuys: With Creator/SylvesterMcCoy. They first worked togethered in ''King Lear'' and then in ''The Hobbit''.

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights, [[AvertedTrope averting]] NobodyOver50IsGay. He came out to the public in a BBC radio interview when the British government tried to push through [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 Section 28]], a law that would have prohibited schools from even mentioning homosexuality in any sort of context to students. He notes that, although he'd been out to family, friends, and coworkers, coming out to the general public made him realize that he could suddenly access a new depth of emotion in his acting.

* ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' as Magneto

* IfItsYouItsOK: He has often joked about the fact that Creator/CateBlanchett is the [[http://ewebean.tumblr.com/post/67490889883/sir-ian-murray-mckellen-i-swear-to-god only woman]] he would happily go [[http://middle-earth-madness.tumblr.com/post/136757261624/yaaaaaassss go straight for]] after he became incredibly enamored with her on the set of ''Film/TheHobbit''.

* CoolOldGuy: Only someone as cool as Ian [=McKellen=] could pull off roles like Gandalf and Magneto. Also, the man himself is OneOfUs and by his own admission, [[https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZS0WvzRVByg just loves and can't stop singing George Ezra!]]

* ActorAllusion: [[invoked]] His appearance on ''Series/HaveIGotNewsForYou'' had constant references to his role in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings''.

* EnforcedMethodActing: [[invoked]] He hosted ''Series/SaturdayNightLive,'' and in one sketch played Dame Maggie Smith, being interviewed on Weekend Update. At one point he asked Jimmy Fallon, "Kiss for luck?" Fallon leaned over, clearly expecting a peck on the cheek. Ian grabbed him and gave him an open-mouthed smooch right on the lips, leaving Fallon visibly stunned. It was ''hilarious.''

* MeanCharacterNiceActor: He's played Shakespeare villains, supervillains and a nazi but the man himself is an absolute sweetheart.

* 2000 – 2006; 2013 – 2014 ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' as Magneto

* 2001 – 2003 ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' as Gandalf

* 2012 – 2014 ''Film/TheHobbit'' as Gandalf
** 2012 ''Film/TheHobbitAnUnexpectedJourney''
** 2013 ''Film/TheHobbitTheDesolationOfSmaug''
** 2014 ''Film/TheHobbitTheBattleOfTheFiveArmies''

* 2006 ''Series/{{Extras}}'' as Ian [=McKellen=]

Sir Ian Murray [=McKellen=] [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] (born May 25, 1939) is a [[ShakespearianActors Shakespearean actor]], widely known for his roles as Gandalf in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy and ''Film/TheHobbit'', ''and'' [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesMagneto Magneto]] in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' ([[http://www.andpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/sodageek.jpg get over it]]), as well as the title character in his 1995 SettingUpdate adaptation of Shakespeare's ''Film/RichardIII''. He also lent his voice to [[Film/TheGoldenCompass a certain polar bear]], and the Great Intelligence in the 2012 ''Series/DoctorWho'' ChristmasSpecial. He starred with Creator/DerekJacobi in a series called ''{{Series/Vicious}}'', a gay DomCom about [[GrowOldWithMe a long-partnered male couple]].

* 2000 – 2006; 2013 – 2014 ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' as [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesMagneto Magneto]]

* CreatorBreakdown: A heartbreakingly literal but thankfully brief example while filming the Hobbit. Because the Hobbit movies were filmed in 3D, forced perspective couldn't be used to film Gandalf together with smaller characters. Instead, Sir Ian had to act entirely alone, in a featureless green screen room, directing his lines to a stick with a picture of a dwarf on it. A particularly long and gruelling day of this broke him, and the cameras captured him sobbing and saying, "this is not why I became an actor." Peter Jackson and the rest of the crew tried to make it up to him by building a fairly swank Gandalf-tent on set for him, which he thoroughly appreciated. The whole ordeal is documented in the behind-the-scenes material on the extended edition DVDs, but making Sir Ian cry is still probably the worst of the Hobbit trilogy's many sins.

* 1996 ''[[RasputinTheMadMonk Rasputin]]'' as Czar Nicholas II

Sir Ian Murray [=McKellen=] [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever CBE]] (born May 25, 1939) is a [[ShakespearianActors Shakespearean actor]], widely known for his roles as Gandalf in ''Film/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy and ''Film/TheHobbit'', ''and'' [[Characters/XMenFilmSeriesMagneto Magneto]] in the ''Film/XMenFilmSeries'' ([[http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_le5ts5f9kq1qfti5wo1_500.jpg get over it]]), as well as the title character in his 1995 SettingUpdate adaptation of Shakespeare's ''Film/RichardIII''. He also lent his voice to [[Film/TheGoldenCompass a certain polar bear]], and the Great Intelligence in the 2012 ''Series/DoctorWho'' ChristmasSpecial. He starred with Creator/DerekJacobi in a series called ''{{Series/Vicious}}'', a gay DomCom about [[GrowOldWithMe a long-partnered male couple]].

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights, ([[AvertedTrope averting]] NobodyOver50IsGay). He came out to the public in a BBC radio interview when the British government tried to push through [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 Section 28]], a law that would have prohibited schools from even mentioning homosexuality in any sort of context to students. He notes that, although he'd been out to family, friends, and coworkers, coming out to the general public made him realize that he could suddenly access a new depth of emotion in his acting.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: With Sir PatrickStewart. Seriously, they're ''adorable'' together.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: With SirPatrickStewart. Seriously, they're ''adorable'' together.

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights ([[AvertedTrope averting]] NobodyOver50IsGay), advocating it to the exclusion of other causes. He came out to the public in a BBC radio interview when the British government tried to push through [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Section_28 Section 28]], a law that would have prohibited schools from even mentioning homosexuality in any sort of context to students. He notes that, although he'd been out to family, friends, and coworkers, coming out to the general public made him realize that he could suddenly access a new depth of emotion in his acting.