Sir Ian McKellen Biography

Sir Ian McKellen, knighted in 1991 for his services to the performing arts, is one of the most acclaimed actors of his generation, having been honoured with more than 40 international awards for his work on stage and screen.

Most recently, he received Oscar, Golden Globe and Screen Actors' Guild awards for his outstanding portrayal of Hollywood director, James Whale, in Bill Condon's 'Gods And Monsters'.

Sir Ian was born in the north of England on 25 May 1939, the son of a civil engineer. He first acted at school and at Cambridge University, where he studied English Literature and appeared in 21 undergraduate productions, before performing in repertory companies.

He gained a reputation for powerful portrayals of characters, from Richard II to Napoleon and Hamlet.

His film career began with 'The Promise', 'Alfred The Great' and 'Thank You All Very Much'.

In addition to 'Gods And Monsters' and 'Richard III', Sir Ian's numerous credits include 'Bent', 'Jack And Sarah', 'Apt Pupil', 'And The Band Played On', 'Six Degrees Of Separation', 'Last Action Hero', 'X-Men' and 'Scandal'.

Perhaps his biggest role in recent times was that of Gandalf in Peter Jackson's adaptation of JRR Tolkein's epic trilogy, 'Lord Of The Rings' (2001-2003). He earned an Oscar nomination and an award from the Screen Actors Guild for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his work in 'The Fellowship of the Ring'.

In 2006, he enjoyed huge success as 'The Da Vinci Code's Sir Leigh Teabing, a rich and eccentric expert on Holy Grail mythology, who aids colleague Tom Hanks in his attempt to unravel a worldwide conspiracy involving secret Christian sects and albino killers.

Sir Ian is a co-founder of the UK pressure group Stonewall, which lobbies for equal legal and social rights for lesbians and gay men in the UK. He famously went for tea at Downing Street to discuss gay rights with then prime minister, John Major.