Ian McKellen: filmography and personal life of the actor (photo)

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Surprisingly, when many actors in old age complain about the lack of demand in the profession and complete oblivion, Ian McKellen basks in the glory. This truly great actor is only gaining popularity over the years. Moreover, the age of his fans is rapidly getting younger. This is easy to verify, one has only to stop a teenager on the street and ask who plays the wizard Gandalf in The Hobbit. And whoever hasn't watched the saga of Middle-earth has definitely seen the X-Men epic.

A bit of biography

Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939. He appeared in the small town of Burnley located in Lancashire. His family belonged to the middle class. His father was a civil engineer, so the McKellens were well off. Before the war, the family moved to Vigen. There they were caught by the bombing that England was subjected to during the Secondworld. The actor himself shared his memories of how he had to sleep under the protection of a special metal table as a child. Parents believed that this method made it possible to minimize the consequences of an air bomb hitting the house.

It was his father who planted a craving for the theater in McKellen. He brought three-year-old Ian to the play "Peter Pan". And after the family moved to Bolton, the eleven-year-old son of a civil engineer almost settled in a local theater owned by a good friend of his father.

In addition, the boy began to play in the school troupe. And his first role was Malvolio from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.

True, Ian McKellen entered Cambridge, but acting slowly took over. And in 1961 he was already performing on the professional stage.

Theatre

On the theater stage in his life, McKellen played in almost all of Shakespeare's plays. In 1974 he was invited to the world famous Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

True, after four years he left the troupe. He did this in order to participate in the production of Martin Sherman's drama "Slope", which tells about the inhuman extermination of gays in Nazi concentration camps. It was the role in this drama that brought Ian the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.

McKellen also has other theatrical awards. For example, at the Edinburgh Festival, his merits and talent were repeatedly awarded prizes.

Beginning of film career

The first steps in the cinema began with episodic roles. But the really memorable works arefor the 80s. Then Ian lit up in Scarlet Pimpernel, Restless Heart, Love Servant.

But the Anglo-American drama "Scandal" can be considered a breakthrough. In it, McKellen had a major role. The film was based on the true story of John Profumo, who was the British Minister of War in the 1960s. His career collapsed when his connection with Christine Keeler, a call girl, was revealed. McKellen played John Profumo himself.

Then there was the Hollywood blockbuster "The Last Action Hero", along with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ian McKellen also participated in it. The filmography of the actor was replenished with a very intriguing character - Death.

After there were shootings in the television movie "Rasputin" and another historical film - "Swept away by the sea".

But a whole "bunch" of prizes was brought to the actor by the film "Gods and Monsters". In this tape, Ian represented the main character - James Whale. For this work, he was nominated for an Oscar. He took a prize from the Television Critics Association, received an Independent British Film Award. The Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida, Toronto and San Diego Film Critics Society praised Ian's merits in this film. "Gods and Monsters" received awards from the National Board of Review and the Network Critics Society.

Magneto

In 2000, the X-Men era began. Ian McKellen starred as the supervillain Magneto. The partner in the film was Patrick Stewart, who got the antipodal character Professor X Charles Xavier.

Erik Lehnsherra actor represented in two moretrilogy films. The Brit's Magneto turned out to be much more complicated than the classic comic book villain. It has a lot more of the actor's favorite Shakespearean characters.

It should be noted that the enemies in the film trilogy, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are actually very good friends. Their comic photo shoots, periodically posted online to the delight of fans, are mega-popular. So, one of the last episodes was devoted to the sights of New York. The pictures bore little resemblance to glossy pictures from a travel booklet. They were funny and surprisingly natural scenes filled with humor.

The Saga of Middle-earth

Another role that has become a landmark in McKellen's career is the wizard Gandalf.

The story has been going on since 2001. It was then that the first film based on the classic work of John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was made. After the final picture of the Lord of the Rings trilogy, there was a break of several years. But then Peter Jackson undertook to film The Hobbit. And Ian McKellen was again invited to portray the wizard Gandalf on the screen.

It is not known whether film critics will celebrate The Hobbit with awards. The Lord of the Rings was once nominated for an Oscar. But perhaps the most valuable reward for an actor is the army of admirers of his talent.

Besides being involved in full-blown fantasy sagas, McKellen enjoys acting in modest projects. He does not leave the theater either. Yes, and on television he has interesting work. ATIn 2013, Ian starred in the British sitcom Sinners. This is a story about an elderly gay couple. They lived together for about half a century, but they never got bored of prying each other and loving, although they will never admit it even to themselves.

A little personal

The gay actor is not a secret for fans. McKellen admitted to it back in 1988. Ian is gay. And he takes an active part in the social activities of the LGBT communities in the US and Britain.

Now the actor says he's single. But for a long time he lived together with Sean Mathias, a little-known actor. After his partner was teacher Brian Taylor.

McKellen seems to have decided not to rest on his laurels. The actor plans to shoot in the new part of The Hobbit. On the way and the next part of the "X-Men". So we can again admire the amazing ability of Sir Ian McKellen to reincarnate.