Sir Ian McKellen: 'Comg out as gay was the bt thg I ever did' | Daily Mail Onle

Contents:

• IS GANDALF, FROM 'THE HOBB' GAY?
• IS GANDALF GAY? 'HOBB' STAR IAN MCKELLAN DE-SPELLS THE RUMORS
• SIR IAN MCKELLEN: 'COMG OUT AS GAY WAS THE BT THG I EVER DID'
• IAN {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}IAN MCKELLEN IS A REVERED, AWARD-WNG BRISH ACTOR OF STAGE AND SCREEN KNOWN FOR HIS STARRG ROL 'THE LORD OF THE RGS' AND 'X-MEN' {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: SEP 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1939-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS IAN MCKELLEN?BORN 1939 BURNLEY, ENGLAND, IAN MCKELLEN BEME AN ACCLAIMED THPIAN OF THE BRISH STAGE WH HIS PERFORMANC SUCH WORKS AS EDWARD II. HE ALSO BEME A POPULAR FILM ACTOR, EARNG AN OSR NOMATN FOR HIS ROLE GODS AND MONSTERS. THE VENERABLE ACTOR HAS SCE CEMENTED HIS INIC STAT BY STARRG AS MAGO THE X-MEN FILMS AND GANDALF THE LORD OF THE RGS ANCHISE.EARLY LIFEIAN MURRAY MCKELLEN WAS BORN BURNLEY, LANSHIRE, ENGLAND, ON MAY 25, 1939. HIS FATHER, DENIS MURRAY MCKELLEN, WAS A LAY PREACHER AND A CIVIL ENGEER, AND HIS MOTHER, MARGERY LOIS SUTCLIFFE, WAS A HOMEMAKER. THEIR HOEHOLD, WHICH ALSO CLUD MCKELLEN'S SISTER, JEAN, WAS RELIG BUT RELATIVELY TOLERANT.TRAGEDY STCK 1951, WHEN MCKELLEN'S MOTHER DIED OM BREAST NCER; THE FUTURE ACTOR WAS JT 12 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. GRIEF H THE FAY AGA 12 YEARS LATER, 1963, WHEN DENIS MCKELLEN WAS KILLED AN TOMOBILE ACCINT. MCKELLEN ATTEND THE BOLTON SCHOOL — OF WHICH HE REMAS A SUPPORTER — AND HIS ACTG REER BEGAN AT BOLTON LTLE THEATRE. HIS PARENTS AND SISTER ENURAGED HIS EARLY TERT ACTG, TAKG HIM TO MANY THEATRIL PRODUCTNS, CLUDG SHAKPEAREAN PLAYS. IN ADDN TO HIS TERT ACTG, MCKELLEN WAS A STRONG STUNT. AT THE AGE OF 18, HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CAMBRIDGE'S ST. CATHARE'S COLLEGE, WHERE HE BEIEND ACTOR DEREK JABI.STAGE, FILM AND TV CAREERWHILE STUDYG AT CAMBRIDGE, MCKELLEN JOED THE MARLOWE SOCIETY, APPEARG SUCH PRODUCTNS AS HENRY IV AND DOCTOR FST. IN 1961, HE APPEARED HIS FIRST PROFSNAL PRODUCTN, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. MCKELLEN MOVED OM REGNAL REPERTORY THEATERS TO THE WT END, EARNG ACCLAIM FOR THE WI RANGE OF HIS PERFORMANC. HE WAS KNIGHTED 1991 FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE STAGE.'SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN,' 'AND THE BAND PLAYED ON' ALSO A MANDG FILM ACTOR, MCKELLEN BEME WILY REGNIZED FOR HIS WORK ON THE SILVER SCREEN THE 1990S, FOLLOWG SEVERAL ROL HOLLYWOOD AND TELEVISN PROJECTS. IN 1993, MCKELLEN PLAYED A SUPPORTG ROLE AS A SOUTH AIN TYON SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN. THE SAME YEAR, HE APPEARED THE TELEVISN MOVIE AND THE BAND PLAYED ON, ABOUT THE AIDS EPIMIC, FOR WHICH HE GARNERED AN EMMY AWARD NOMATN. HE ALSO STARRED THE MAJOR STUD FILM APT PUPIL, BASED ON A {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}STEPHEN KG NOVEL.'X-MEN,' 'THE LORD OF THE RGS' MCKELLEN'S LATER FILMS REACHED AN EVEN BROAR DIENCE. IN 2000, HE STARRED THE FIRST OF SEVERAL X-MEN MOVI AS THE VILLA MAGO. IN 2006, HE APPEARED THE FILM ADAPTATN OF THE BT-SELLG BOOK THE DA VCI CO. WHILE FILMG X-MEN, MCKELLEN WAS ST AS THE WIZARD GANDALF PETER JACKSON'S TRILOGY THE LORD OF THE RGS. FOR HIS WORK THE FILM SERI, HE RECEIVED THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD FOR BT SUPPORTG ACTOR, AS WELL AS AN AMY AWARD NOMATN. MCKELLEN AGREED TO REPRISE THE ROLE JACKSON'S FOLLOW-UP TRILOGY, THE HOBB, THE FIRST STALLMENT OF WHICH WAS RELEASED DECEMBER 2012.'VIC,' 'DR. HOLM'IN 2013, MCKELLEN RNED WH HIS OLD IEND JABI ON THE BRISH S VIC. TWO YEARS LATER, HE BROUGHT HIS TRAMARK GRAVAS TO THE BIG SCREEN TO PLAY LERATURE'S MOST FAMO TECTIVE MR. HOLM. THE VENERABLE ACTOR WENT ON TO APPEAR THE FILMS BETY AND THE BEAST (2017), ALL IS TE (2018), THE GOOD LIAR (2019) AND CATS (2019).ACTIVISMMCKELLEN IS A PROMENT GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST. HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS A GAY MAN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BBC RAD 1988, ALTHOUGH HE HAD E OUT HIS PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIV S EARLIER. MCKELLEN -FOUND STONEWALL, A LGBT RIGHTS LOBBYG GROUP THE UNED KGDOM NAMED AFTER THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. HE HAS STATED THAT SOME OF HIS IENDS REFER TO HIM BY THE NICKNAME "SERENA."IN JUNE 2015, SHORTLY AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, MCKELLEN AND JABI SERVED AS THE GRAND MARSHALS OF THE ANNUAL NEW YORK CY GAY PRI PARA. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

IS GANDALF, FROM 'THE HOBB' GAY?

Sir Ian McKellen, who plays Gandalf the Grey "The Hobb: Dolatn of Smg, " discs whether the wizard may or may not be gay, this excerpt om a nversatn wh WSJ's Barbara Chai.

McKellen also starred the televisn edy Vic (2013–16), which he and Derek Jabi played a snipg but ultimately lovg gay uple. McKellen, who was homosexual, was a noted gay rights activist.

'Comg out as gay was the bt thg I ever did': Gandalf star and theatre legend Ian McKellen on his bravt cisn By Bob Flynn The rich, ronant voice fills the room, flowg like vtage we om a crystal nter.

IS GANDALF GAY? 'HOBB' STAR IAN MCKELLAN DE-SPELLS THE RUMORS

A lateer to the big screen, gay activist and natnal treasure, he first found mastream fame as the mutant villa Mago the X-Men films. ‘They’ve ma so many social advanc, wh women at the top ernment for a long time, and they got rid of their gay laws long before . ’McKellen has been a high-profile mpaigner for gay rights sce he me out, at 49, durg a BBC rad terview.

He was the vanguard of openly gay artists and November 1990, Margaret Thatcher remend him for a knighthood. ‘In the Fifti and Sixti, the life of a gay man was a secret. Homosexualy was illegal, so you didn’t draw attentn to yourself.

SIR IAN MCKELLEN: 'COMG OUT AS GAY WAS THE BT THG I EVER DID'

But g out is the bt thg I ever did and I’ve never met a gay person who didn’t thk the same. ‘Even now there are young actors who want reers as romantic leadg men and the bt thg is not to reveal you’re gay.

IAN {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}IAN MCKELLEN IS A REVERED, AWARD-WNG BRISH ACTOR OF STAGE AND SCREEN KNOWN FOR HIS STARRG ROL 'THE LORD OF THE RGS' AND 'X-MEN' {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: SEP 30, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1939-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS IAN MCKELLEN?BORN 1939 BURNLEY, ENGLAND, IAN MCKELLEN BEME AN ACCLAIMED THPIAN OF THE BRISH STAGE WH HIS PERFORMANC SUCH WORKS AS EDWARD II. HE ALSO BEME A POPULAR FILM ACTOR, EARNG AN OSR NOMATN FOR HIS ROLE GODS AND MONSTERS. THE VENERABLE ACTOR HAS SCE CEMENTED HIS INIC STAT BY STARRG AS MAGO THE X-MEN FILMS AND GANDALF THE LORD OF THE RGS ANCHISE.EARLY LIFEIAN MURRAY MCKELLEN WAS BORN BURNLEY, LANSHIRE, ENGLAND, ON MAY 25, 1939. HIS FATHER, DENIS MURRAY MCKELLEN, WAS A LAY PREACHER AND A CIVIL ENGEER, AND HIS MOTHER, MARGERY LOIS SUTCLIFFE, WAS A HOMEMAKER. THEIR HOEHOLD, WHICH ALSO CLUD MCKELLEN'S SISTER, JEAN, WAS RELIG BUT RELATIVELY TOLERANT.TRAGEDY STCK 1951, WHEN MCKELLEN'S MOTHER DIED OM BREAST NCER; THE FUTURE ACTOR WAS JT 12 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME. GRIEF H THE FAY AGA 12 YEARS LATER, 1963, WHEN DENIS MCKELLEN WAS KILLED AN TOMOBILE ACCINT. MCKELLEN ATTEND THE BOLTON SCHOOL — OF WHICH HE REMAS A SUPPORTER — AND HIS ACTG REER BEGAN AT BOLTON LTLE THEATRE. HIS PARENTS AND SISTER ENURAGED HIS EARLY TERT ACTG, TAKG HIM TO MANY THEATRIL PRODUCTNS, CLUDG SHAKPEAREAN PLAYS. IN ADDN TO HIS TERT ACTG, MCKELLEN WAS A STRONG STUNT. AT THE AGE OF 18, HE WON A SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY AT THE UNIVERSY OF CAMBRIDGE'S ST. CATHARE'S COLLEGE, WHERE HE BEIEND ACTOR DEREK JABI.STAGE, FILM AND TV CAREERWHILE STUDYG AT CAMBRIDGE, MCKELLEN JOED THE MARLOWE SOCIETY, APPEARG SUCH PRODUCTNS AS HENRY IV AND DOCTOR FST. IN 1961, HE APPEARED HIS FIRST PROFSNAL PRODUCTN, A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS. MCKELLEN MOVED OM REGNAL REPERTORY THEATERS TO THE WT END, EARNG ACCLAIM FOR THE WI RANGE OF HIS PERFORMANC. HE WAS KNIGHTED 1991 FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ON THE STAGE.'SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN,' 'AND THE BAND PLAYED ON' ALSO A MANDG FILM ACTOR, MCKELLEN BEME WILY REGNIZED FOR HIS WORK ON THE SILVER SCREEN THE 1990S, FOLLOWG SEVERAL ROL HOLLYWOOD AND TELEVISN PROJECTS. IN 1993, MCKELLEN PLAYED A SUPPORTG ROLE AS A SOUTH AIN TYON SIX DEGRE OF SEPARATN. THE SAME YEAR, HE APPEARED THE TELEVISN MOVIE AND THE BAND PLAYED ON, ABOUT THE AIDS EPIMIC, FOR WHICH HE GARNERED AN EMMY AWARD NOMATN. HE ALSO STARRED THE MAJOR STUD FILM APT PUPIL, BASED ON A {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}STEPHEN KG NOVEL.'X-MEN,' 'THE LORD OF THE RGS' MCKELLEN'S LATER FILMS REACHED AN EVEN BROAR DIENCE. IN 2000, HE STARRED THE FIRST OF SEVERAL X-MEN MOVI AS THE VILLA MAGO. IN 2006, HE APPEARED THE FILM ADAPTATN OF THE BT-SELLG BOOK THE DA VCI CO. WHILE FILMG X-MEN, MCKELLEN WAS ST AS THE WIZARD GANDALF PETER JACKSON'S TRILOGY THE LORD OF THE RGS. FOR HIS WORK THE FILM SERI, HE RECEIVED THE SCREEN ACTORS GUILD AWARD FOR BT SUPPORTG ACTOR, AS WELL AS AN AMY AWARD NOMATN. MCKELLEN AGREED TO REPRISE THE ROLE JACKSON'S FOLLOW-UP TRILOGY, THE HOBB, THE FIRST STALLMENT OF WHICH WAS RELEASED DECEMBER 2012.'VIC,' 'DR. HOLM'IN 2013, MCKELLEN RNED WH HIS OLD IEND JABI ON THE BRISH S VIC. TWO YEARS LATER, HE BROUGHT HIS TRAMARK GRAVAS TO THE BIG SCREEN TO PLAY LERATURE'S MOST FAMO TECTIVE MR. HOLM. THE VENERABLE ACTOR WENT ON TO APPEAR THE FILMS BETY AND THE BEAST (2017), ALL IS TE (2018), THE GOOD LIAR (2019) AND CATS (2019).ACTIVISMMCKELLEN IS A PROMENT GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST. HE ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS A GAY MAN FOR THE FIRST TIME ON BBC RAD 1988, ALTHOUGH HE HAD E OUT HIS PERSONAL AND PROFSNAL LIV S EARLIER. MCKELLEN -FOUND STONEWALL, A LGBT RIGHTS LOBBYG GROUP THE UNED KGDOM NAMED AFTER THE 1969 STONEWALL RTS. HE HAS STATED THAT SOME OF HIS IENDS REFER TO HIM BY THE NICKNAME "SERENA."IN JUNE 2015, SHORTLY AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, MCKELLEN AND JABI SERVED AS THE GRAND MARSHALS OF THE ANNUAL NEW YORK CY GAY PRI PARA. {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

’But spe of all the offers, he has never been tempted to move there and has lived the same Victorian hoe Limehoe, London’s East End, for 30 year, apart om ntug wh the Hobb saga and a new X-Men film, McKellen -stars wh Derek Jabi Vic, a TV edy seri about a bickerg gay uple sharg a flat London — the first time they have acted together sce spe a long reer filled wh aclas, McKellen’s greatt thrill was appearg Coronatn Street 2005. ActivismMcKellen is a proment gay rights activist.