Trivia

Began acting as a means of escape from mourning after his mother's death and constant bullying at school from fellow students.

Before performing the role of Gandalf, he listened to a recording of J.R.R. Tolkien reading Gandalf lines from the novel. He used this as a base for creating the character, and imitated the accent used by Tolkien in the recording.

Revealed in December 2012 that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.

At 74 years old, he is the oldest actor to be cast in the role of Sherlock Holmes.

According to an interview, one of the last things Margaret Thatcher did as Prime Minister was recommending him for a knighthood.

Had a tattoo of the Elvish character for nine along with seven other members of the fellowship in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001).

He said that appeal of the X-Men films to him was the concept of mutants being shunned, something he says he identifies with as he was repeatedly shunned as an open homosexual.

Only performer to receive an acting Academy Award nomination for Sir Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Was Head boy at Bolton School.

Turned down the role of Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004). He was quoted saying "I had enough trouble living up to one legend. Two would be too much to hope for." (referring to his role as Gandalf in "Lord of the Rings").

Says the same line, "The war has begun", in the trailers of both the major, unrelated blockbusters X2: X-Men United (2003) and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002).

Wore a prosthetic nose to play Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

While being a guest on Jay Leno (December 26, 2003), he said that he had not seen X2: X-Men United (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 The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). As it turned out, X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) would not be directed by Singer.

Was offered $1.5 million by Sean Parker to officiate at his Tolkien-themed wedding in 2013, in costume as Gandalf, but declined, saying "Gandalf doesn't do weddings".

Has played both a Holocaust victim (X-Men (2000)) and a Nazi (Apt Pupil (1998)), both in movies directed by Bryan Singer.

Like his The Da Vinci Code (2006) character, Sir Leigh Teabing, he has been knighted. As such, before 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.

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.

He used the phrase "old friend" in both the X-Men film series and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In both cases (to Sir Christopher Lee as Saruman in the Lord of the Rings and Sir Patrick Stewart as Xavier in X-Men), it is said to a comrade who has become a nemesis and "old friend" is said mockingly.

Was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) in Stratford-upon-Avon at the same time as Sir Patrick Stewart.

Attended and graduated with a 2:2 in English from Cambridge University.

In 1972, he was one of thirty-one male celebrities ("Britain's most eligible bachelors") approached by Cosmopolitan magazine for a piece called "What I Want In a Wife". McKellen tactfully replied that his ideal woman didn't exist.

Has played the vampire in the music video "Heart" by the synthpop duo Pet Shop Boys.

Originally aspired to be a journalist.

Originated the role of Antonio Salieri in the Broadway production of "Amadeus".

He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1979 Queen's Birthday Honours List and Knight Bachelor of the Order of the British Empire in the 1991 Queen's New Years Honours List for his services to drama.

Ian's mother Margery died when he was twelve and his father Denis died when Ian was twenty four.

Close friends with Sir Patrick Stewart, Rachel Weisz and Laura Linney, whom he befriended through mutual acquaintance Armistead Maupin.

He was offered the role of Mission Commander Swanbeck in Mission: Impossible II (2000). He was not able to accept the role, due to a prior theatre engagement in London. The role eventually went to Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Had Dame Maggie Smith play his mother in Richard 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".

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.

Was ready to play Antonio in Michael Radford's adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (2004), but had to drop at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts.

Received an honorary doctorate from the University of Ulster on February 3, 2013.

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.

Has English, Northern Irish and Scottish ancestry.

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".

His strangest career encounters usually involve avid fans who tell him that they have seen and love all the Harry Potter films.

Good friends with Monica Lewinsky. The two met at The 71st Annual Academy Awards (1999). She accompanied him to the London premiere of Gods and Monsters (1998).

Began and abandoned work on his autobiography, returning a million dollar advance from his publisher, after he found the experience of researching his life too painful.

Has 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.

Although he was 56 years old when he played the title character in Richard III (1995), King Richard III was only 32 years old when he died on August 22, 1485.

Has made six films with Hugh Jackman: X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Flushed Away (2006), The Wolverine (2013) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).

Along with Cate Blanchett, he is one of only two actors to appear in all six of Peter Jackson's Middle-earth films: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (2013) and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014).

Has played Dame Maggie Smith in a "Weekend Update" skit on an episode of Saturday Night Live (1975) that he hosted.

Marched at London's Gay Pride Parade on July 5, 2008.

He was awarded the 1989 London Critics Circle Theatre Award (Drama Theatre Award) for Best Actor for his performance in "Othello".

In the Independent of Sunday 2006 Pink List - a list of the most influential gay men and women - he came no. 1, up from no. 2, knocking Sir Elton John from top spot.

Has worked with two Faramirs. Before appearing in the Lord of the Rings films with David Wenham, he appeared in the drama film Plenty (1985), with Andrew Seear. Seear played Faramir in the BBC radio adaptation, opposite Sir Ian Holm.

Has appeared with Bruce Davison in four different films: Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Apt Pupil (1998), X-Men (2000) and X2: X-Men United (2003). The first of these is the only one not directed by Bryan Singer.

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.

He was awarded the 1985 Laurence Olivier Theatre Award (1984 season) for Best Actor in a Revival for "Wild Honey".