Surprisingly, when many actors in old age complain about lack of demand in the profession and complete oblivion, Ian McKellen basks in the glory. This truly great actor over the years is only gaining popularity. Moreover, the age of his fans is rapidly becoming younger. It is easy to verify this, you just have to stop the teenager on the street and ask who plays the wizard Gandalf in the Hobbit. And who did not watch the saga of Middle-earth, he must have seen the epic "X-Men."
A little biography
Ian Murray McKellen was born in 1939, May 25. He appeared in the small town of Burnley, located in Lancashire. His family belonged to the middle class. His father served as a civil engineer, so the McKellen had wealth. Before the war, the family moved to Vigen. There they were caught and bombing, which was subjected to England during World War II. The actor himself shared his memories of how in childhood he had to sleep under the protection of a metal special table. Parents believed that this method allowed minimizing the consequences of getting an air bomb into the house.
It was father who drove the craving for theater in McKellen. He brought the three-year-old Ian to the performance of 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 gained the upper hand. And in 1961 he already performed on the professional stage.
Theatre
On the stage in his life, McKellen played in almost all of Shakespeare's plays. In 1974, he was invited to the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Theater.
True, four years later he left the troupe. He did this in order to participate in the production of Martin Sherman’s drama "The Deviation", which tells about the inhumane destruction of gays in Nazi concentration camps. It was the role in this drama that brought Iain the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor.
McKelen also has other theater awards. For example, at the Edinburgh Festival, his merits and talent were repeatedly awarded prizes.
The beginning of a film career
The first steps in the movie began with episodic roles. But really memorable work falls on the 80s. Then Ian lit up in "Scarlet Primrose", "Restless Heart", "Servant of Love."
But a breakthrough can be considered the Anglo-American drama "Scandal." In it, McKellen had a major role. The film was based on the true story of John Profumo, who was the Minister of War in Great Britain in the 60s. His career collapsed when his relationship with Christine Keeler, a call girl, was revealed. McKellen played John Profumo himself.
Then there was the Hollywood blockbuster "The Last Movie Hero", Ian McKellen participated in it along with Arnold Schwarzenegger. The filmography of the actor was replenished with a very intriguing character - Death.
After there were filming in the television movie "Rasputin" and another historical tape - "Gone with the Sea."
But the whole "bunch" of prizes brought the actor a picture of "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 Association of Television Critics, received an Independent British Film Award. The Chicago, Los Angeles, Florida, Toronto, and San Diego Society of Film Critics praised Ian for this film. “Gods and Monsters” was awarded with prizes by the “National Board of Review” and the Society of “Networked” Film Critics.
Magneto
In 2000, the X-Men era began. Ian McKellen starred in the role of supervillain Magneto. The film's partner was Patrick Stewart, who got the antipode character Professor X Charles Xavier.
Erica Lensherra, the actor represented in two more films of the trilogy. The Briton's magneto turned out to be much more complicated than the classic comic villain. It is much more from the favorite Shakespearean heroes of the actor.
It should be noted that the enemies of the plot of the movie trilogy, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are actually very good friends. Their comic photo shoots, periodically posted on the network to the delight of fans, are mega-popular. So, one of the last series was devoted to the sights of New York. The pictures looked little like glossy pictures from a tourist booklet. These were funny and surprisingly natural scenes full of humor.
Middle-earth saga
Another role that has become iconic in McKellen’s career is the wizard Gandalf.
The story has been going on since 2001. It was then that the first film was shot based on the classic work of John Ronald Roel Tolkien. 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 "The Hobbit." And for the embodiment on the screen of the wizard Gandalf, Ian McKellen was again invited.
It is not known whether film critics will award the Hobbit awards. The Lord of the Rings was once nominated for an Oscar. But perhaps the most valuable reward for the actor is the army of fans of his talent.
In addition to participating in full-blown fantasy sagas, McKellen is happy to star in modest projects. He does not leave the theater. Yes, and on television he has interesting works. In 2013, Iain 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 were not bored with tearing each other and loving, although they never even admit this to themselves.
A bit about personal
For fans, the actor’s unconventional orientation is not a secret . In it, in 1988, McKellen admitted. Ian is gay. And he takes an active part in the social activities of LGBT communities in the USA and Britain.
Now the actor says that he is lonely. But for a long time he lived with Sean Matthias, a little-known actor. After his partner was educator Brian Taylor.
McKellen seems to have decided not to rest on his laurels. The plans of the actor shooting in the new part of "The Hobbit." The next part of X-Men is on the way. So we can again admire the amazing ability of Sir Ian McKellen to reincarnate.