Ian McKellen

He was appointed Knight Bachelor in the 1991 Queens New Year Honours List for his services to drama.

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

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

Had a tattoo of the Elvish character for 9 along with seven other members of the fellowship in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring .

Is a vegetarian.

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

He was awarded the CBE in the 1979 Queens Birthday Honours List for his services to drama.

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

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

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

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.

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

He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1991 (1990 season) for Best Actor in "Richard III" at the Royal National Theatre.

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.

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

He was awarded the 1989 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Othello".

He was awarded the 1984 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actor for his performance in "Coriolanus".

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

Graduated with a 2:2 in English from Cambridge University.

Studied at St. Catharines College, University of Cambridge, when he was 18, with Sir Derek Jacobi , and with whom he had been "desperately in love", as he confessed on "Inside the Actors Studio" . In an article in "The Advocate", issue dated December 11, 2001, he further explained that what he had felt for Jacobi in their youth was "a passion that was undeclared and unrequited".

Originally aspired to be a journalist.

Shares his middle name, Murray, with both Michael Hordern (Michael Murray Hordern), his predecessor in the role of Gandalf, and F. Murray Abraham , his successor in the role of Antonio Salieri.

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

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

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.

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

Won Broadways 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".

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

Has worked with two Faramirs. Prior to appearing in the Lord of the Rings films with David Wenham , he appeared in the film Plenty , with Andrew Seear. Seear played Faramir in the BBC radio adaptation, opposite Ian Holm.

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.

Like his The Da Vinci Code character, Sir Leigh Teabing, he has been knighted. As such, prior to being cast, he spotted two errors in the books portrayal of Knighthood. Knights neither receive ID badges nor are granted any of the special privileges Teabing demands as a result of Knighthood.

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

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

Has appeared in the Lord of the Rings and X-Men, both of which required a lead character to be recast soon after production started. In the Lord of the Rings, Stuart Townsend was replaced by Viggo Mortensen , and in X-Men , Dougray Scott was replaced by Hugh Jackman.

Says the same line, "The war has begun", in the trailers of both the major, unrelated blockbusters X2 and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers .

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 Elton John from top spot.

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. "Roses 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. "Harrisons 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 played both a Holocaust victim ( X-Men ) and a Nazi ( Apt Pupil , both in movies directed by Bryan Singer.

He was awarded the Companion of Honour in the 2008 Queens New Year Honours List for his services to drama and to equality.

Is good friends with Monica Lewinsky. The two met at the The 71st Annual Academy Awards . She accompanied him to the London premiere of Gods and Monsters .

Ranked #45 in the 2008 Telegraphs list "the 100 most powerful people in British culture".

Was Head boy at Bolton School.

Marched at Londons Gay Pride Parade July 5, 2008.

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.

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 co-star, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique.

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

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

Had Maggie Smith play his mother in Richard III , 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. Smiths former husband, Sir Robert Stephens , also played Aragorn in the BBC Radio version of "The Lord of the Rings".

Has English, Northern Irish, and Scottish ancestry.

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

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

(December 2007) London E14, England

"The Bells of Hell Go Ting-a-ling-a-ling" (with Gregory Peck ) in 1966 would have been his feature film debut but for the hostile snowy Swiss location weather. The production, a World War I film with a script by Roald Dahl to be directed by David Miller , was abandoned after 5 weeks filming.

Performed Ibsens "An Enemy of the People" at the National Theatre in London with a young Johnny Neal. Johnathon also appeared in A Christmas Carol with Patrick Stewart , one of Sir Ians closest friends.

He has made six films with Hugh Jackman : X-Men , X2 , X-Men: The Last Stand , Flushed Away , The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past .

He played the British Conservative MP John Profumo in Scandal and the British film director James Whale in Gods and Monsters . Both of these men had connections to Valerie Hobson : Profumo was married to Hobson from December 31, 1954 until her death on November 13, 1998 while Whale directed her in Bride of Frankenstein (1935) .

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 , The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers , The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King , The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey , The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies .

He has three Shakespearean roles in common with Laurence Olivier in filmed performances: (1) Olivier played Hamlet in Hamlet while McKellen played him in Hamlet (1970/I) , Olivier played King Richard III in Richard III while McKellen played him in Richard III and Olivier played King Lear in King Lear while McKellen played him in King Lear . The two great actors also played the role of Creakle in TV adaptations of Charles Dickens s "David Copperfield" (Laurence Olivier in David Copperfield and Ian McKellen in "David Copperfield" ).

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

He has two roles in common with Michael Fassbender : (1) McKellen played Macbeth in A Performance of Macbeth while Fassbender played him in Macbeth and McKellen played Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto in X-Men , X2 , X-Men: The Last Stand , The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past while Fassbender played him in X: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past .

Although he played Maggie Smith s son in Richard III , he is less than five years her junior in real life.

He was offered the role of King Charles VI of France in Henry V but he turned it down. Paul Scofield was eventually cast.

Was considered for the role of Clayton in Tarzan .

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

Was considered for the role of Judge Claude Frollo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame .

He was awarded he 1998 Back Stage Garland Award for Outstanding Performance for "An Enemy of the People" in a Royal National Theatre production at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles, California.

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 doesnt do weddings".

His grand grand father on his mother side, Robert Lowes had been an active member of a institution, that campaigned to get "half of a day" holiday on Fridays for workers of industrial age in Manchester in 1890s. This campaign, that had got successful and underlie weekend concept of modern times.

Strangest career encounters usually involve avid fans who tell him that theyve seen and love all the Harry Potter films.

Ians mother Margery died when he was 12 and his father Denis died when Ian was 24.

One of his biggest film career regrets was turning down the offer to play Kenneth Halliwell opposite Gary Oldman s Joe Orton in Stephen Frears Prick Up Your Ears .

I . . . think of the Bible as great literature rather than great history;,great imagination rather than reliable witness. Whatever, it is not as,a law book that I respect the Bible.

People are at ease with me now. Honesty is the best policy.

I looked down from my terrace hanging over the Thames one morning. It,was low tide and there, stranded on the pebbles, was a four-legged,corpse - hairless, white and bloated. Was it a calf or a sheep or a,goat or a dog? I stared at it until the tide rose and washed it away.

Homosexuals were shamed publicly and imprisoned. You were on your own,looking over your shoulder all the time, hoping in the handshake of a,stranger that he might be somebody gay. The first film role I,deliberately chose to play after I came out was a raging heterosexual,John Profumo. I was just a little bit worried about whether I could,carry out the bed scenes.

The battle going on over gay marriage in America reveals an awful lot. The Bible belt - people hate gay people. Because the Bible tells them? No, the Bible tells them an awful lot of things that they ignore.

The conventional wisdom is that if you are gay, you cannot play the romantic straight lead in a movie.