ACTOR · BORN 1939
Ian McKellen
- Born
- 25 May 1939, Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
- Known for
- X-Men (2000), The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004), Mr. Holmes (2015)
45 archived facts 8 topics 1 source Last reviewed Nov 2026
Ian McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an actor best known for X-Men, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
45 Interesting Facts About Ian McKellen
Interesting Facts (9)
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While 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.
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He played the British Conservative MP John Profumo in Scandal (1989) and the British film director James Whale in Gods and Monsters (1998). 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).
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Played in two films directed by Bill Condon with two actresses he had previously co-starred in different stage productions of August Strindberg's "Dance of Death", both of them directed by Sean Mathias: Mr. Holmes (2015) with Frances de la Tour and The Good Liar (2019) with Dame Helen Mirren.
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Production Story (3)
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The Bells of Hell Go Ting-a-ling-a-ling (1966), with Gregory Peck, would have been his feature film debut, but the hostile snowy weather at the Swiss location prevented it. The production, a World War I film with a screenplay by Roald Dahl to be directed by David Miller, was abandoned after five weeks of filming.
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Behind the Scenes (5)
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He has played Dame Maggie Smith in a "Weekend Update" skit on an episode of Saturday Night Live (1975) that he hosted.
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Characters & Cast (6)
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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.
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Ian McKellen was among the names considered to voice Judge Claude Frollo in the 1996 Disney animation The Hunchback of Notre Dame. However, the role was ultimately given to Tony Jay, and Jay successfully reflected the character's dark and authoritarian nature. McKellen's not taking on the role led him to move in a different direction in his career, as he was being associated with serious dramatic roles in theatre and cinema at the same time. Still, this information shows that McKellen's voice-acting talent was noticed by Disney producers as well.
Easter Eggs & References (3)
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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.
Deeper Meaning (1)
Career & Awards (9)
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"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 screenplay by Roald Dahl to be directed by David Miller, was abandoned after five weeks filming.
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Ian McKellen made history as the oldest actor to bring the role of Sherlock Holmes to life, at the age of 74. This record is an indication of how wide-ranging his long and established career has been. McKellen's portrayal of this iconic detective gave the character a different depth through both his age and his experience.
Life & Family (9)
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He studied at St. Catharine's College, University of Cambridge, when he was 18, with Sir Derek Jacobi, with whom he had been "desperately in love", as he confessed on Inside the Actors Studio (1994). In an article in The Advocate 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".
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Ian McKellen played Dame Maggie Smith's son in the 1995 film Richard III, although in real life there is less than five years' age difference between them. This is a striking example of how actors can transform their ages on stage and screen. McKellen played Richard, an ambitious and scheming king, while Smith played his mother, the Duchess of York. The pair are among the most respected names in British theatre, and their performances in this film are regarded as one of the strongest examples of Shakespeare adaptations in modern cinema.
Related pages
- The Winds of War — Ian McKellen comes up in the facts on that page
- Cate Blanchett — Ian McKellen comes up in the facts on that page
- X-Men: Days of Future Past — Ian McKellen comes up in the facts on that page
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Sources & editorial notes
Reference databases
- Wikipedia
- IMDb
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