English actor of stage and screen, six-decade career across Shakespeare on stage and lead franchise work as Gandalf and Magneto.
Background
Born in Burnley, Lancashire, England, McKellen studied English literature at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge, and worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Old Vic.
Career
He co-founded the Actors’ Company in the 1970s and continued in major stage roles including King Lear and Richard III. On screen he played James Whale in “Gods and Monsters,” earning an Oscar nomination, and is best known for Gandalf the Grey across Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” films and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto in the “X-Men” series.
Style
McKellen brings the precision of classical theatre to film and television and remains a major stage actor alongside his blockbuster work.
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