Sir Ian Murray McKellen CH CBE (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. With a career spanning more than sixty years, he is noted for his roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction.
McKellen achieved worldwide fame for his movie roles, including the titular King in Richard III (1995), Magneto in the X-Men movies, and Gandalf in The Lord Of The Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014) trilogies.
McKellen came out as gay in 1988, and has since championed LGBT social movements worldwide.