McKellen was born on 25 May 1939 in Burnley, Lancashire, the son of Margery Lois (née Sutcliffe) and Denis Murray McKellen. He was their second child, with a sister, Jean, five … See more

McKellen and his first partner, Brian Taylor, a history teacher from Bolton, began their relationship in 1964. Their relationship lasted for eight years, ending in 1972. They lived in See more

• List of British Academy Award nominees and winners
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
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1965–1985: National Theatre acclaim
McKellen made his first professional appearance in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, as Roper in A Man for All Seasons, … See more

LGBT rights
While McKellen had made his sexual orientation known to fellow actors early on in his stage career, … See more

McKellen has received two Academy Award nominations for his performances in Gods and Monsters (1999), and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001). He has also … See more

• Barratt, Mark (2006). Ian McKellen: An Unofficial Biography. London: Virgin Books. ISBN 978-0-7535-1074-2. See more