A recipient of every major theatrical award in the UK, McKellen is regarded as a British cultural icon. The BBC states that his 'performances have guaranteed him a place in the canon of English stage and film actors'. He achieved worldwide fame for his film roles, including the titular King in Richard III (1995), James Whale in Gods and Monsters (1998), Magneto in the X-Men films, and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies.
He has also received nominations for two Academy Awards, five Primetime Emmy Awards, and four BAFTAs. Over his career he has received numerous awards including seven Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Sir Ian Murray McKellen CH CBE (born ) is an English actor.
