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Ian McKellen

Ian McKellen

Actor, also producer and writer · Born May 25, 1939 (87) · Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK

Golden Globe winner · 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards · Oscar nominee · 5 other major award bodies

Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. He has played roles on the screen and stage in genres ranging from Shakespearean dramas and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. He is regarded as a British cultural icon and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. He has received numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, six Olivier Awards, and a Golden Globe Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards and five Emmy Awards. McKellen made his stage debut in 1961 at the Belgrade Theatre as a member of its repertory company, and in 1965 made his first West End appearance. In 1969, he was invited to join the Prospect Theatre Company to play the lead parts in Shakespeare's Richard II and Marlowe's Edward II. In the 1970s, McKellen became a stalwart of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre of Great Britain. He has earned five Olivier Awards for his roles in Pillars of the Community (1977), The Alchemist (1978), Bent (1979), Wild Honey (1984), and Richard III (1995). McKellen made his Broadway debut in The Promise (1965). He received the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his role as Antonio Salieri in Amadeus (1980). He was further nominated for Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare (1984). He returned to Broadway in Wild Honey(1986), Dance of Death (1990), No Man's Land (2013), and Waiting for Godot (2013), the latter two being a joint production with Patrick Stewart. McKellen 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, Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast (2017) and Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings (2001–2003) and The Hobbit (2012–2014) trilogies. Other notable film roles include A Touch of Love (1969), Plenty (1985), Six Degrees of Separation (1993), Restoration (1995), Flushed Away (2006), Mr. Holmes (2015), and The Good Liar (2019). McKellen came out as gay in 1988, and has since championed LGBT social movements worldwide. He was awarded the Freedom of the City of London in October 2014. McKellen is a cofounder of Stonewall, an LGBT rights lobby group in the United Kingdom, named after the Stonewall riots. He is also patron of LGBT History Month, Pride London, Oxford Pride, GayGlos, LGBT Foundation and FFLAG. Description above from the Wikipedia article Ian McKellen, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
May 25, 1939 (87)
From
Burnley, Lancashire, England, UK
Works as
Actor, also producer and writer
Titles
70 on MovieCove · 146 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Official site (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 2% in 30 days

What are Ian McKellen's films like?

Across their 65 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Bonds.

Genres

Drama16 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 61st percentile
: browse their Drama movies
Documentary10 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 79th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Documentary movies
Adventure7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 95th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Adventure movies
Comedy7 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 72nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 90th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Biography5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 63rd percentile
: browse their Biography movies
Animation4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 34th percentile
: browse their Animation movies
Crime4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 67th percentile
: browse their Crime movies
Mystery2 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 60th percentile
: browse their Mystery movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
21%
Bonds
20%
Morality
18%
Society
17%
Power
12%
Ideas
8%
Survival
3%
Identity14 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity11 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception10 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship8 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love6 titles, browse their movies with this themePower7 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose7 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 63 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 21 · Serious 16 · Dark 26

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 30 · Stylized 16 · Heightened 17

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 17 · Charged 18 · Intense 28

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 31 · Shifting 29 · Whiplash 3

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 38 · Some laughs 20 · Funny 5

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 31 · Even-paced 26 · Relentless 6

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 22 · Engaged 26 · Full focus 15

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 21 · Affecting 23 · Heavy 19

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 39 · Open-ended 22 · Ambiguous 2

Roles they play

43 analyzed roles

Usually the Shadow: 14 of 43 analyzed roles.

Shadow
14 of 43
Mentor
14 of 43
Hero
5 of 43
Herald
4 of 43
Ally
2 of 43
Shapeshifter
2 of 43
Threshold guardian
1 of 43
Trickster
1 of 43
Show the 43 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
34
Melancholic
29
Contemplative
20
Warm
15
Dread
11
Other
61

How their films linger

Bittersweet22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking22 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful19 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing14 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 8 with a twist

  • Happy14
  • Bittersweet28
  • Tragic11
  • Ambiguous12

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Ian McKellen's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 51 of their 70 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (15).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Ian McKellen's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

146 credits, 70 with a MovieCove page; 88 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Hunt for Gollum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    as Gandalf

  • Avengers: Doomsday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Magneto

  • Ebenezer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Jacob Marley

  • Frank and Percy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Percy

  • The Christophers(2025)

    as Julian Sklar

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all films

  • LS Lowry: The Unheard Tapes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as L S Lowry

  • Schadenfreude(2025)

    as Continuity Announcer

  • Ken Dodd: A Legacy of Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • The Critic(2023)

    as Jimmy Erskine

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • Dragfox (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Ginger Snap the Fox (Speaking) (voice)

  • The Real Ken Dodd: The Man I Loved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Actor

  • Hamlet(2024)

    as Hamlet

    Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films

  • Ted(2024)

    Show 3 episodes · as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Dagr(2024)

    Producer

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • The One Note Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • Hamlet Within (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Actor

  • Great British Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 5 episodes · Actor

  • Infinitum: Subject Unknown(2021)

    as Dr. Charles Marland-White

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all films

  • Ian McKellen on Stage: With Tolkien, Shakespeare, Others and YOU (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Du Fu: China's Greatest Poet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Actor

  • Cats(2019)

    as Gus, the Theatre Cat

    Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films

  • The Good Liar(2019)

    as Roy Courtnay

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • The Isle(2018)

    Associate Producer

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films

  • All Is True(2018)

    as Earl of Southampton

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: King Lear (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as King Lear

  • Animal Crackers(2017)

    as Horatio P. Huntington (voice)

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • How a Kite Flies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Mr. Kite (voice)

  • Beauty and the Beast(2017)

    as Cogsworth

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • National Theatre Live: No Man's Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Spooner

  • Play the Devil: Making Richard III (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Shakespeare on Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • Shakespeare on Stage, Screen and Elsewhere with Ian McKellen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Actor

  • All the World's a Screen: Shakespeare on Film (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Prospero's Speech Reader (voice)

  • The Roof (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as And Even Yet Another Fan

  • The Dresser(2015)

    as Norman

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • Mr. Holmes(2015)

    as Sherlock Holmes

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all films

  • The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies(2014)

    as Gandalf the Grey

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • X-Men: Days of Future Past(2014)

    as Magneto

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Miss in Her Teens(2014)

    as The Prologue

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug(2013)

    as Gandalf the Grey

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Wolverine(2013)

    as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto (uncredited)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • The Egg Trick (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Magician

  • Vicious(2013)

    Show 12 episodes · as Freddie Thornhill

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Doctor Who: The Snowmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as The Great Intelligence (voice)

  • The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey(2012)

    as Gandalf the Grey

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Perspectives (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Small-Time Revolutionary (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Hamish Miller (voice)

  • A Lost and Found Box of Human Sensation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • The Prisoner(2009)

    Show 6 episodes · as 2 / Curtis

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all shows

  • King Lear(2008)

    as King Lear

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • The Golden Compass(2007)

    as Iorek Byrnison (voice)

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Stardust(2007)

    as Narrator (voice)

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • For the Love of God (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as The Jackdaw

  • Flushed Away(2006)

    as The Toad (voice)

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • X-Men: The Last Stand(2006)

    as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • The Da Vinci Code(2006)

    as Sir Leigh Teabing

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Saint of 9/11(2006)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Doogal(2006)

    as Zebedee (voice)

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all films

  • Asylum(2005)

    as Dr. Peter Cleave

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Neverwas(2005)

    as Gabriel Finch

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Extras(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Ian McKellen

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • The Magic Roundabout(2004)

    as Zebedee (voice)

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Eighteen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Jason Anders (voice)

  • My First Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Narrator

  • The Paul O'Grady Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Peter Tatchell: Just Who Does He Think He Is? (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Actor

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King(2003)

    as Gandalf

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • X2: X-Men United(2003)

    as Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Evolution X - The Making of X-Men (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • Emile (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    as Emile

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers(2002)

    as Gandalf

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring(2001)

    as Gandalf

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films

  • Larry & Vivien: The Oliviers in Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • X-Men(2000)

    as Magneto

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Cirque du Soleil: Journey of Man (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Narrator (voice)

  • David Copperfield(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Creakle

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Family Guy(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Cecil Pritchfield (voice)

    Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all shows

  • Apt Pupil(1998)

    as Kurt Dussander

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Gods and Monsters(1998)

    as James Whale

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films

  • Swept from the Sea(1997)

    as Dr. James Kennedy

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Bent(1997)

    as Uncle Freddie

    Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films

  • Surviving Friendly Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Actor

  • A Bit of Scarlet(1997)

    as Narrator

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • HARDtalk (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Rasputin(1996)

    as Tsar Nicholas II

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films

  • TFI Friday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1996)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Restoration(1995)

    as Will Gates

    Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all films

  • Richard III(1995)

    Executive Producer · Screenplay · as Richard III

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Jack & Sarah(1995)

    as William

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • Thin Ice(1994)

    as Ian McKellen

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Cold Comfort Farm(1995)

    as Amos Starkadder

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all films

  • To Die For (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Quilt Documentary Narrator (voice)

  • The Shadow(1994)

    as Dr. Reinhardt Lane

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • David Macaulay: Roman City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Augustus Caesar (voice)

  • I'll Do Anything(1994)

    as John Earl McAlpine

    Midcredits score: 25th percentile of all films

  • Camp Christmas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Actor

  • Six Degrees of Separation(1993)

    as Geoffrey

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • Tales of the City (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 2 episodes · as Archibald Anson Gidde

  • And the Band Played On(1993)

    as Bill Kraus

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • The Ballad of Little Jo(1993)

    as Percy Corcoran

    Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all films

  • Armistead Maupin Is a Man I Dreamt Up (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    as Narration (voice)

  • Last Action Hero(1993)

    as Death

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Gladio (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

    as Aldo Moro (voice)

  • Othello (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    as Iago

  • The Simpsons(1989)

    Show 1 episode · as Ian McKellen (voice)

    Midcredits score: 96th percentile of all shows

  • Countdown to War(1989)

    as Adolf Hitler

    Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films

  • Scandal(1989)

    as John Profumo

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Windmills of the Gods (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Show 2 episodes · as Chairman

  • Scarfe's Follies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1988)

    Actor

  • Süleyman the Magnificent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    as Narrator

  • Zina (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    as Kronfeld

  • Plenty(1985)

    as Sir Andrew Charleson

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Theatre Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Show 1 episode · as Iago

  • Playing Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1984)

    Show 9 episodes · Actor

  • The Keep(1983)

    as Dr. Theodore Cuza

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Walter and June (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1983)

    as Walter

  • The Scarlet Pimpernel(1982)

    as Chauvelin

    Midcredits score: 93rd percentile of all films

  • Walter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    as Walter

  • Ian McKellen: Acting Shakespeare (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Actor

  • American Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1982)

    Show 1 episode · as Archibald Anson Gidde

  • Pillar of Fire (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 20 episodes · as Narrator

  • Priest of Love(1981)

    as D.H. Lawrence

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Dying Day (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1980)

    as Antony Skipling

  • Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1979)

    as Alexander Ivanov

  • Macbeth(1979)

    as Macbeth

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The South Bank Show (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1978)

    Show 3 episodes · Actor

  • Graceless Go I (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    as Tony

  • Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1974)

    Show 1 episode · as Alexander

  • Hedda Gabler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as George Tesman

  • Country Matters (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    Show 1 episode · as David Masterman

  • Craven Arms (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1972)

    as David Masterman

  • Hamlet (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as Hamlet

  • Edward II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as King Edward

  • The Tragedy of King Richard II (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    as King Richard II

  • Solo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1970)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • The Promise (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Actor

  • Alfred the Great(1969)

    as Roger

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • A Touch of Love(1969)

    as George

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • ITV Saturday Night Theatre (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1969)

    Show 1 episode · as Lyov

  • ITV Playhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1967)

    Show 1 episode · as Tony

  • David Copperfield (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1966)

    Show 9 episodes · as David Copperfield

  • The Trial and Torture of Sir John Rampayne (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    as Wolf

  • BBC Play of the Month (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1965)

    Show 1 episode · as Captain Plume · as George Tesman · as Ross / T.E. Lawrence · as Simon Bliss

  • The Wednesday Play (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1964)

    Show 1 episode · as Wolf

  • Coronation Street(1960)

    Show 14 episodes · as Mel Hutchwright

    Midcredits score: 12th percentile of all shows

  • No Man's Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Spooner

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 145 titles, 141 of them dated from 1960 to 2026; peak year 2014.

Biggest box office

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

$1.1B worldwide

Highest rated

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneAward winNomination
19602026

Peak 2014 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 36 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

Show 7 more milestones

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting144 of 145: 143 only acting, 1 with another role · typical Midcredits score67thWriting1 of 145: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing2 of 145: 1 only producing, 1 with another role

By decade

1960s10 · acting1970s12 · acting1980s19 · acting1990s29 · 29 acting · 1 crew2000s27 · acting2010s28 · 27 acting · 1 crew2020s16 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 20% of 49 roles
8297020717

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

a Golden Globe, 2 Screen Actors Guild Awards and 4 other major awards from 24 major nominations, 1994–2016.

WinNomination
  1. 2016
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Supporting Actor
  2. 2010
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
  3. 2009
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
  4. 2007
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series
  5. 2006
    • Berlinale award, won
  6. 2004
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
    • +1 other major body · 1 win
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Acting Ensemble
  7. 2003
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture
  8. 2002
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Supporting Role
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by the Cast of a Theatrical Motion Picture
Show 4 earlier years
  1. 1999
    • Oscar, nominated · Best Actor in a Leading Role
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
    • Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role
    • +2 other major bodies · 2 wins
      • Critics Choice Award, won · Best Actor
      • Independent Spirit Award, won · Best Male Lead
  2. 1997
    • Golden Globe, won · Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
    • BAFTA Award, nominated · Best Screenplay - Adapted
  3. 1996
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special
    • Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama
  4. 1994
    • Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Special

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Ian McKellen's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of the 61 of 62 with a score; across their 63 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 64th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

64thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Approval · how many liked their films

71stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Reach · how many have seen their films

78thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 63

Midcredits score across 69 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up29
  • 50th to 74th19
  • 25th to 49th17
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

35 of their 69 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved13
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser35
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed18

Most divisive · actor

Doogal (2006)

88th percentile spread · 70% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Midcredits 99th · 93% liked

Reviewers score the acting 73/100 in their films, across 53 reviewed titles; fans 82, detractors 47. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Ian McKellen's work okay for kids?

Across up to 28 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore22 titles41–77 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity28 titles8–68 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity24 titles4–60 · median 31 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs21 titles23–45 · median 33 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense22 titles32–70 · median 61 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Ian McKellen work with?

People who share at least 2 of Ian McKellen's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Peter Jackson shares the most, 8.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles