Sir Ian Murray McKellen is an acclaimed British thespian and respected film actor. He is well-known for his roles as 'Magneto' and 'Gandalf' in the 'X-Men' and 'The Lord of the Rings' film series, respectively. He has worked in a number of projects ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre, to popular fantasy and science fiction films. He has acted in several 'X-Men' movies and in the film adaptation of one of the best-selling books 'The Da Vinci Code.' For his work in the 'Lord of the Rings' film series, he received the 'Screen Actors Guild Award' for 'Best Supporting Actor, ' and an 'Academy Award' nomination. McKellen was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and was made a Companion of Honor for his services to drama. He was also knighted for his services to performing arts