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Ian McKellen

"I had enough trouble living up to one legend. Two would be too much to hope for."

— On why he turned down the role of Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, after the death of Richard Harris.

Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born in 1939 in the UK) is a Shakespearean actor, known for his roles as Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Magneto in X-Men (get over it

◊) and as Number Two in the remake of The Prisoner, as well as a certain polar bear.

He's also openly gay and an ardent supporter of gay rights (averting Nobody Over 50 Is Gay), advocating it to the exclusion of other causes. Indeed, when the Conservative and pro-Section 28

then-Home Secretary Michael Howard asked for an autograph from McKellen in 1988, McKellen instead wrote, "F**k off, I'm gay".

Tropes:

Actor Allusion: His appearance on Have I Got News for You had constant references to his role in The Lord of the Rings
Enforced Method Acting: He hosted Saturday Night Live, and in one sketch played Dame Maggie Smith, being interviewed on Weekend Update. At one point he told Jimmy Fallon, "Oh, you're such a sweet boy! I'd like to give you a kiss!" Fallon leaned over, clearly expecting a peck on the cheek. Ian grabbed him and gave him an open-mouthed smooch right on the lips, leaving Fallon visibly stunned. It was hilarious.
Knight Fever: Though he prefers not be called Sir Ian in person "because I don’t like being separated out from the rest of the population".
Straight Gay