Ian McKellen Net Worth

What is Ian McKellen's Net Worth and Salary?

Sir Ian McKellen is an English actor who has a net worth of $60 million. Sir Ian McKellen has established himself as one of Britain's most respected and versatile actors across a career spanning more than six decades. While he began as a classical stage actor in the 1960s and gained prominence in British theater, McKellen achieved global recognition later in life through his iconic film roles, most notably as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Hobbit" trilogies, and as Magneto in the "X-Men" franchise.

McKellen's stage career includes acclaimed performances with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre, where he tackled many of theater's most challenging roles including King Lear, Macbeth, and Richard III. He brought the latter to the screen in his own 1995 film adaptation, helping establish his cinema career.

Beyond his acting work, McKellen became a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ rights after coming out publicly in 1988. He has continued to work steadily across all media well into his 80s, balancing major Hollywood productions with intimate theater work and television appearances. His numerous accolades include seven Laurence Olivier Awards, a Tony Award, six BAFTA nominations, two Oscar nominations, and a knighthood in 1991 for services to the performing arts.

Early Life

Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25th, 1939, in Lancashire, England. Raised amidst the backdrop of the Second World War, Ian grew up as a Christian and moved to the town of Wigan with his family at a young age. Speaking about his experiences living through the conflict, McKellen admitted he "slept under a steel plate" until he was four to protect himself from bombings and that he never really understood that war wasn't normal until he grew up.

Ian started his acting career by performing in school plays. At the age of 18, he attended St. Catharine's College at Cambridge on a scholarship. During his college years, McKellen studied English literature and became a member of the Marlowe Society, Cambridge's famed theater club. As a member, McKellen appeared in 23 of their plays. By the time he was 24, both of his parents had passed away.

Career

Predictably, Ian McKellen's professional acting career began in theater. The Belgrade Theater became the young actor's launching pad, starting with a leading role in "A Man for All Seasons." By the mid-60s, he was performing at the Old Vic as a member of the National Theater Company. He then joined the Prospect Theater company and broke through with roles in "Richard II" and "Edward II," and by the 70s, he was one of the most well-known theater actors in Britain.

Throughout the next few decades, Ian made a name for himself with the Royal National Theater and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and by the end of the 70s, he had truly exhibited his mastery of Shakespeare's works.

As early as the late 60s, Ian McKellen was targeting a career in film alongside his involvement in theater. In 1969, he booked his first film role in "A Touch of Love." A decade-long hiatus followed before he booked a leading role in "Priest of Love." Again, a decade passed by before Ian McKellen returned to film, but he made a lasting impact in the 90s. One of the first roles that really got him noticed was "Six Degrees of Separation," and further mainstream roles in films like "Last Action Hero" quickly followed.

McKellen blew film critics away with his role in "And the Band Played On" in 1993 before co-producing and co-writing "Richard III." The film was based on a Shakespeare play, and Ian once again took a leading role in the critically acclaimed film. Critics also heaped praise upon the actor for his next roles in "Art Pupil" and "Show Boat."

(Photo by Tristan Fewings – WPA Pool / Getty Images)

Over the next period, Ian McKellen would book two of his most famous film roles. The first came in 1999 when he was cast as Magneto in "X-Men," one of the first superhero movies of the modern era. The film was incredibly successful, and McKellen reprised his role in three X-Men sequels.

While filming "X-Men," McKellen was cast as Gandalf in the "Lord of the Rings" film franchise led by Peter Jackson. The first film, "The Fellowship of the Ring," was released in 2001, and two sequels followed. Not only did Ian appear in the entire trilogy, but he also reprised his role as Gandalf in "The Hobbit" film series, which was released in three segments starting in 2012.

By the 2000s, McKellen had returned to Shakespeare and other theater productions in London. In 2017, he appeared in the title role of "King Lear" in what he described as his last big Shakespeare role. However, in 2020 he announced that he would play the role of Hamlet once again. Over the years, Ian has also become closely involved with several theater organizations behind the scenes as well as on stage.

When McKellen wasn't on stage or filming scenes as Gandalf or Magneto, he was appearing on shows like "Coronation Street," "Extras," "The Prisoner," "Saturday Night Live," "Dr. Who," and many others. In 2006, he booked a role in "The Da Vinci Code," which became a box-office success. Towards the end of the 2010s, he appeared in movies like "The Dresser," Disney's live-action reboot of "Beauty and the Beast," and "The Good Liar."

Lord of the Rings Salary

Ian McKellen was paid $13 million for the first two Lord of the Rings movies, paid as $6.2 million for the first, and $7.8 million for the second. His salary for the third film was never publicly confirmed but is believed to be in the $18-20 million range. Using $18 million, Ian earned a combined $31 million for his work.

Sean Parker Wedding Offer

When Facebook billionaire Sean Parker got married in 2013, he reportedly spent $10 million to orchestrate an elaborate Lord of the Rings-themed ceremony. He spared no expense, even going so far as to hire the movie's actual costume designer, Ngila Dickson, to create custom wedding threads. His dream was to have Sir Ian McKellen officiate the ceremony in full Gandalf garb. He even went so far as to offer McKellen a $1.5 million payday for his services. Ian declined. He's performed this particular duty in the past (but not as Gandalf) for his friend Sir Patrick Stewart and fiance Sunny Ozell, but Gandalf declined the offer for a pretty humorous reason:

"I was offered one-and- a-half million dollars to marry a very famous couple in California, which I would perhaps have considered doing but I had to go dressed as Gandalf. So I said, 'I am sorry, Gandalf doesn't do weddings.'"

Ross Setford/Getty Images

Personal Life

Ian McKellen is openly gay and announced his sexual orientation as early as the late 80s. Around this time, he stopped eating all meat except for fish and became a pescatarian. In 2006, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, although he told fans not to worry because he had received treatment and was healthy. Ian is very active in fighting for LGBTQ rights.

Real Estate

In 2011, it was reported that McKellen was purchasing a 300-year-old pub in East London. The pub was close to McKellan's residence, and it had special significance for him. Charles Dickens famously frequented the establishment, and as the story goes, he was made to stand up and sing on one of the pub's tables more than 200 years ago. Reports stated that Sir Ian was planning to hire a full-time manager for the pub after he completed the acquisition.

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