sir born english actor recipient awards golden globe award award saturn awards drama desk awards critics choice awards received academy_award nominations bafta nominations nominations work spans genres ranging modern theatre popular fantasy science fiction bbc states performances guaranteed place canon english stage film actors known film roles include lord rings films appointed commander order british empire elizabeth_ii services performing arts companion honour services drama equality queen new year honours openly gay continues champion lgbt social movements worldwide freeman october early life born lancashire son née civil engineer second child sister jean years senior shortly outbreak second world war september family moved lived war early childhood relocated father promoted experience living war young child lasting impact later claimed peace resumed realise war wasn normal interviewer remarked calm aftermath september attacks said forget slept steel plate years old father civil engineer lay preacher protestant irish scottish descent great great grandfather strict evangelical protestant minister home environment strongly christian non orthodox upbringing low christians felt led christian life christian manner everybody met mother died father died coming closet member said member society declared indifference people sexuality years think glad sake wasn lying anymore attended school boys division supporter attending regularly talk pupils acting career started patron early fascination theatre encouraged parents took family outing manchester main christmas present wood fold away victorian theatre cardboard scenery wires push cut outs sister took shakespeare play twelfth night shortly followed production night dream music role played continued act direct produce amateur theatre death years old won scholarship college cambridge read english literature career theatre member appearing shallow alongside march opposite doctor professional appearance belgrade theatre man seasons audio recording gone commercial sale shakespeare series years regional theatres west end appearance scent flowers regarded notable success member old led roles festival breakthrough performances directed directed edinburgh festival causing storm protest enactment homosexual edward death 1970s 1980s known figure british theatre performing frequently played leading roles including title role played gripping ordinary production award winning productions directed productions adapted television films directed returned productions directed appeared popular revival london directed playing opposite patron president great_britain association amateur theatre organisations late august took opening ceremony portraying popular success taken film roles career beginning role touch love leading role lawrence priest love 1990s widely recognised medium roles blockbuster hollywood films supporting role south african critically acclaimed degrees separation starred smith year appeared minor roles television miniseries tales city based novel friend film action hero played death later appeared television film band played discovery aids virus won award supporting actor movie miniseries nominated emmy award outstanding supporting actor miniseries movie played title role transported setting alternative 1930s england ruled film critical success produced wrote film adapting play screen based stage production shakespeare play directed appeared executive producer returned fee complete filming final battle review film washington_post film critic called performance flamboyant incarnation said mastery dominates performance title role garnered bafta nominations won european film award best actor screenplay nominated appeared acclaimed film directed based story portrayed fugitive nazi officer living false befriended curious teenager threatens expose tells story detail subsequently nominated role film gods monsters played director boat cast direction play comic book film sequels men united men stand filming men cast wizard film adaptation lord rings consisting fellowship ring towers return king received honors motion picture work fellowship ring nominated role provided voice video game adaptations films january officially confirmed reprise role film adaptation march hosted saturday night live guest appearance american cartoon simpsons special british themed episode entitled regina prime minister author april played role television long running soap opera coronation street fulfilling lifelong ambition narrated film eighteen grandfather leaves world war memoirs audio cassette teenage grandson appeared limited release films shot weeks following shoot asylum appeared sir code interview today code cast director posed question group felt film borne prominent work fiction religious groups wanted responded thought bible saying fiction mean walking water takes act faith faith movie true factual good story continued think audiences clever bright separate fact fiction discuss thing seen appeared series comedy series extras played directing character play gay lovers received primetime emmy award outstanding guest actor comedy series nomination performance portrayed number prisoner remake cult series prisoner starred itv sitcom vicious alongside series revolves elderly gay couple years august renewed episode second series began airing june november appeared doctor 50th anniversary comedy homage doctors reboot reprised role men days future past released shared role played younger version character men class october appeared norman sir bbc production alongside voice beast loyal butler cursed clock live action adaptation beauty beast personal life partner history teacher began relationship relationship lasted years ending lived london continued pursue career actor decade lived story victorian conversion narrow street met second partner edinburgh festival relationship lasted according year love affair conflicts success acting versus somewhat successful career later directed theatre royal pair entered business partnership purchasing lease public house narrow street late 1980s lost appetite meat fish diet received artist citizen world award france tattoo number written artificial script shoulder reference involvement lord rings fact character original companions fellowship ring actors fellowship wood tattoo character original companions arranged stunt double tattoo instead diagnosed cancer stated blog cause alarm examined regularly cancer contained needed treatment ordained minister early order marriage men star fiancée sunny awarded honorary cambridge_university june freeman city london thursday october ceremony took place london nominated london lord mayor said chosen exceptional actor equality fellow catherine college oxford activism lgbt rights campaigning sexual orientation known fellow actors early stage career came general public programme context prompted decision concerns possible negative effect career controversial section local government bill known simply section consideration section proposed prohibiting local authorities promoting homosexuality kind pretended family relationship active fighting proposed law programme debated section conservative journalist declared gay stated influenced decision advice support friends noted gay author interview discusses 29th anniversary riots commented regrets having come earlier didn engage said period participating campaign focus people comfort board right people gay straight section enacted remained statute books scotland england wales section applied northern_ireland appearance got news claimed visited environment secretary responsible local government lobby section howard refused change position ask leave children agreed wrote fuck gay described howard junior ministers conservatives architects section ugly sisters political continued active lgbt rights efforts statement website activism actor commented reluctant lobby issues care nuclear weapons religion capital punishment anti aids fund want forever impact addressing urgent concern legal social equality gay people worldwide founder lgbt rights lobby group united_kingdom named riots patron lgbt history month appears video parents talking closing ceremony gay games briefly took stage address crowd saying sir nickname given circulating gay community conferred attended academy_awards boyfriend new spoke pre launch lgbt history month lending support organisation founder patron organisation provides support young homeless troubled lgbt people patron stating send love members sponsors supporters proud impressed confidence determination gay people age occasion steps coming leaving closet forever taken activism internationally caused major stir singapore invited interview morning shocked interviewer asking recommend gay bar programme immediately ended december named annual list extended support liverpool festival group gay lesbian teenagers helped produce anti campaign pack schools youth centres city called moscow mayor refusing allow gay city named world pride power list charity work april actors appeared series advertisements support age charity recently formed merger help aged actors gave time free charge cricket fan childhood umpired march charity cricket match new_zealand support earthquake victims february earthquake honorary board member new_york washington based organization believe believe creates performs interactive plays children hospitals care facilities honoured organisation hosted annual believe broadway gala november garnered publicity organisation stripping lord rings underwear stage new_zealand filming announced special new_zealand tour shakespeare proceeds shows going help save suffered extensive damage earthquake said opted help save building theatre played new_zealand waiting locals love place worth supporting selected credits stage old london wells promise west end broadway title role hamlet title role pity title role london king john romeo juliet romeo london winter tale title role young london london good boy deserves favour london sisters bent max criterion london acting shakespeare copenhagen broadway title role broadway cherry orchard real inspector title role world tour tour title role captain hook enemy people national theatre theatre los_angeles present laughter leeds england theatre new_york london england old cut king william_shakespeare new_zealand new_york minneapolis west end new_york minneapolis west end waiting london comedy theatre melbourne australia cape_town south_africa syndicate festival man land waiting double bill broadway letters live hall london filmography awards nominations music appeared reciting shakespeare group improvised minutes ran mtv vampire music video heart pet shop boys man falling reach music video falling reach sisters track invisible light album night work reciting passage invisible light title appeared alongside music video listen man whilst singing song joins lip voice narrator series wolf brother soul version homer odyssey work friend admirer work contributed entire chapter tribute recording voice heard performances royal festival hall reminding patrons ensure mobile phones watch switched minimum took opening ceremony
Ian McKellen