Ian McKellen played Gandalf in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings film trilogy.
McKellen portrayed Gandalf in The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King, released from 2001 to 2003. His performance covered both Gandalf the Grey and Gandalf the White, reflecting the character’s transformation after his battle with the Balrog in Moria.
McKellen received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for The Fellowship of the Ring. His portrayal helped make Gandalf one of the most recognizable characters in modern fantasy cinema, combining humor, authority and a sense of ancient power.
Christopher Lee also appeared in the trilogy, but he played Saruman, not Gandalf. Ian Holm played Bilbo Baggins, while Elijah Wood played Frodo. McKellen later returned as Gandalf in Jackson’s three Hobbit films, which were released between 2012 and 2014 and depict events before The Lord of the Rings.