Who played Magneto in "X-Men"?

Ian McKellen played Magneto in X-Men, the 2000 superhero film directed by Bryan Singer. His character is Erik Lehnsherr, a powerful mutant who can manipulate metal and leads a militant movement seeking mutant supremacy.

In the film, Magneto believes humans will ultimately persecute mutants, so he rejects Professor Charles Xavier’s hope for peaceful coexistence. McKellen’s performance gave the character a commanding, aristocratic presence while emphasizing his history as a Holocaust survivor and his fear of oppression repeating itself.

McKellen returned as Magneto in X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand. He also appeared as the character in brief or supporting roles connected with The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Michael Fassbender later played a younger version of Magneto in the prequel films.

A frequent mix-up is confusing Magneto’s actor with Patrick Stewart, who played Professor X, or with Fassbender, who portrayed the younger incarnation. McKellen’s Magneto belongs primarily to the original X-Men film era beginning with the 2000 movie.