"The Lord of the Rings" star Ian McKellen is going to be the subject of the new upcoming feature documentary "McKellen: Playing the Part." He has amassed some pretty iconic roles over the course of his decades-long career and is now tackling a new role.
According to Variety, "McKellen: Playing the Part" is based on an exclusive 14-hour interview with McKellen. It will be directed by "Chicken" producer Joe Stephenson.
The documentary "McKellen: Playing the Part" will feature rare archive material of early work from stage and screen performances, never-before-seen photography from McKellen's private collection, and cinematically reconstructed scenes from his life.
British actor McKellen is best known as Gandalf in "The Lord of the Rings" movies and Magneto in the "X-Men" franchise. He has been Oscar-nominated twice for "Gods and Monsters" in 1999 and "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" in 2002. He has been nominated for the Emmy Award five times.
In addition to earning two Oscar nominations, McKellen has been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II and become an outspoken advocate for LGBT rights. He will next appear next year in the live-action "Beauty and the Beast" movie, voicing the clock Cogsworth. He is repped by Paul Lyon Maris at Independent Talent in the U.K. and CAA in the U.S.
Stephenson is represented by Jessica Sykes at Independent Talent in the U.K. He just recently released his first film "Chicken," starring Scott Chambers as a 15-year-old Richard with learning difficulties. His first feature garnered glowing reviews on its UK release earlier this year, Entertainment Weekly reported.
"McKellen: Playing the Part" is Stephenson's second theatrical feature. It is produced by his outfit B Good Picture Company, in co-production with Surreal Film Company's Mark Birmingham. It is currently filming.
Watch the documentary video of Ian McKellen showing his biography, life, career, and filmography: