Widely applauded by American film audiences for his roles as Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings and Magneto in the X-Men films, Ian McKellen is first and foremost an icon of the British stage, knighted in 1991 for his contribution to the performing arts. And yet his political and social services have transcended even his acting career, and in 2008 Queen Elizabeth named him a Companion of Honour for his championing of equality and LGBT rights around the world. Also the biographer of Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson, and Alec Guinness, Garry O'Connor explores McKellen's great roles and his personal life to reveal what makes him such a remarkable actor and human being.