The talented actor Ian McKellen said that he did not feel like he could really be himself until he came out clean out his sexuality. In an interview with People Magazine, the 76-year old actor who is known for his roles as Magneto in X-men and as Gandalf in The Lord of The Rings films admitted back in 1988 that he was homosexual. He also added that it was not until he openly admitted to his family and to the public about his sexuality that he felt like his acting career was bound to be successful.
In the interview with the magazine he honestly said, "I was finally allowed to be in touch with my own emotions."
"So acting became about telling the truth. It was a huge change.
Before he came out he always had that feeling that he "wasn't truly allowed" to be himself because of his sexual orientation and so he resorted to acting stating that it allowed him the opportunity to "run away from the real life"
"My life got better in every way [after coming out,]" he said. "I don't say I became a better cook, but I became a better son, a better brother, a better uncle, and a better actor - a different actor, anyway."
Ian Murray McKellen was born on May 25, 1939 in Lancashire, England, to couple Margery Lois (Sutcliffe) and civil engineer Denis Murray McKellen. He is of Scottish, Northern Irish, and English descent. The actor won a Golden Globe in 1997 for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV
Rasputin and has been nominated for two Oscars and five Emmys. He is the voice behind Horatio P. Huntington, a character in the upcoming animation movie entitled Animal Crackers
